#and alec and izzy will always have a special place in my heart | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kar-krashew · 3 years

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my someplace is here [AO3]

Five times Alec gay panics at a bus stop (ft. umbrellas, jackets, and a bus driver who really isn't paid enough for this).

rated: T

for @rainyhuman and @peachygos (ily!)

This is so cliché and over the top and I have absolutely no regrets <3. Sometimes (always) Alec is a himbo who is in love and his actions reflect this entirely. I don't control these things.

One.

Alec Lightwood doesn’t believe in love at first sight, but the man across the bus stop is absolutely gorgeous, and he’s twirling in the rain like a goddamn movie cliché, and Alec’s first thought is holy shit, so maybe Alec Lightwood is an idiot, and love at first sight is definitely a Thing.

Alec’s second thought is that the man is an absolute maniac— because really, the dude doesn’t even have a coat on— but Alec’s the one with an insane urge to kiss a stranger in the middle of the street, so, whatever; They’re probably both maniacs.

Alec’s third thought is that he’s about to miss his bus. Shit.

—

Two.

For the record, Alec does not usually walk into bus stop poles while staring at his phone, nor does he usually yell out “Ow, shit — !” if the aforementioned event does happen to occur. He does, however, end up doing both of these things at once a week later, and the stifled laughter behind him informs him that someone at the stop has definitely seen him, and he’s never going to live this down, ever.

“I’ve personally found that walking around an obstacle tends to be much more effective, darling,” the someone says, and Alec supposes that was called for, but hey, rude. He looks up to face the speaker, preparing himself to be offended, and—

Oh.

It’s the beautiful stranger from last time.

The man smirks at him from the bench, drenched again, and God, he’s even prettier up close. Brown eyes, smudged eyeliner, water trickling down his neck, with a tunic open down to his navel and pants that look painted on— Alec’s brain is short-circuiting.

“Hit your head a little hard there? Or do you just see something you like?”

“Huh?” Alec glances up from where he’s been staring at the man’s collarbones.

“I asked if you saw something you liked, pretty boy,” the man repeats.

Alec opens his mouth, presumably to say something that would be considered appropriate and normal in this situation, but he somehow misses his own memo and instead stammers out: “I, uh, I have an umbrella.”

He prays the rain will have mercy and just drown him on the spot.

The man’s brow quirks upwards in amusement. “Excuse me?”

Alec, unfortunately, is still alive, so he must now suffer the embarrassment he’s managed to cause himself and find a way to explain whatever has just come out of his mouth. He ducks his head, trying to avoid eye contact as he speaks. “If you want it,” he elaborates, “I have an umbrella I can give you.”

The stranger just looks at him for a moment. Alec’s sure he’s going to be told to fuck off (which would be a perfectly understandable reaction and probably have been his own in this situation) but after another second, the man defies all of his expectations and grins, so wide that it steals a little of Alec’s breath away.

“Handsome and chivalrous, I see. Do you make a habit of offering your belongings to strangers?” the guy asks. “Besides, I’m sure you’ll need it later. Perhaps you should rescind your offer, I promise I won’t harbor any grudges.”

“I have a coat,” Alec insists, “and you’re. . .” —incredibly attractive, doing things to my brain function— “more in need of its services.”

He’s not really sure why he’s so adamant about this, especially since the man is right: he will be needing the umbrella later, but his pride’s involved now, and he hasn’t really been thinking things through for the past ten minutes anyway. He might as well argue about his dumb umbrella with a beautiful man at a bus stop.

“I suppose you’re right,” comes the man’s response. He taps painted nails against his chin as he hums. “I’m not in much of a position to refuse, now, am I? Though, I doubt I’d refuse any position with you involved,” he winks. “But, yes, if you’re being serious, I shall gladly accept your umbrella.”

Alec blinks. He honestly did not think that argument would’ve worked. (He chooses to ignore the blatant innuendo to preserve his sanity for now.)

“Well?” the man prompts.

“Oh! Yeah, sure.” Really, the whole zoning-out-while-staring-at-the-hot-guy thing is going to become a problem very fast if Alec keeps doing it every two minutes. He gathers his thoughts enough to fumble with the umbrella in his hand and give it to the man, who accepts it with a graceful flourish.

“I’m Magnus Bane, by the way,” the man offers. “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.”

“I’m Alec. Lightwood. My name’s Alec Lightwood.”

Magnus holds out a ring-covered hand from where he’s sitting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alec. Short for Alexander, I presume?”

“Yeah,” Alec nods. He reaches out to shake Magnus’s hand, adding, “but no one really calls me that.”

Magnus’s smile turns into something incredibly flirty, and Alec can feel his cheeks heating up. “I like to be special, Alexander,” the other says, “and it suits you far better.”

Alec’s not really sure how to respond to that, because the way Magnus says his name is doing things to him, and that, combined with the fact that he’s still clutching Magnus’s soft hand in his own, is probably going to give him a heart attack. He’s about to say something decidedly stupid about Magnus already being special and perfect and amazing when the bus saves him from humiliation and pulls up next to them.

Alec releases Magnus’s grip to awkwardly gesture at the vehicle. “I should really. . . you know,” he trails off, and Magnus blinks at him for a second, surprised.

“Oh, right! You should get going, places to be and all that.” He waves his hand through the air dismissively. “I’ll return your umbrella to you next week, same time?”

Alec smiles dopily as he nods. “That sounds great.” He takes a step back. “I’ll see you soon, then?”

“Of course.” Magnus gives him a little wave. “It was lovely to meet you, Alexander. Safe travels.”

“Thanks, uh, you too.”

Having to walk home in the rain is so worth it.

—

Three.

Izzy laughs at Alec for the entire week when she finds out why his umbrella’s been missing, then makes it worse by telling Jace, who gives Alec an incredibly long-winded speech about umbrellas as metaphors for protection during sex or something. He also deigns to throw a condom at Alec’s face when he leaves to get the bus, which sends Izzy into another bout of cackling laughter.

They’re both assholes, and Alec is never going to cover for them at family dinners ever again.

So he’s scrolling through his phone at the bus stop, trying his best to ignore the increasingly obscene texts his siblings are sending him, when Magnus shows up, bright and beaming and decidedly dry this time, though he’s still not wearing a jacket despite the cold.

And dear lord. If Alec thought Magnus looked gorgeous while soaked in rainwater, this is something else entirely. Gold-streaked hair, unbuttoned shirt, immaculate matching eyeshadow— fuck.

“Alexander!” Magnus greets. He sits down beside Alec on the bench, and grins as he hands over Alec’s umbrella. “Finally a little dry, hm? Though I might’ve underestimated the cold and left my coat back home.”

“Yeah,” Alec says. “Not that you were wearing one when it was raining.” He’s trying his best not to stare at Magnus’s mouth, but the man is very close to Alec’s face right now, and he cannot be blamed if his gaze slips a few times, okay? He’s only human.

Magnus shrugs, drawing Alec’s sight to his shoulders instead. “Coats are irrelevant, anyway. I haven’t worn mine all week, so I might as well continue the trend,” he remarks, and Alec snorts.

“I don’t think that’s as impressive as you think it is. You sound like a petulant toddler. How have you not had, like, five colds by now?” he says. Magnus feigns a pout in response, and Alec stifles a laugh.

“Such cruelty, Alexander!” Magnus replies, “Ah, I suppose I’ll just have to suffer the elements until I’m finally back home again, since no one seems to harbor any sympathy for me. Woe is me, and all that.” He tightens his hands around his biceps, rubbing up and down to warm himself up while sighing dramatically, and Alec, well,

Alec gets a really stupid idea.

“Do you want my jacket?” he asks. “I won’t be out in the cold for that long, and I’m wearing a much warmer shirt than you are.”

Magnus’s lips part in surprise as something conflicted flashes behind his eyes. “I—” he starts, then clears his throat. “I wasn’t being serious, darling. That’s your jacket.”

“Is that a no?”

There’s a moment of silence before Magnus shakes his head. “No, it’s not. I, uh, I’d love that.”

Alec beams, and Magnus clears his throat again. “You’re horribly trusting of someone you’ve only met twice,” he says, voice a little strangled, but Alec just shrugs as he begins to wrestle the black fabric off of his shoulders.

“It’s just a jacket,” he explains, leaning closer to drape it over Magnus, “Even if I never got it back, at least you wouldn’t freeze to death on your way to wherever you’re headed.” He fixes the lapels dutifully, and smiles to himself. “Besides, you’ve already given me my umbrella. I trust you.”

“Is that so,” Magnus answers weakly, which prompts Alec to look up from his fiddling, and oh wow, their mouths are so close to each other’s.

If Magnus inches in just a little bit closer, then they’d—

They’d—

“Um!” Alec jerks backwards, face flushing, “Yes, uh,” he stammers, trying not to look overwhelmed. It’s not going great, because moving back means that he’s now being treated to the sight of Magnus in Alec’s jacket, and he’s having some issues thinking properly right now. It swallows Magnus’s wrists almost entirely and looks far too plain for his expensive printed shirt, but fuck. It’s possible that Alec didn’t think this through.

Magnus opens his mouth, hopefully to tell Alec to kiss him but also probably to tell him to fuck completely off for whatever move they almost pulled, but the bus suddenly turns the corner and pulls into view, cutting him off.

Alec’s not sure whether he’s relieved or furious about this.

“Next week, then,” he ventures. Magnus blinks at him slowly, then nods.

“Yes, of course,” he smiles softly. “Next week.”

—

Four.

“Remind me again, why your presence is necessary today?” Alec grits through his teeth, tightly gripping his umbrella as the rain pours down on them. Izzy punches his arm, not even looking up from her phone as she does so, where she is no doubt giving Jace a play-by-play of Alec’s every action as they walk towards the bus stop.

“Because I’m never one to miss out on good blackmail content,” she replies, which is true. She’s got about four folder’s worth of content of “embarrassing shit Alec has done” on her phone, most of it consisting of his painful attempts at being straight in high school, and Alec’s pretty sure she’s started a fifth, probably titled “Alec’s horrible attempts at flirting with men,” which isn’t that much better than the straight one. Alec is debating turning around and just walking to his destination so that his sister won’t be able to gain more content for her virtual blackmail folders, which is exactly when Magnus comes into Alec’s field of vision.

Alec freezes in his tracks. Holy shit.

Magnus is standing in the center of the street again, drenched from head to toe with his head thrown back . The streetlights illuminate him from above, highlighting the curve of his neck and the colored streaks in his hair as he laughs to himself, staring up at the stars.

He looks ethereal. Alec’s never been one for the romantics, but he’s pretty sure this is what poets mean when they talk about true love and angels and immortal moments in time.

“Oh, he’s hot,” Izzy whispers approvingly. Alec agrees, because, obviously, but he pretends he’s unaffected and straightens his face.

“He’s probably freezing,” he says instead. Izzy rolls her eyes— she gets that from him, he really should stop doing that— and then, before Alec can stop her, calls out.

“Hey! Hot Umbrella Guy!”

What the fuck.

“Are you insane?” Alec hisses. He was trying to look nonchalant and not like the totally lovestruck idiot he is, but now Izzy is waving at Magnus like a maniac and Magnus has noticed them and is walking towards them and Alec is going to die. He’s going to write Izzy out of his will and then he is going to collapse into a heap of embarrassment and gay panic right here, and it’s going to be his sister’s fault.

“Relax a little, hermano,” Izzy replies, and before Alec can provide her with an alphabetized list for every reason he cannot relax, Magnus is already standing before them, smiling as water trickles from his hair.

God, he’s beautiful.

“Hello, hello!” he greets. Alec suddenly notices that Magnus is wearing Alec’s jacket, which is, well. Something. (Izzy is never going to let him live this down, and also Alec is having a very hard time thinking any thoughts.)

Magnus seems to notice Alec’s wandering line of sight, following it and glancing down, eyes widening. “Oh my god, I was fully intending to return this to you, I’m so sorry. I got a little distracted. I’ll have it cleaned and returned to you next time, I promise,” he explains. Alec shakes his head.

“No worries,” he manages, cutting himself off before he says something even stupider like “it’s yours forever” or “marry me” or something, and Izzy snorts from beside him. Alec hates her.

“Thank you,” Magnus says, then turns to face Izzy, “And what may I call you, dear?”

“I like him,” Izzy declares, in what Alec assumes is meant to be a reassuring whisper but instead ends up being incredibly loud, “I’m Izzy, Alec’s sister. And I assume you’re the elusive Magnus I’ve heard so much about?”

“Izzy,” Alec warns. Magnus smirks and shakes her hand.

“The one and only,” he confirms. There’s a mischievous sort of glint in his eye as he glances back up at Alec, and Alec’s not sure how he feels about Magnus and his sister already getting along so well, but he’s sure it can’t lead anywhere good.

“Well, Isabelle,” Magnus says, “If I asked him, do you think your brother would join me for a dance?”

Alec chokes. “What?” he splutters. Magnus turns his grin to face him.

“If I asked, Alexander, would you join me for a dance?”

“I—” Alec starts, staring down at the hand Magnus has outstretched in front of him. There are so many reasons he should say no, and so many reasons this is a bad idea, but also the most beautiful man Alec has ever seen is holding his hand out for him to take, and what else is he supposed to do? “Yeah,” he says. “Sure.”

The first thing Alec notices is how soft Magnus’s hand is in his as he pulls him out into the rain, laughing as it hits his face again, and Alec can’t help but laugh along even as water soaks into his shoes and drenches into his socks. There’s something so childish about it; giggling and spinning in an empty street without any music, holding hands like toddlers, and Alec wouldn’t have it any other way.

“You’re thinking too much,” Magnus murmurs, then he tilts his head back and closes his eyes. “It’s about being in the moment.”

Alec smiles. If only he knew, all he’s thinking about is this moment: how the water catches in Magnus’s lashes, how he’s humming something entirely off-key under his breath, the way he presses against Alec’s chest. Fuck. Alec’s known this man for three days, and he’s halfway in love already.

He closes his eyes against the rain, too, and smiles at the thought: loving a man like Magnus Bane.

Yeah, he could get used to that.

—

Five.

When Alec reaches the bus stop today, Magnus is nowhere to be seen and Alec’s jacket is sitting in a bag at the bus stop with a little post it signed with the letter “M.”

It’s fine, Alec tells himself. Magnus is probably just busy with something else, and this has nothing to do with the fact that Alec froze up awkwardly when Magnus kissed him on the cheek last week, to the point where Magnus had to nervously laugh it off because Alec was too busy panicking.

It’s a flimsy argument, but it keeps Alec from losing his mind for about fifteen minutes until the bus pulls up early and Alec realizes that this is it. He’s not going to see Magnus this week— maybe not ever again, if Magnus has decided that Alec’s gay panic is not worth his time, and Alec wouldn’t even blame him.

God, he feels so stupid. If he hadn’t acted like a complete idiot last time, then he would’ve at least had some closure.

“Sir, are you getting on or are you waiting for another bus?”

Alec blinks, glancing up to see the bus driver raising her eyebrow at him. “Right, sorry, give me just a mo—”

“Alec!”

It can’t be.

“Alexander!”

Alec spins on his heel, turning to face whoever called his name, and oh my god, it’s Magnus. He’s running up to the bus stop, waving frantically, and Alec is overcome with such a large wave of relief that he forgets that the bus driver’s been waiting for him for like five minutes now and he climbs off and runs towards Magnus, only vaguely registering the sound of the bus leaving without him. He doesn’t even care; Magnus is standing right in front of him, panting heavily but still so beautiful and perfect, and Alec would walk home everyday if he got to see Magnus because of it.

“Alexander,” Magnus huffs, gathering his breath. He absentmindedly reaches out to grab Alec’s shoulder, and Alec immediately wraps his arms around his waist to stabilize him. “Oh lord, one second, I ran all the way here.”

“I thought you were gone,” Alec says, still holding onto him. “You left the jacket and I thought—” he trails off.

Magnus frowns. “I’m so sorry,” he says. “I thought I’d made you uncomfortable last week and didn’t want to make it worse, but I didn’t realize how rude not showing up would be. I know you probably don’t feel the same way but perhaps we can still be friends? I can be completely professional about it, though you seem to have just missed your bus—”

Alec grabs Magnus’s tunic (because he’s still not wearing a jacket, Jesus Christ) and kisses him.

Magnus blinks at him when they pull away. “Oh,” he says, a little breathless, and Alec smiles.

“I don’t want to be professional about it,” he admits.

“Oh. . .”

Magnus still seems shell-shocked, so Alec makes a move to let go of him, shifting his arm away from Magnus’s waist, but then Magnus leans back in and presses his mouth back to Alec’s and oh, nevermind then.

Alec’s not sure how long they spend there, kissing like handsy teenagers under the roof of the bus stop, but he’s aware of a few cars passing (and possibly another bus), so he’s not ignorant of the fact that it’s definitely been a while when they finally pull away for more than a second. Magnus is staring at his mouth when they part, though, which is not helping Alec’s resolve to actually have a conversation about this.

“We should talk,” he manages, and Magnus nods, still staring at his mouth.

“Right,” he agrees. “That would be a wise course of action.” His eyes flick upwards for just a moment, and something flickers behind them before he beams. “My place is two stops away, if you’d like to talk there. Perhaps we can wait for the next bus together, since we seemed to have missed the one I usually take? It might take a while, though.”

Ah. Alec swallows back a grin of his own. “Of course,” he replies, “I don’t suppose you know any way to keep us busy till then?”

“I’m sure I could think of something.”

(The bus comes late, and they still somehow almost miss it. Alec refuses to take any blame for this.)

—

+ One.

Alec Lightwood didn’t believe in love at first sight, but the man standing at the bus stop is smiling softly at him as he approaches, twirling an umbrella between his hands as he waits, and Alec’s first thought is holy shit, so maybe Alec Lightwood was an idiot, because what else could it have been?

“Hello, stranger,” the man says when Alec finally reaches the stop. He glances down, taking in Alec’s rain-soaked button down and slacks, and grins. “Forget your umbrella back home?”

Alec laughs. “My coat, too,” he agrees. “I got distracted this morning.”

Magnus hums, leaning in to kiss the rain off of Alec’s mouth, and Alec smiles into it, tasting the faint wax of lipstick and the salt of the rain. “Must’ve been a pretty good distraction.”

“Yeah,” Alec says. He leans in again, because he can. They have time. “He is.”

Magnus’s lips have got a lovely little tilt to them by the time they pull away, tint slightly smudged from Alec’s attention, and he’s never looked more beautiful, even with the dingy lighting of the shitty bus stop they’re standing under.

God, Alec loves him. He feels a little stupid with the feeling, and he can’t help but step back out onto the rain, holding out his hand.

“Hey,” he murmurs. Magnus’s eyes light up with understanding. “Care to join me for a dance?” And sure, Alec’s shit at dancing, and sure, they have to get on the bus sopping wet minutes later, but they’re both giggling like idiots and clutching the umbrella together between their intertwined hands and Alec’s got a little ring box in his pocket just waiting for the right moment, so what else matters?

They’ll probably have to invite the bus driver to the wedding, though. It’s only fair.

#my writing #malec #malec fic #magnus bane #alec lightwood #i totally forgot to post this here but its fineeeee #also if ur that anon that @'d me ab the phrase gay panic im literally gay <3 thank u

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rhosyn-du · 3 years

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Never make a mess when a total catastrophe will do - Chapter One

Pairings: Jimon, past Clace, background Clizzy, a bunch of other minor background pairings Rating: Explicit Art: @cor321 Beta: @all-thestories-aretrue Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, fake dating, oh my god they were roommates, friends with benefits, idiots to lovers, pining, miscommunication, holidays, drinking games, mistletoe, symbolically significant Oreos, domestic fluff, brief mention of past character death, Jace’s self-worth issues deserve their own tag Summary: What do you do when you find out your sister is not only dating your ex and love-of-your-high-school-life but is also bringing her home for Christmas? Bring your annoying, hot, annoyingly-hot roommate as your fake boyfriend to show them you're totally fine with it, obviously! There's no possible way this could backfire. Link: AO3, Tumblr Master Post

Chapter One

“Lightwood’s Mortuary, you stab ‘em, we slab ‘em. How may I direct your call?”

“You know,” Izzy said, “that joke would land a lot better if you hadn’t turned green last week when I mentioned getting to do my first cadaver dissection.”

“First of all,” Jace said, abandoning his laptop in favor of flopping back onto his bed, “it’s creepy that you say ‘getting to’ instead of ‘having to.’ And second of all, no one wants to hear about how much fun you had slicing up dead bodies over Thanksgiving dinner.”

“Max wanted to hear about it.”

“Max also can’t wait to get to middle school because he heard you get to use actual fire in science class,” Jace pointed out.

“Max is just into science like his big sister,” Izzy countered breezily. “Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about Christmas.”

“Please,” Jace said with far more enthusiasm than the situation probably warranted. “I’m desperate enough for any distraction that will take me away from trying to memorize third declensions that I would love to discuss whatever family holiday drama is so colossal I’m hearing it from you instead of Alec. Is Robert planning to show up uninvited to Christmas dinner with his girlfriend again? Oh! Did Mom finally snap and kill him? Is that why Alec isn’t calling? Is he helping her hide the body?”

“Oh my god,” Izzy laughed. “Dad and Annamarie are spending the holidays in Provance with her family, and there are no bodies to be hidden. This is what you get for taking Latin instead of Spanish like a sane person.”

“This coming from a woman who’s studying both,” Jace pointed out.

“Yeah, because a basic understanding of Latin and fluency in Spanish will both help me get into med school, and I need all the help I can get if I’m going to get into Grossman. Besides, I’d never imply anyone in this family is sane. If you studied more, you’d know that ‘Lightwood’ is just Latin for ‘totally fucking cracked.’”

“Please,” Jace snorted. “It’s not even a Latinate name. It’s Germanic. ‘Lightwood’ is Old English for ‘totally fucking cracked.’ Speaking of which, what’s the Christmas disaster?”

“It’s not a disaster exactly,” Izzy hedged, and Jace felt a sudden frisson of actual unease. Izzy normally had no problem speaking her mind. “It’s not a disaster at all, actually. It’s just. I invited someone.”

“Oh.” Jace relaxed. He didn’t know why Izzy was making such a big deal out of this. In the years since the divorce, Maryse had often encouraged her kids to invite any friends without a place to go to join them for holidays. Izzy’s own roommate had come for Thanksgiving last year. “That’s cool.”

“No,” Izzy said, like he was missing something obvious. “Jace, I invited someone. Someone I’m seeing. Seriously.”

“Oh,” Jace said again, this time with dawning comprehension. “That’s great, Iz. I’m happy for you. Wait, Mom’s not doing her overprotective, no-one-is-good-enough-for-my-children thing again, is she? Is that why you called, you need me to run interference?”

“No, no,” Izzy reassured him, although her voice still held an underlying tension. “Mom’s been great, actually. They knew each other already, so that probably helps.” Jace heard a shaky inhale before Izzy continued. “You, um. You know her, too, actually.”

“Oh yeah?” Jace said with forced ease, wracking his brain for any clue as to what could have Izzy so freaked out. Whatever it was, Jace wasn’t going to add to her stress. As far as he knew, Isabelle had never even been serious enough about someone before to even use the term girlfriend or boyfriend, let alone bring them home for Christmas. “Who’s the lucky lady?”

“It’s Clary,” Izzy said in a rush. “I’m dating Clary.”

The world seemed to tilt on its axis, and Jace was glad he was already lying down.

“Clary?” he repeated. “M—” He just barely stopped himself from saying “my Clary.” Because she wasn’t, not anymore. Not for a long time. “Morgenstern?” It was a clumsy recovery, but it was the best he could manage. “You’re dating Clary Morgenstern?”

Jace and Clary had met at the beginning of Jace’s junior year of high school. Clary, a year younger, had just lost her mom, and the two initially bonded over the shared experience of having lost parents. But Clary was fierce and bold and so full of passion even in the depths of her grief that Jace really couldn’t help falling in love with her. They’d dated for nearly two years—practically forever in high school terms—and even though they’d both known they were growing apart by the time Jace had to choose between his first-choice college in Boston and staying in New York to go to NYU, Clary would always hold a special place in Jace’s heart as his first love.

“Yeah,” Izzy said on a heavy exhale. “For a while now. That—that’s why I called. I didn’t want it to be weird, you know? For us all to just show up and for it to be a surprise. But I guess I probably shouldn’t have done it over the phone, either. I just didn’t think—”

“Izzy,” Jace said, much more calmly than he felt. “Breathe. It’s okay.”

“God, I should have told you sooner,” Izzy continued as though he hadn’t even spoken. “I just knew it probably would be weird for you, so I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure—”

“But you are now,” Jace interrupted again. It wasn't really a question. “Sure.”

“Yeah,” Izzy breathed. “I’m so sure.”

“Then it’s not weird,” Jace lied. “I mean, come on, my sister is dating someone who makes her happy and who I know will treat her right. What kind of idiot would I have to be to complain about that?”

“Really?” Izzy pressed. “Because I told Clary I wanted to talk to you before we finalized plans. So, if it is weird for you, or even if you just don’t want to be the only single person at the table on Christmas—”

“I won’t be,” Jace interrupted.

There was a pregnant pause, and then Izzy squealed so loud Jace had to pull the phone away from his ear.

“Oh my god, Jace! That’s amazing! Why didn’t you just say you were bringing someone, too, you jackass? Do you know how worried I’ve been about telling you about me and Clary?”

Which wasn’t what he’d meant at all—he’d only meant that Maryse was single, too—but Jace couldn’t resist the excitement in Izzy’s voice, not after her earlier panic.

“If I’d known you were all freaked out, I would have said something sooner,” Jace improvised. “It’s kind of new, and I haven’t even had the chance to tell Mom yet.”

“Let me,” Izzy insisted. “I’ve been trying to get her to admit that she and Luke are an item for ages, and maybe knowing that we’re all happily attached will be the push she needs.”

“Hold up. Mom…and Clary’s stepdad?” Jace was starting to wonder if this was some bizarre stress nightmare brought on by impending finals.

“Yup,” Izzy confirmed, popping the “p.” “They’re not even subtle about how much time they’re spending together, but Mom keeps talking about how they’re ‘just old friends.’” Jace could practically hear the eye roll.

“Anyway,” she continued, “if I leave now, I can catch Mom closing up the bookshop and maybe finally get her to crack. Don’t worry about Christmas plans. I’ll take care of everything. Talk to you later!”

“Iz, wait,” Jace started, but he was interrupted by the telltale beep of the call ending.

Jace stared at his phone, wondering how, exactly, he’d managed to make such a disaster of things. He couldn’t deal with this right now, he decided, tossing his phone aside. He just had to get through finals, and then he could come up with some excuse for why his nonexistent girlfriend couldn’t make it for Christmas. An excuse that wouldn’t make Izzy suspicious. Or Clary. Or Alec. Or— Fuck. Not thinking about it.

He turned his attention back to his laptop only to realize after several minutes of staring blankly that he wasn’t prepared to think about Latin anymore, either. Fuck it. He was going to spend the rest of the evening on the couch, drinking beer and watching stupid people doing stupid things on TV and thinking about absolutely nothing at all.

Because Jace just couldn’t catch a break, he found both the couch and TV already in use. He wanted to be annoyed, especially since he knew this was at least the dozenth time this semester his roommate had watched Return of the Jedi. Part of him was annoyed. But another part of him was…not annoyed. And that was yet another thing Jace wasn’t going to think about.

Jace’s first impression of Simon Lewis, when he’d walked into History and Literature of Music their freshman year, had been that he was kind of hot, in a nerdy way. His second impression, when he actually talked to Simon a few days later, was that the guy was annoying as hell. Over the course of the year, as they somehow ended up hanging out with the same group of friends, it became a tolerable sort of annoying. So tolerable, in fact, that when Jace found himself desperate for a roommate the next summer when Raj bailed on him last-minute, he’d agreed to let Simon have the second room in the surprisingly affordable apartment he’d found.

Jace’s third impression of Simon came four days after they’d moved in together, when he happened to be walking down the hallway at the exact moment Simon stepped out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, a stray droplet of water trailing down his surprisingly well-defined abs. In that moment, Jace must have lost his mind, because he had the sudden, almost overwhelming urge to follow the path of that droplet with his tongue and, oh. Oh no. Jace had been wrong this entire time. Simon wasn’t just annoying. He wasn’t just nerd-hot. He was annoyingly hot.

And Jace was maybe just a little bit in trouble.

Because he’d seen the kinds of people Simon dated. Thoughtful. Driven. Well-adjusted. Unlike Jace in pretty much every way that mattered. Not that Jace dated, but he wasn’t the kind of person Simon hooked up with, either, he was pretty sure.

(Jace confessed his fourth impression of Simon to Maia several months later, after many, many shots of tequila. Maia laughed at him for a solid five minutes, but she also poured them another round and never mentioned it again after they sobered up because she was actually a pretty good friend despite how much she always seemed to enjoy Jace’s suffering.)

“What’s wrong?” Simon asked around a mouthful of instant ramen. Jace refused to acknowledge that the way his cheeks puffed out when he ate was cute.

“Just.” Jace shook his head. “Holidays. Family stuff.”

“Your sister planning to make Christmas dinner again?” Simon asked.

“Worse,” Jace said, flopping onto the other end of their stained Goodwill couch. “She’s dating my ex.”

Simon winced. “Ouch, dude.” Simon poked at his noodles with a pair of well-used disposable chopsticks. “You still have feelings for your ex?”

“What? No, of course not. It was ages ago, and we were practically still kids. And the breakup was mutual.” He made a face. “But Izzy’s bringing her home for Christmas.”

“Okay, yeah, that could be a little awkward,” Simon conceded.

“It gets worse,” Jace admitted. “When she told me, I kind of panicked and said I was bringing someone home, too.”

Simon frowned. “I didn’t know you were seeing anyone.”

“I’m not,” Jace told him. “Which is kind of the problem.”

“Wow. You really know how to make things difficult for yourself.”

“Thanks,” Jace said. “Very helpful.”

Simon shrugged, then said, as casual as if he were offering to toss Jace’s towels in with his to make a full load at the laundromat, “You could always take me home with you.”

Jace stared. “What?”

“I mean, I’m going to be in the city anyway,” Simon continued, “and it’s not like my family does Christmas. I think Mom and Becky can manage the traditional Chinese takeout and Fast and Furious marathon without me.”

“Your family watches The Fast and the Furious on Christmas?” It was the only part of that Jace was emotionally prepared to process.

“It used to be Die Hard, but Mom’s got a thing for Vin Diesel, so now we alternate years.”

Jace stared a moment longer, waiting for any of this to make sense. On the television, Boushh threatened Jabba with a thermal detonator.

“Right,” Jace said when it was clear the situation wasn’t going to make sense of itself. “Okay. Rewind to the part where I’m supposed to take you home with me for Christmas and, what, pretend you’re my boyfriend?”

He could picture it all too easily. Simon wielding his enthusiastic charm to keep Izzy out of the kitchen while Jace helped Maryse make dinner. Simon joining Alec in coaxing Jace toward the piano when it was time to sing carols. Simon flushed and smiling after a couple mugs of Magnus’s deceptively alcoholic eggnog. Simon’s hand in his because that’s just something boyfriends do.

It was a horrifyingly tempting prospect.

Jace pushed those thoughts away, crossing his arms over his chest and directing all the scorn he felt at himself into the stare he leveled at Simon. “What’s that supposed to accomplish other than giving me a headache?”

“Hey,” Simon said, setting the dregs of his ramen down on their secondhand Ikea coffee table, “I’ll have you know that I make an excellent boyfriend.”

That wasn’t exactly news. The fact that Simon was friends with basically all of his exes said as much. But Jace wasn’t about to let on that he paid that much attention to Simon’s dating habits. Or to pass up such a good opening. “That why you’re single?”

“Not the one currently desperate for a holiday date here, pal,” Simon pointed out.

“I don’t know, you seemed pretty eager to be my holiday date just a second ago,” Jace said, adding a wink just to be obnoxious.

“It was an offer, jackass. One which I now deeply regret.”

“Which you should,” Jace told him, turning to the TV and pretending to watch. “Now we can both forget this conversation ever happened, and I can go back to figuring out what I’m going to tell my family about why my nonexistent significant other can’t make it for Christmas this year.”

“Right,” Simon muttered, picking up his bowl and turning his own attention back to the movie.

Jace told himself he didn’t feel just the tiniest bit disappointed.

“The thing is,” Simon said several minutes later, as Boba Fett tumbled into the Sarlaac pit, “my cousin Rachel is getting married on Valentine’s Day. And my Bubbe Helen is still pretty cranky with me for breaking up with Maia.”

Jace frowned at him. “You and Maia dated for like a month and a half. Over a year ago.”

“Yeah, well,” Simon said, “Bubbe Helen really liked her, but I think maybe that’s because Maia’s the only person I’ve ever brought to a family function. So, I was thinking maybe if I brought someone else to Rachel’s wedding, she’d get the hint and drop the Maia thing. And then you suddenly needed someone to take home for Christmas, and I thought we could, you know, help each other out.”

It was a terrible idea, and Jace meant to say so. He really did. But what came out of his mouth instead was, “You want to introduce me to your grandmother?”

“I mean,” Simon said with a shrug, “she’d probably be happier if you were Jewish, but I honestly think she’d be happy to see me with anyone who’s not a total asshole. Ever since she found out Maia and I aren’t together anymore, she’s been acting like I’m going to end up a lonely old maid or something, which I totally don’t get, because A, I’m only twenty-one, and B, she doesn’t think it’s a problem that Becky’s single and Becky’s two years older than me.”

“Glad to know I meet the very minimal requirement of not being an asshole.”

“Not a total asshole,” Simon corrected with a teasing grin.

“You’re really making a compelling case for trying to convince our families that we’re a couple,” Jace said drily. But he was maybe just a little bit weak for Simon’s smile, so he added, “But you might as well tell me how exactly you think this would work. Theoretically.”

“Theoretically,” Simon repeated. “Right. Well, we’d need to come up with a game plan, obviously. And rules. Rules that we actually follow, because that’s where things like this always fall apart, when someone ignores the rules.”

“Where things always fall apart,” Jace repeated. “Is this something you do often?”

“What? No! I just mean like in movies and stuff. Fake dating is practically its own genre, so we have a ton of examples for how not to do it, and…” Simon frowned as his voice trailed off. “And now that I’m saying this out loud, I’m realizing how dumb it sounds. You’re right. We should forget this conversation ever happened.”

“Or,” Jace said slowly, knowing he was going to regret it but unable to stop himself, “we could spend some time coming up with a plan and then decide if we think it will work.”

“Wait, really?” The slow grin spreading across Simon’s face did nothing to ease Jace’s sense of impending doom, but it did fill him with a soft warmth that made the doom easier to ignore.

“Why not?” Jace shrugged with practiced nonchalance. “I’m done with classes at noon tomorrow if you want to do it then.”

“I’ve got a break from then till three if you don’t mind meeting near campus,” Simon said. “Say, Java Jones at twelve-thirty?”

“Sure,” Jace agreed to the background of Jabba’s sail barge exploding. He hoped that was less metaphorical than it felt.

~~~

“I thought we were planning a couple of fake dates, not staging a major military operation,” Jace said as he surveyed the notebooks and stacks of paper strewn across the rickety cafe table in front of Simon.

“Oh, sorry,” Simon said, hastily shoving exactly one of the many notebooks into his backpack. “I was just reviewing notes for my econ final while I waited.”

“Is all of this really necessary?” Jace asked, attempting to clear enough room on the table for his coffee and the banana muffin that was attempting to pass for lunch.

“It’s so necessary,” Simon told him, reaching over to steal a piece of Jace’s muffin. “I don’t want to end up like Melissa Joan Hart in My Fake Fiancé.” He popped the piece of muffin into his mouth. “Or Melissa Joan Hart in Drive Me Crazy. Oh! Or even worse, Melissa Joan Hart in Holiday in Handcuffs.”

“I have no idea what you just said.”

Simon sighed heavily. “I’m saying we need clear, well-defined rules if this is going to work.”

“Is rule number one ‘don’t be Melissa Joan Hart’?” Jace asked, snatching his muffin away when Simon reached for it again and taking a pointed bite.

“No,” Simon said, with far more seriousness than Jace thought the situation warranted. “That’s rule number two. Rule number one,” he continued, opening a blue notebook to a fresh page, “is ‘absolutely no sex.’”

Jace choked on his muffin.

“If there’s one thing everyone seems to agree with, it’s that things always break down when that rule gets broken,” Simon continued as though Jace weren’t struggling to breathe around a mouthful of muffin and why Simon thought they even needed a rule for that.

Jace washed the remaining crumbs of muffin down with a generous swig of coffee, then leaned back in his chair with a deliberately cocky grin. “I mean, I know I’m damn near irresistible, but do you really think you need a rule to keep from jumping me?”

“Rule three,’’ Simon said, scribbling furiously in the notebook, “treat each other with the same respect we’d treat people we’re actually dating.”

“Hey, I would have the same question for someone I was actually dating.”

Simon looked up from the notebook. “That explains so much about your dating history.”

Jace flipped him off, and Simon flashed him a shit-eating grin. “Nope, sorry, rule one. But,” he continued, serious once again, “we should have rules about what kind of physical affection we are comfortable with. Like, I know we don’t normally do hugs, but it would be weird if we never hugged in front of your family if we were dating, right? What about holding hands, is that too much? And what about kissing? I’m definitely cool with cheek kisses, but I don’t know—”

“Simon,” Jace interrupted before he could get too worked up. Or make Jace think about more things he really shouldn’t be thinking about. “You’re allowed to hug me. And hold my hand. Honestly, I’m sure I’d be fine with anything you’re comfortable doing in front of my family, so how about we just go with this: casual touches are fine and for anything else, I’ll follow your lead.”

The look Simon gave him was so searching that Jace almost worried for a second that Simon would be able to see right past his crossed arms and feigned nonchalance to the part of him that was less worried about showing physical affection than how much he wanted it, the part that avoided hugging Simon because he liked it.

“Okay,” Simon said finally. “But you have to promise you’ll tell me if anything I do bothers you even a little bit.”

“You mean like singing Shake It Off at the top of your lungs in the shower?” Jace asked.

“That was one time!” Simon protested. “I was up all night studying and under the influence of too many energy drinks. We agreed never to mention it again.”

“No, you told me never to mention it again and I laughed at you.”

“See, this is why we need rules. You’re already breaking number three.”

“Yeah, because we’re not pretend-dating yet,” Jace said. “That one might be a little rough, but I’m sure I can manage with some practice.”

There was that searching look again, but then Simon nodded like Jace had said something particularly insightful. “You’re right, we should practice.”

“We—what?”

“If we’re going to convince people who actually know us that we’re dating, then we should practice first,” Simon said, like it was the most reasonable thing in the world. “Not just the rules we know are going to be hard, but all of it, so we can work out any kinks in the plan before showtime.”

And maybe it was reasonable, but it was one thing to put on a show for his family, for Simon’s family, for a few days at a time in places that might be familiar to each of them individually, but that weren’t theirs. It was entirely another thing to do it here, in the cafe they went to at least twice a week, or on campus where they’d first met and had to keep on attending classes for at least another year, or even worse in the apartment they shared, around their friends—

“I really should have thought of it earlier,” Simon continued, blissfully unaware of Jace’s inner turmoil. “My best friend back home, she’s an amazing liar. Like, seriously, she got away with everything when we were kids. But any time she needed me to back up her story, she’d make me practice with her like a hundred times until she knew I could convince her mom and stepdad, even after I got good enough that I didn’t have to practice to convince Mom. Man, those two could sniff out the tiniest discrepancy in any story. Like, if normal parent bullshit detection is a one, my mom’s is probably a solid three, but Fray’s parents? Eleven, easy.”

“I’m pretty sure no one I’m related to has supernatural bullshit detection,” Jace told him. “And it’s common knowledge I’m a better liar than you are, so if you can fool your mom without practice, so can I.”

“Maybe,” Simon conceded. “But a little bit of practice couldn’t hurt, right?”

Jace was pretty sure that it could hurt, actually, but he was also pretty sure he was the only one in danger of getting hurt, so it probably wasn’t worth consideration. Especially weighed against the hopeful enthusiasm in Simon’s expression.

“What did you have in mind?”

“We could start by pretending we’re on a date right now,” Simon suggested. “We’re already sharing a muffin. So, just treat me like you’d treat anyone you were on a date with.”

“My dates don’t usually involve this many notebooks,” Jace told him. “And if my date stole my muffin, the date would be over.”

“Come on, you’re not even trying,” Simon said, gathering up the papers and notebooks. “You’d really ditch your date over a muffin?”

“Absolutely,” Jace insisted. “They’d have to be seriously good in bed to make up for it, and I’m pretty sure rule number one says you’ll never get muffin-stealing privileges.”

“If the biggest benefit to sleeping with you is getting to share your muffins, then I’m not the one missing out,” Simon told him.

“You selling your body for muffins now, Lightwood?” an amused voice interrupted. “I bet I know a few people who’d toss a bran muffin or two your way for a chance at that ass.”

“Which is why you’re not my pastry-pimp, Roberts,” Jace said, smirking at Maia as she helped herself to one of the table’s empty chairs. “I only trade this ass for top tier, gourmet muffins. If your muffins don’t have at least two Michelin stars, I’m not interested.”

“I give him a week until he’s working corners for Entenmann’s,” Simon told her. “He was just threatening to walk out on our date over a bite of mediocre banana nut.”

Maia’s eyes widened. “Your— Oh, shit, sorry,” she said, scrambling out of her chair and throwing them both an apologetic smile that Jace was pretty sure wouldn’t be directed at him if he were sitting with anyone other than Simon. “I swear I didn’t mean to interrupt, I just thought you were studying or something. You guys have fun, and I’ll just—”

“It’s a practice date,” Jace interrupted, “not an actual date. And Simon’s a dirty muffin thief who won’t even put out, so I’m not sure it really even qualifies as any kind of date.”

Maia looked between the two of them, then slowly lowered herself back into the chair. “I know I’m going to regret asking this, but what exactly is a ‘practice date,’ and why are the two of you on one?”

“Jace needs a fake boyfriend to take home for Christmas, and I need a fake date for Rachel’s wedding,” Simon explained, snatching the last bit of Jace’s muffin without remorse. “And we thought we should practice dating before trying to convince our families that were actually, you know, together.”

“That’s a terrible idea, and I regret any part I played in the two of you becoming friends,” Maia said flatly.

“Yeah, that would probably worry me more if you didn’t say that like twice a week,” Simon told her.

“Oh god, Simon, what did you let Jace talk you into now?” another voice asked, and suddenly there were three more people crowding around their tiny table, because apparently all of their friends were at Java Jones today. Which, in retrospect, Jace should have expected, given how often they all hung out there.

“It was actually my idea,” Simon told Maureen, sliding his chair closer to Jace’s to make room for her, Bat, and Lily. “Jace is taking me home to meet his family over the holidays, and I’m taking him as my date to my cousin’s wedding.”

This proclamation was met with a stunned silence that was broken when Lily turned to Jace and punched him in the arm.

“Ow! What the hell?”

“That’s for abandoning me, jerk,” Lily told him. “Not that I can really blame you—either of you,” she added, giving both Jace and Simon an appreciative once over, “‘cause damn—but I thought we had an understanding.” She sighed heavily. “Now that you’ve gone over the dating Dark Side, who’s going to be my wingman? You’re probably going to start doing all kinds of relationship-y things and talking about feelings—” she said it like it was a dirty word “—and crap like that.”

“I am not going to talk about my feelings,” Jace said, at the same time that Simon said, “We’re not actually together. We’re just pretending.”

“They’re planning to try to convince their families they’re dating even though they’re not,” Maia explained. “Because they apparently think that’s not just a disaster waiting to happen.”

“Oh,” Lily said, sounding oddly disappointed.

“Fifty bucks,” Bat announced, “says that when this blows up in their faces, Jace is the first one to break down and call Maia in a panic.”

“Hey,” Jace protested.

“Oh, you’re on,” Maureen said, ignoring Jace entirely. “Sorry, Simon, but no one panics quite like you.”

“I’m in,” Lily said, “and I agree with Maureen that Simon will break first, but his call to Maia will be interrupted by Jace calling five minutes later.”

“Why am I the one getting all of the panicked calls?” Maia wanted to know.

“Because you’re the only person at this table who isn’t an asshole,” Simon told her, “but nothing’s going to go wrong, let alone panic-inducing levels of wrong, so you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“Dude,” Jace said, “she’s an asshole to me.”

“You like it,” Maia and Simon said in unison, causing the rest of the table to collapse into laughter.

“Okay, fine,” Maia said around her giggles several minutes later, “if you’re all betting, then count me in, too. I bet that these fools,” she looked pointedly at Jace, then at Simon, “don’t call me when this whole thing goes to hell, but I somehow end up having to haul their asses out of trouble, anyway.”

“I rescind my assessment of you as not an asshole,” Simon told her.

“I’d think twice about calling the woman who’s going to haul your ass out of trouble an asshole if I were you,” Bat said.

“Back to this pretending to be together thing,” Lily said. “What exactly does that entail?”

“That’s actually what we were trying to figure out when you guys showed up,” Simon told her. “We started a list of rules, but we only made it to four so far.”

“Your list should definitely include making out,” Lily said decisively. “Having made out with both of you, I can say with confidence that you’re definitely missing out if you don’t. In fact, you should try it now so we can let you know if it looks authentic.”

“You just want to watch them make out,” Maureen said.

“Yes,” Lily told her. She didn’t add ‘duh,’ but it was implied. “I always want to make hot people make out. But in this case, I’m also being helpful.”

The ensuing argument over the line between helpful and self-serving was thankfully cut short by the opening guitar line of Blonde Redhead’s Barragan.

“Sorry, I’ve gotta take this,” Simon said, holding up his phone. “I’ve been playing voicemail tag with Becky all week.” He looked at Jace. “Talk more about this later?”

“Sure,” Jace told him.

“Tell your sister I said hi,” Maia called after Simon as he headed away from the cafe’s crowd.

“You know,” Jace told her in a low voice, “you could always tell her hi yourself instead of always asking Simon to pass messages.”

Maia gave him an unimpressed look. “After everything I just heard, I’m pretty sure you’re the last person in this room I should be taking relationship advice from.”

“Bite me,” Jace told her, but he didn’t disagree.

#shadowhunters #shmb2021 #jimon #jimon fic #jace wayland #simon lewis

13 notes · View notes

khaleesiofalicante · 3 years

Note

in holt's voice: Pain. That's it.

Today hasn't been the best but HEY I HAD THESE PRECIOUS BABIES TO KEEP MY COMPANY

He looked exhausted like he hadn’t slept at all.

alec...

I'm already sad and ready to murder

the baby...

David had never lost someone he loved.

this is fucking foreshadowing isn't it

But real strength was not in surviving the presence of pain. Real strength was in suviving the absence of love.

despite the chaos I'm glad to see these two interacting

The Consul leaned back in his chair and ran his hand through his beard. David had to admit, he looked damn good with it. Even if it made him seem even more intimidating than before.

yes boy YES

it's really hard not to smile right now but my camera is on and im supposed to be finding meanings of foreign words based on my own knowledge so-

JACKSON

“Max is too old for me to tell him what he is and isn’t allowed to do,” the Consul said – although he didn’t sound very happy about it.

MY TEACHER ASKED ME THE FIRST QUESTION IM LOSING MY SHIT

It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be okay.

let's hope so

Facts and figures, babe, Max had kissed his cheek last night. Dad likes facts and figures.

deep breathes

it'll be ok

“You’ve done your research,” the Consul nodded. There was a hint of approval in his voice that made David want to do a cartwheel.

AWWWW

“I’d like to take care of the New York institute,” David said now. “Because Jace Herondale and Clary Fairchild took care of me.”

And for the first time that evening, the Consul smiled. David wanted to burst into song.

AHHHH

this is beautiful

David couldn’t help but find that endearing. He wondered what it felt like to be loved like that. He wondered what it felt like to have a father like that – a father who couldn't stop loving his child even for a moment.

A love that was endless and tireless.

Every time he was in the presence of the Lightwood-Bane family he was reminded of what he had lost and what every child deserved.

It made him sad.

But then he would remember. He would remember that Max had grown up knowing nothing but this. Max had grown up with nothing but love.

It made him happy.

alright come here let me hug you

UHUHSCUICDUH "Why do you not like me"

“I know I worry too much about Max,” the Consul said, his smile sad now. “But I can only worry now. I won’t always be there to worry over him.”

it's 9 am boy

THESE TWO REALLY BE ASKING THE TRUE QUESTIONS

"Why are you scared of me" HSUHYUKDUMKDS WELL YOU SEE-

all we can really do is replace the bad memories with happier ones...

“No,” the Consul said, and David’s heart almost stopped. “I mean, of course I care. But I don’t have to be hard on you to show you that I do. There are many ways to show people we care about them without hurting them.”

David thought of his father then. He remembered the way his father had drawn the agony rune on his wrist and promised him it was because he loved David and wanted him to be strong. The memory hurt.

Jace and Clary bestest

“I’m sorry for whatever I did to intimidate you,” the Consul apologized.

that is so alec oh my god 😭

David looked him in the eye. “You’re Alec Lightwood.”

The man looked confused. “Is that supposed to mean something?

I'm smiling so much right now because yeah

yeah I get what he's saying

David hadn’t known that boys were allowed to kiss other boys – not until he heard about Alec Lightwood’s Accords Hall kiss.

David hadn’t known fairy tales existed outside of books - not until he heard about Alec Lightwood adopting a warlock baby with Magnus Bane.

David hadn’t known love can literally change the world – not until he heard about Alec Lightwood changing the world for the man he loved.

don't make me cry during linguistics

“Well,” the Consul chuckled. “To be entirely honest, I did all of that for Magnus.”

as he should

“Everything I have ever done has always been for Magnus,” the Consul said, his voice oddly soft.

we're talking about some wall in class and im here trying not to cry

my teacher just asked why some of us have our cameras off WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY

“I don’t want to be a hero,” David confessed honestly. “I just thought if I ran away to a city full of heroes, they would protect me if someone tried to hurt me again.”

“What’s that?” the Consul frowned, pointing at his neck.

By the angel! David was going to have words with Max when he saw him again.

“Uh,” David said. “Mosquito bite.”

AHHHHHHHH MOSQUITO BITE

“Do you remember when Izzy got attacked by a demon in Edom?”

“And you drank my blood,” the Consul rolled his eyes.

“Aw,” the Dean of the Academy chuckled. “You do remember.”

poor David is stuck between them talking like this IM SCREAMING

He remembered the way Consul had blamed himself when Max had found the spoils room at the York Institute. The way he had believed he should have done better when his eldest son had been traumatized by foul rumours of the Clave.

oh honey no

There were people who got mad at themselves when things went wrong.

There were people who got mad at everyone around them when things went wrong.

While Alec Lightwood was the former, his son and David’s boyfriend, was definitely the latter.

I'm definitely both

“It wasn’t your fault,” David spoke up then. “When bad things happen to people, it’s because of the people who did those bad things. We shouldn’t atone for someone else’s sins.”

“Yeah. Stop atoning, dude,” the Dean said chuckled. “Listen to the boy.”

YES EVERYONE LISTEN TO DAVID

“And be careful,” the Consul said, his tone a little different now.

“I will keep an eye on-”

“No,” the Consul said and pointed at the hickey on David’s neck. “With Max. Be careful.”

David was pretty sure his face on fire.

OH MY GOD

IM SHAKING

“Um, we have the internet,” David pointed out.

The Consul blinked. “Right. Of course. The internet.”

yes

ao3 and Wattpad

KIDS DON'T GO ON THESE WEBSITES AT 11 JUST DO NOT

“If he gives you a hard time, don’t give up,” the man whispered like it was a secret. “You just need to weasel your way into his life.”

David chuckled. “Is that what you did?”

yup

“Yeah, and then he had the audacity to get accidentally get drunk and confess his love in the middle of the night.”

AWW SHE'S TELLING GIGI ABOUT THEIR PAST

“I did have a latte,” her mother said with a straight face.

Georgia didn’t find that funny.

I almost said "BECAUSE IT'S NOT FUNNY" before I realized that is exactly what I would've said

She knew her mother, like so many other people in her life, preferred to use humour to cope with the pain. They preferred to hide their pain away from other people.

Georgia never understood why people did that. Did they think others didn’t know what pain felt like? Everyone was in pain all the time – some kind of it at least. Everyone knew how to cope with it. So, it made more sense to share it than to carry it all by yourself.

i...I never look at it that way

Apparently, hand holding had special healing abilities at times like this.

yeah it really does

Georgia had hoped to find out herself. She had wondered so much about the baby.

tears. literal tears

It didn’t matter that Georgia had wanted to name the baby Abigail after the first iron sister. It didn’t matter that her father wanted to name the baby Jonathan to piss off Uncle Jace.

Abigail Jonathan Lightwood-Lovelace

FUCK OFF AND LET ME CRY IN PEACE

People said that poison was a coward’s weapon. But Georgia didn’t think so. It wasn’t easy to make poison. It wasn’t easy sneak it into the right place at the right time.

Whoever did this, they were not cowards. They were smart and they should be feared.

yeah, what did happen during the trial?

uh is Selena ok?

like genuinely

is she just a very heavy sleeper or...

MARYSE

Because sometimes the only comfort you needed was your mom.

yeah...

Except for random parts of the house that were incredibly organized – a sign Uncle Jace had been there

Yup.

“I’m staying in New York, mom. I’m going to help Selena and the centurions find out who did this to me,” her mother said, her words a promise. “And once I do, I’m going to strangle them with my whip.”

Yes you will

Anjali and Rafe

please be ok. please

HOW ABOUT WE DO A TRADE

ZARA'S LIFE FOR ANJALI'S 😄

ok I know that's not how it works but IM DESPERATE

her bedroom seems amazing though

Rafael gave so much shit to his dad because the other man had the habit of watching his husband sleep.

But now he sort of understood the fascination.

AWWWWW

“You do ballet?” he asked, holding up the ballet shoes.

slightly reminds me of rosa

OK WHO AM I KIDDING SHE TOTALLY DOES

the red binder

it's fucking genius

David can keep his flowers and cookies and scarves.

This, what he held in his hands right now, was the best thing anyone could ever give him. A file full of reforms to make the clave better.

IM SCREAMING

“You think I want to die and leave the Council in your cishet hands?”

YES BESTIE

“I don’t care what the Clave needs,” Rafael snapped, and Anjali momentarily looked taken aback. “I need you.”

he needs her

FUCK IT TIME TO CRY

“Bulgaria is known as the land of roses,” Rafael told her. “The Sofia Institute is built in the middle of a rose garden.”

“Oh,” Anjali’s eyes momentarily softened. “I like roses.”

you know that tiktok trend? the one which goes "listen it's a good joke it's a great joke even but i need you to stop" or smth like that?

yeah

His hand was itching to reach out and hold hers. So, he did just that. He reached out – very carefully – and took her hand in his own.

“I need you to get better, Anjali,” he whispered. “Cause I would very much like to take you there.”

HAND HOLDING

no she's not becoming a vampire

The part that was the shadowhunter – which told him she didn’t deserve to die over some angelic mishap.

The part that was the future Consul – which told him he needed Anjali on his side.

The part that was a Lightwood-Bane – which told him he should never give up fighting.

And then there was the part that was Rafael – just Rafael.

It told him he had to save his heart – no matter the consequences.

we're talking about some powerplant in geography and I'm crying over this

Anjali please please don't die

“Not everything,” Rafael told her. “I know someone who can help.”

WHO

GIVE ME A NAME

“Well, now we don’t know that for sure!” Max grinned. “Who knows what they get up to? Maybe there is someone occasional boning in the bone city.”

“How does manage to get more insufferable every time I meet him?” Jackson demanded.

i...never looked at it that way

OH JACKSON IS BECOMING A SILENT BROTHER

Max grinned widely at the other boy. “You wanna be my immortal buddy, Jack-Jack?”

OOP-

“The boys are back” he yelled, hugging David and Jackson. “Ty, our boys are back! Yas! The London Boys are back!”

THE LONDON BOYS

“Okay it’s a little disrespectful when you call her by the same name you call me,” Max pointed out.

“True,” Jackson nodded. “Irene shouldn’t be disrespected like that.”

YUYZXYSCGYZCGYUCUIZCVUH SCREAMING

"It’s hard being a celeb,” Max sighed dramatically.

“He is referring to the chaos you unleashed the last time you went there,” Jackson rolled his eyes. “People still remember you.”

“I’m memorable. It’s not my fault,” Max shrugged.

Max no more gambling bestie

“If the assassination attempt on Magnus had been successful, we wouldn’t be sitting and talking like this,” Kit pointed out. “The nephilim and downworlders would be at war.”

As they should. No one hurts Magnus

“So the target isn’t just Magnus Bane?” Jackson asked.

“Possibly,” Ty nodded. “The Consul and his husband…They are the ones who united the shadow world – with the Alliance. With their marriage. So, it’s not surprising that someone – seelie or not – wants to break it all down.”

with every line, I get closer to a breakdown

“There are people all around me to protect me from demons and crazy assassins,” Max smiled. “But you…You protect me from myself. So, don’t give me that I’m not good at protecting bullshit.”

so precious...

“Now let’s go find out which dumbass thought it would be a good idea to try and kill Magnus Fucking Bane.”

i have a few torture methods in mind

If shadowhunters couldn’t fight demons, it would put both downworlders and mundanes in danger. His father’s Clave – small as it was – did their best to keep the demons at bay. They were the only thing keeping the shadow world safe from demons.

Ikr?? Like David said earlier Alec's clave is literally the one doing the actual shadowhunting.

“Jackson is incredibly smart and perceptive. He knows what is good for him, David. He chose you to be his best friend. He has accepted that his family is gone for good and is finally focusing on his future. If this is what he wants to do and if this is who he wants to be, then you should trust that he has thought this through. He wouldn’t have chosen this life if he thought he wouldn’t be happy with it.”

TRUE

ALRIGHT WHO TF IS BEHIND ALL THIS

i just want to talk 🙂

“Great,” Max said, feeling frustrated. “So, someone created a fancy new poison just to kill my parents.”

“They did say something else,” Kit said, his tone worried. “The poison…It’s not entirely made of demonic properties.”

“Oh?” David said.

“It’s a mixture of angelic and demon properties,” Ty Blackthorn said. “And we know that-”

“Seelies,” Max whispered. “They have both angel and demon blood.”

Is anyone else scared?

GASP

WHAT IF

It's an angel and prince of hell working together?

ok that seems highly unlikely

“I don’t think you have a choice, bud,” Kit giggled. “Mina will have your head if you don’t get married. She has been working on a Pinterest board for years now.”

KIT

WHAT THE FUCK

OH MY GOD KIT

NO NO NO

HE CAN'T BE DEAD

NO FUCK NO

I'm absolutely loving all this angst so much. You said chapter 9 was the most angsty and frankly I can't wait :p

now...IF KIT AND ANJALI DIE I WILL BE VERY VERY SAD but the angst potential with Anjali though...NOPE NOPE NOPE. MY GIRL'S GONNA BE INQUISITOR I KNOW SHE WILL.

AHHHHHH THIS CHAPTER WAS A LOT LMAO.

I love how you are complaining but also thirsting for angst yall crazy.

I hope you are taking care of yourself and working on your entry for the competition!!!!!

Also the "we're talking about some wall in class" killed me lmao I laughed so hard fdhvjd.

#lbaf

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half-bakedboy · 3 years

Note

Hello! I would love to request a Shadowhunters Malec ficlet that’s AU - Human that somehow incorporates a first meeting with instant attraction in an unexpected place/environment/circumstances. Thank you!

The Main Character (read on ao3)

Pairing: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Rated: General Summary: “You know in those dumb romantic comedies where the main character’s ex-boyfriend arrives at the most inopportune time when the main character looks like a trainwreck and has still not gotten over their feelings for said ex?” Alec said frantically, trying to ignore the eyes he felt burning into his back.

When Alec woke up on Saturday morning, a very large part of him - possibly all, if he was being honest with himself - had wanted to snooze his alarm clock and pretend that it was just another day in his quiet apartment. There would be no one to be seen or heard except for the small snores from the mangy cat he had rescued a few months earlier, and he would be surrounded by peace.

When he peered open one eye to glance at the time, he saw Church sitting on his bedside table with one paw up, ready to swat, and he decided that the day would have to happen whether he left his bed or not. He wasn’t about to deal with his sister’s disappointment if he didn’t arrive at the shop on time and figured he was better off pulling on a tattered sweater and jeans than feeling the wrath of Izzy.

It wasn’t that Alec didn’t like accompanying his sister on her shopping adventures, far from it. He had never cared for sprees, especially when it meant spending time with his family, but the planned outing of the day was just another reminder that his little sister was about to get married. His twenty-something baby sister was about to make their parents proud, and Alec? He was in his mid-thirties, with a mediocre office job, and spent most of his mornings attempting to figure out how to effectively press his coffee with the fancy machine his mother had gifted him when he moved out of Andrew’s home.

And, of course, Alec had to make himself even sadder by sending his thoughts into a spiral as he remembered his ex-boyfriend who had shattered his heart into a million pieces mere months ago.

He shook his head to rid his mind of hurt when Izzy’s bright voice shouted, “Alec!” She nudged at their mother’s arm and bragged, “See, I told you he would be here, looking…” Izzy’s voice trailed off and Alec couldn’t blame her. Maryse had booked them a meeting with one of the most prestigious wedding planners in New York and Alec had barely bothered to put on a clean shirt, let alone match the put-together outfits his family wore.

“I don’t know why you need me here,” Alec grumbled as he sat beside Izzy, shrugging off the comforting hand she rested on his shoulder. Maryse sighed heavily but it was enough of a response to know he had, once again, not met her standards. Izzy rolled her eyes but the smile never left her face. Alec had always admired that about his sister though, so he was grateful his presence hadn’t ruined the moment for her.

“You’re here because you’re my best man--” Before Alec could interrupt and mention how ridiculous it was that Izzy didn’t just have a maid of honor like most other brides, Izzy pressed a hand over his mouth and said, “And you’re the only person I know that will make sure this wedding planner doesn’t take advantage of me.”

“Oh, Isabelle,” Maryse scoffed, “Mr. Rey would never do anything of the sort. He’s the one who requested your father and I bring his name up to you. He may be the best in his field, but we’re the best in ours and he wouldn’t dare take advantage of my daughter like that.” She nodded in finality as the man who Alec assumed was the prestigious Mr. Rey appeared from a back office, an annoyingly wide smile on his face.

He cradled Maryse’s outstretched hand in his, placing a soft kiss to the back of it, before he said, “Mrs. Lightwood, as beautiful as ever.” Alec held back the urge to vomit at the nicety and shared an almost telepathic look with his sister that clearly stated their instant dislike for the man. “And you must be the blushing bride!” He exclaimed, gathering her hand in his to give her the same royal treatment. Alec hoped he would bypass the kissing when it was his turn.

“Isabelle Lightwood,” she introduced herself proudly as she stood. “And you’re Mr. Rey, I presume?”

The man waved a dismissive hand and scoffed as he responded, “Lorenzo, please. Mr. Rey is reserved for my soon-to-be husband.” Alec rolled his eyes but stopped abruptly when Lorenzo turned toward him. “And you must be the gorgeous partner I’ve heard so little about,” he praised as he eyed Alec up and down. Husband material, Alec thought bitterly as he smiled through gritted teeth.

“Brother,” he corrected easily. It wasn’t unusual for strangers to assume his sister was his significant other, so he didn’t overreact at the insinuation, opting instead to raise his eyebrows at Lorenzo like an unspoken threat - of what kind, Alec would let Lorenzo figure out himself.

“Well, Maryse, you didn’t warn me your entire family was this stunning or I would have worn my good suit,” Lorenzo teased as he took a seat on the other side of the table. Alec should have known the day would be a test to see how long he could go without rolling his eyes and sighed as he sagged back into his chair.

As the girls and Lorenzo chattered about Izzy’s “vision” for her special day, Alec decided the metal chair was entirely too uncomfortable, so he stood to explore the office and get a better read on the man they were dealing with. Alec would have immediately pegged the man down to be a psychopath based on the sparse decorations around the room, but he saw a framed photo of him with a dog squished between his knees and figured he had to have some feelings to take care of a pet.

Beside that frame was another of an equally decorated man, both of them clutching awards for something Alec hadn’t taken the effort to squint at. The man was quite possibly the most beautiful person Alec had ever seen. His suit fit him like a perfectly crafted glove, the lapels sparkling with what looked like silver glitter, and his face was adorned with bold makeup to match. Alec’s breath caught in his throat as he leaned down to get a better look at the man’s sharp features and impeccably styled hair when a throat cleared behind him.

“You know,” a smooth voice said as Alec straightened, “it’s really a shame that only engaged men come into this office.” When Alec turned, he saw the man in the photo dressed slightly less formally - but no less extravagantly, somehow - with his hands propped on his hips in defeat. “They say that 15% of people meet their spouses at work, but I just don’t have that luxury,” he commented with a shrug of his shoulders as if rolling the disappointment off of them. He offered up his manicured hand and Alec could do nothing but stare blankly down at it.

“My sister is engaged,” Alec said without much thought. His stupidity showed in the way the man’s eyebrows rose and a teasing smirk replaced the pout on his lips.

“That’s very exciting for her,” he responded, pushing his hand just a little closer to Alec. “I’m Magnus Bane, and you are?” Alec let Magnus’ smooth skin connect with his as their hands clasped together. If his entire body erupted in goosebumps, he was the only one who had to know.

“Alexander Lightwood-- Alec--” He corrected with a furrow of his eyebrows and a rapid shake of his head. Focus, Lightwood, don’t be an idiot, Alec chastised himself as he stared into Magnus’ eyes. He hadn’t thought it was possible for a human to have such golden eyes but there Magnus was, standing in front of him in all of his flawless glory, and Alec couldn’t be too sure he wasn’t meeting an angel on earth.

“Well, Alexander, I’m assuming that lovely raven-haired goddess over there is your sister,” Magnus commented as he gestured toward Izzy.

Alec cursed to himself and muttered, “Straight,” trying to hide his disappointment behind his closed lips.

“Not quite, darling. Bendy in all of the ways that count, really,” Magnus teased as he pulled his hand away from Alec’s increasingly clammy one. He hadn’t realized their hands had still been latched together and pushed back his embarrassment at the lingering shake.

Magnus started to say something else, presumably about his sister’s wedding, but when Alec glanced back over at the table, he felt ice shoot down his spine. Kissing Lorenzo, who was probably going to be the most consistent person in Izzy’s life for the next few months, was none other than the man responsible for Alec’s current loneliness. Panic surged through him as the men pulled away from each other, the fondest of smiles on their faces as they stared longingly at one another.

As if sensing his discomfort, Magnus rested a gentle hand on Alec’s shoulder and said, “Are you alright?” Alec jumped backward, his hip knocking into the table the frames adorned and sending them crashing to the ground. He had known the others’ attention would have been grabbed so he maneuvered himself in front of Magnus, hoping all they could see was his back.

“You know in those dumb romantic comedies where the main character’s ex-boyfriend arrives at the most inopportune time when the main character looks like a trainwreck and has still not gotten over their feelings for said ex?” Alec said frantically, trying to ignore the eyes he felt burning into his back.

“And the other, clearly more likable, main character comes to the rescue as the more attractive stranger who helps the other main character get through the disaster that his life has turned into?” Magnus responded easily as he glanced over Alec’s shoulder. Alec glowered at him but quickly ducked his head as a familiar voice muttered his name. He had heard Andrew speaking with Izzy and Maryse and had known it wouldn’t be long before his cover was blown, so he took a deep breath to prepare himself.

“You gonna help me out or are you gonna secure my place as a side character for the rest of my life?” Alec asked as he met Magnus’ shimmering eyes. Magnus seemed to consider him for a moment, tilting his head as he stroked his trimmed goatee with his fingertips. Alec hoped his gaze portrayed just how desperate he was to prove to Andrew he had moved on, even if it was the farthest thing from the truth.

“That’s your family over there, yeah?” Alec nodded before his eyes widened in panic. There was no way they could pull this off with Izzy and Maryse lurking in the background. Before he could call his ridiculous plan off, Magnus rested a gentle hand on his arm and threw his head back in laughter. Alec leveled him with a confused glance that earned him an eye roll from Magnus. It was unfair how attractive Magnus was even when his eyes were full of judgment. “We’ve been on two dates and I’m very infatuated with you, just as you are with me. Nothing committal enough that you would have spoken about me with your mother, but enough to show blondie over there you’ve begun to move on.”

Alec was about to argue with him before Magnus’ words seemed to spark something inside of him. “You’re gonna do it?” Alec asked as he pressed his palm against the back of Magnus’ hand that lingered on his bicep.

Magnus nodded before he said, “Absolutely.” There was no doubt in his tone and in the way he glared over Alec’s shoulder with unabashed heat in his gaze. “Lorenzo has been driving me insane, reminding me that I’m single while he is going to marry his prince charming,” Magnus spat. Alec flinched at the mention of marriage and Magnus’ eyes darted back to his, a softness in them that Alec hadn’t expected.

“Sorry, I just--” Alec took a deep breath and closed his eyes before glancing back over at the prying eyes of his family and the man whom he’d thought was the love of his life. “Somehow, Andrew has found a husband in the last few months while I’ve learned the names of the entire staff at my local ice cream shop,” Alec sighed with a shake of his head. Magnus chuckled sadly and slid his hand up to Alec’s shoulder, squeezing reassuringly but seemingly with enough intimacy that a throat cleared behind them.

“Well,” Magnus said with conviction, “now you’ve got a person you’re dating who is very much looking for a new ice cream shop to enjoy. So,” Magnus dragged his hand down Alec’s arm before tapping at his hand. Alec flipped his over and gladly accepted Magnus’ warm hold as he smiled down at the very surprising man.

“Alexander, are you going to say hello to Andrew or continue to ignore him in favor of…” Maryse’s voice trailed off as she raised her thin eyebrow in Magnus’ direction.

“Hey, Andrew,” Alec said and to his embarrassment, his voice cracked with what was probably leftover emotion. Magnus gripped the back of his sweater where no one could see, and Alec felt immediately calm at the touch.

“Alec! I, uh, didn’t expect to see you here. Izzy was just telling me about her engagement, you must be so happy,” Andrew said as he smiled at Izzy. He was grateful for the glare Izzy was sending Andrew’s way and just a little off put by the way Lorenzo clung to Andrew as if he couldn’t read the clear tension that had risen in the room.

“I am very happy, for many reasons,” Alec responded as Magnus wrapped himself around Alec’s arm and beamed over at the group.

“He’s such a flatterer,” Magnus cooed, slapping Alec on the chest dramatically, causing them both to burst out into laughter at the ridiculousness of the situation they had found themselves in. Alec thought it might have been the most authentic laugh he’d had in months and he shook his head to clear that thought as Magnus started speaking again. “I’m Magnus Bane; Lorenzo’s associate and a friend of Alexander, here,” Magnus said as he held out his hand to Andrew.

Andrew’s eyes widened as he stared down at the offered shake, accepting it tentatively. “I didn’t realize you were dating someone, either of you,” Andrew said before he turned back to Lorenzo. “You never mentioned Magnus had a boyfriend,” Andrew said with an almost accusing tone in his voice that Alec couldn’t quite decode.

“My associate has never mentioned a boyfriend,” Lorenzo said with his usual grin on his face. “And a Lightwood, no less.” His tone was clearly impressed and Alec was just a little happy at the way Andrew glared down at his fiance.

“We’ve only been on a few dates and you know my affinity toward labels, Ren,” Magnus said sweetly. Alec wasn’t sure what he had gotten himself into, but judging by the way Andrew averted eye contact with everyone in favor of staring at his shoes, he figured he was suddenly in the middle of a rivalry he had known nothing about.

“Alec, you didn’t tell me your new date was a wedding planner!” Izzy said excitedly, the glint in her eyes showing Alec that she had figured out exactly what was happening. He sighed in relief and relaxed a little under Magnus’ hold. “Magnus, I’m Isabelle. What do you think about planning my wedding?” Alec gaped at her, his eyes widening almost wider than Maryse’s as Lorenzo sputtered from his spot beside Andrew. Alec saw Andrew wince as Lorenzo’s nails dug into his arm and a small sense of satisfaction rushed through him over his shock.

“Isabelle, we’re here to meet with Mr. Rey--” Izzy glared at her mother before gesturing to where Magnus and Alec were still pressed together. Neither of them made a move to separate.

“It would make far more sense for Alec’s plus one to plan the day of my dreams, don’t you think, mother?” Maryse didn’t say anything in response which Alec was grateful for but, when he glanced down at Magnus, a mischievous smirk was in place of what Alec had assumed would be a look of rejection.

“Ms. Lightwood, I would love to discuss that offer at a later time, but I think I’ve got a more promising date in my near future,” Magnus said before turning toward Lorenzo and Andrew. “If you don’t mind, I’m gonna take an early lunch break with Alexander here, yeah?” Before Lorenzo could deny him, Magnus tugged both of them out of the front door, laughter echoing through the air as they made their way down the street.

“What just happened?” Alec said as he inhaled the crisp New York air deeply, a sense of happiness he hadn’t felt in a long time overwhelming him.

“You have gained a date to your sister’s wedding and I have snagged an upscale event that may finally get me out of Lorenzo Rey hell,” Magnus responded easily before he turned toward Alec. “On a scale of one to ten, how surprising was this morning?”

Alec thought for a moment as he pushed his hands into his pockets and faced Magnus. “I ran into my ex-boyfriend while my baby sister met with a wedding planner and now…” Alec trailed off as he met Magnus’ gaze, “I’m hoping to buy my knight in shining armor some ice cream.” Magnus grinned up at him but tilted his head with a quirk of his eyebrow as if reminding Alec he hadn’t answered his question. “Ten out of ten in the best of ways,” Alec responded as he held out his hand.

Magnus fit his into Alec’s and somehow, his smile widened as he said, “I usually score off the charts, but ten out of ten ain’t bad.” Alec threw his head back in laughter and wondered just what he had gotten himself into.

Whatever it was, he couldn’t wait to find out.

#malec #my writing #quickbright #thank you SO MUCH #this was such a joy to write #and i hope you like it <3 <3 #commissions

27 notes · View notes

malecsecretsanta · 3 years

Text

Merry Christmas, lightwormsiblings!

For @lightwormsiblings, I'm so happy I was able to write you this fic and I hope it makes you smile and you enjoy it. Wishing you a happy holidays; stay warm, grab your favorite warm drink and read to your hearts content.

Read On AO3

*****

Love Doesn't Follow a Plan

It wasn’t for lack of trying that Alec and Magnus had only been able to go on a single date. Alec’s plate of responsibilities was piled high and Magnus’ had just as many commitments as the High Warlock of Brooklyn. When they were free to spend time together they were often too exhausted to have an extravagant evening and instead Magnus would conjure some food for them and they’d cuddle on the couch watching some show that Alec could never keep up with but found it funny enough. Despite this they both lavished in these moments of quiet.

But that didn’t change the fact that Alec was determined to take Magnus on a proper date.

As soon as he figured out what to do.

Magnus was the first person he’d ever even been on a date with so he didn’t exactly have references to pull from as far as dates go. He’d read a few articles he’d come across online but they involved going on trips or elaborate planning that Alec knew would need Magnus’ input.

Sure, Magnus would probably enjoy Alec taking him to the movies but he had no idea what was even showing let alone what would be a good choice. “Netflix and chill” had been a popular option but Alec wasn’t ready for that step yet and if he wasn’t looking to “get down” they’d just be doing what they already were doing.

So Alec turned to the only person he could trust with dating advice: Izzy.

Standing outside his sister’s door, he took a deep breath and knocked three times before he could talk himself out of this. He was doing this for Magnus, besides Izzy would at least keep her teasing to a minimum.

A few moments later, Izzy swung her door open, a smile breaking across her face when she saw him. “Hey big bro, what’s up?” Izzy asked.

“I was hoping to ask you something,” Alec said, shifting from foot-to-foot.

“You know you can ask me anything.”

“In private?”

Izzy’s brows pinched together and she pulled her door further open. “Of course, come on in.”

Alec followed his sister into her room, noting the small pile of clothes piled on her bed. “You getting ready for something?”

His sister grinned and did a twirl. “I’m free from patrol tonight so I figured I’d go dancing.”

“Well, you’ll have no problem turning heads,” Alec commented with a grin of his own.

She waggled her finger at him. “I never do.”

Not for the first time did Alec envy his sister’s confidence. His sister was beautiful and she seemed to have no fear going after what she wanted. “True,” Alec finally replied.

Izzy sat on her bed and patted the spot beside her. “Come sit down, no point wearing a trench into my floor.”

He didn’t even know he’d started pacing. He joined her on the edge of her bed and picked at a loose thread at the cuff of his long-sleeve. “So uh I wanted to ask for some advice.”

He could hear the surprise in Izzy’s voice. “Advice? About what?”

“Y’know…”

“No Alec, I can’t say I do know.”

“I want to take Magnus on a date,” Alec started, looking his sister in the eyes. “Our first date didn’t go too well and I want to make sure this one goes well.”

“I didn’t hear about this disastrous first date!” Izzy whined, poking him in the side. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Alec sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “It wasn’t disastrous, it was… fine.”

His sister snorted out a laugh leaning against his shoulder to keep herself upright. “That tells me that it definitely wasn’t fine.”

“We just talked about the wrong things and I was nervous and Magnus made an escape plan with Catarina to get out of the date if it was going badly.” Honestly, it was kind of hilarious to think about now.

“But he didn’t leave.”

He couldn’t fight his smile. “No, he didn’t in the end,” Alec conceded.

Izzy clapped him on the shoulder. “Well that gives us something to work towards: making this date better than the first.” She paused, tilting her head. “But wait, I know you and Magnus have spent more time together since then.”

He shrugged. “We’ve just been hanging out at his loft. Getting takeout, watching things he suggests.”

“You guys are so lame,” Izzy teased, but her eyes were soft and her smile warm. “I’ve never seen you so happy.”

And he was happy. He was happier than he’d ever been and it was because of Magnus. “I am happy.”

His sister sighed dreamily, falling back on her bed. “Alright, so what’ve you got planned so far for this date of yours?”

“Well, I thought dinner at a restaurant would be nice,” Alec said, dragging his hand across the silky texture of Izzy’s comforter. “Take him to the Thai place he’s mentioned loving.”

“Good idea and you like Thai food too, right?”

“Yeah, I’ve liked it every time Magnus has conjured some for us.”

“Perfect, you’ve got the first thing down for your date itinerary,” Izzy cheered, sitting up. “Once you pick a day for your date I’d suggest making reservations to make sure you get a table and don’t have to wait.”

Alec added ‘make reservation’ to his mental to-do list, right after asking when Magnus was free to go on this date he was planning. He could make reservations.

“What’s your next idea?” Izzy asked.

This was literally as far as he’d gotten in his planning which was why he’d come to Izzy. “What do you suggest?” He questioned.

“Well Magnus likes a good party and drinking,” Izzy hedged, “why not take him dancing?”

That sounded like a terrible idea. “Izzy I don’t know if you remember, but I’m not exactly a dancer.”

She waved a hand at him. “You don’t have to be a dancer to take him to a club, just move to the music.”

“And step on his toes?”

The grin on Izzy’s face was devilish. “You don’t have to move your feet to move to the music, Alec.”

He felt his face burn red. “W-well I guess I could take him to Pandemonium. To dance.”

“Date night activity number two decided,” Izzy nudged him with her elbow. “We’re knocking this out.”

He guessed they sort of were, but he also didn’t know how many people needed to go to their sister to help them plan a date, especially at his age. “And maybe end the night with a walk back to his loft?” Alec suggested.

“Taking your man home, Alec you’re so sweet.”

Alec bumped her shoulder with his. “He likes the lights, and I like walking home with him.” He let out a self-depreciating laugh. “Make my nerves chill out after dancing with Magnus.” When he didn’t hear a response from Izzy he turned to her, “Is the walk not a good idea?”

Izzy blinked wide-eyes at him before shaking her head. “No, no the walk sounds like a great idea, it’s just…” her voice trailed off.

He raised a brow at her. “It’s just… what?”

“You called the loft home.”

His brows went towards his hairline. “I did?”

Nodding her head, Izzy sent him a smile. “You did.”

“Huh.” He wasn’t sure what to make of that if he was being honest. The Institute had always been his home and to now also think of Magnus’ loft – a place he hadn’t even known for more than six months – home was mind-boggling. He’d have to think more on that later. “So, you think that’ll be enough for this date?”

“More than enough, big brother,” Izzy assured, “You worry too much, it’ll be fine.”

Alec smiled. “Yeah I guess you’re right, it’ll be great.”

It was a stroke of luck that Magnus and Alec’s schedules were free that Friday night. Alec even managed to leave thirty minutes early, giving himself plenty of time to get to the loft. Feeling emboldened by his luck, Alec stopped at a florist two blocks away from the loft.

Bloom Couture was surprisingly warm and the air carried the heavy floral scent that reminded him of his mother’s perfume. The selection of flowers was near overwhelming but he shoved the idea of walking back out of the store aside.

He could buy his boyfriend flowers. He could.

“Hey, welcome,” A bright voice piped up from behind a group of tulips, startling Alec. “I’ll be with you in just a second.” The florist, a young curly-haired woman, came back behind the counter and gave him a smile. “What can I get you today?”

“I was hoping to get a bouquet,” Alec said. He resisted the urge to slap his forehead – why else would he have come to the shop if it wasn’t to get a bouquet?

The woman just continued to smile at him. “Well you’ve come to the right place for one,” she gestured around herself, “what did you have in mind?”

He felt a silent panic buzz inside his brain. Roses were lovely and loads of people used them as a romantic gesture, but they were ordinary. Typical. Magnus was vibrant and magical, beautiful and so different from anyone Alec had ever met before. Roses wouldn’t be enough for Magnus. He deserved something unique.

“If you don’t have any ideas right now, you can suggest a color and we could go from there,” the angel behind the counter offered.

“Blue.” Like Magnus’ magic.

The florist, Heather now that he looked at her nametag nodded. “Blue is a good color to narrow down our choices, not that many flowers that are naturally blue. We’ve got bluebells, irises, delphinium, hydrangeas, hyacinths, and I think I even have a bundle of blue orchids that came in the other day.”

That list was still too long for Alec’s liking. “Do uh- what would you pick?” Alec fumbled. “Not that I can’t choose I just,” he heaved a sigh, “I’ve never gotten flowers for anyone before.”

“She must be someone special.”

For a moment Alec thought about just going along with what she’d assumed, but there was a bigger part of him that wanted to tell her the truth. Ever since his almost-wedding when he finally stepped out of the closet in-front of his parents and all of those people, he wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

He was gay and he didn’t want to ever feel ashamed about that again.

“He’s magnificent,” Alec corrected with a grin.

Heather didn’t so much as blink. “Why don’t you tell me about him?”

Where do you even start when talking about Magnus Bane? “He’s magical,” he imagined Magnus snapping his fingers to summon a drink or when he’d shift his magic in graceful arcs on his balcony. “Everything about him is magical. He’s so strong and kind and patient. And glittery.”

“Glittery?”

“Sometimes I wonder if he just sets off one of those glitter bombs and walks right into it.” He shook his head and tilted his head to the side. “Maybe the glitter is supposed to bother me or maybe he thought it might, but it’s so undeniably him that I can’t help but smile when I find it everywhere.”

The florist has a soft look on her face. “He sounds like a wonderful man.”

“He is.”

She hummed to herself. “I think I have exactly what you’re looking for.” She went to the backroom before coming back with a bundle of blue flowers. “These beauties are those blue orchids I mentioned before. I don’t get many shipments of these, but I think they’d be perfect in the bouquet for your beau.” She walked over to collection of roses and put a few white ones into the bundle in her hand. “The white roses complement the orchids while making sure the orchids remain the focus.”

Alec stared at the bouquet and while he didn’t know anything about flowers, he felt that they fit him and Magnus. Magnus – so bold and beautiful that it was hard to look away from him – and him – who seemed plain in comparison but together they made something splendid.

It was perfect.

Despite leaving early, the stop at the florist took longer than he intended and he was ten minutes late. His heart jackhammered in his chest as he knocked on Magnus’ door. He looked down at the bouquet in his hands and ran his thumb along the glittering ribbon that held the bouquet together.

The door to the loft opened with a flourish revealing Magnus in all his glory.

Not for the first time did Alec wonder if it was possible for someone to continue to grow more beautiful every time you saw them. If it was possible for anyone, it would be for Magnus.

“Alexander,” Magnus said with a smile, his eyes glittering and his lips parting in shock. “Are those for me?”

He nodded his head, clearing his throat. “Magnus, hi,” Alec greeted with a boyish grin, holding the flowers out to Magnus. “And yeah- yes these are for you.”

Magnus took them with the tenderness you’d expect someone to have when handling a baby. “They’re beautiful.” He leaned his head down into the blooms, looking at Alec through the veil of his lashes. “Thank you, Alec.”

He felt warmth bloom in his chest and he knew his cheeks were pink. “I wanted to.” And he’d keep wanting to give his boyfriend flowers if that sappy look was what he got in return. He wanted to bask in this moment and pull Magnus into his arms and kiss those smiling lips but he knew if they started they wouldn’t make it to their reservation. “Are you ready for dinner?”

Magnus snapped and the bouquet was gone, presumably put safely in a vase on his coffee table. “I’m always ready for a good meal,” he teased with a wink.

Alec shook his head, chuckling at the warlock’s antics. “I agree,” he replied with a wink of his own. It felt weird, but the laugh it got out of Magnus made it all worth it.

The restaurant was a bustle of activity and Alec sent a mental thank you to Izzy for telling him to make a reservation. They were seated towards the back, a more intimate setting than if they’d been seated at one of the middle tables. He also had the full view of the restaurant from where he was sitting that had his shoulders relaxing from their parade rest.

Magnus regaled him a drunken adventure he’d had while he was in Peru, gesturing animatedly between sips of hot sake. “- and stole a carpet before enchanting it so that I could fly over the desert.”

“Why did you want to go to the desert?” Alec asked.

His boyfriend shrugged. “Cat and Ragnor swear that I’d decided that I was going to stay there and become a cactus.”

Alec snorted, shaking his head. “Well you definitely would’ve been the most beautiful cactus.”

Magnus hummed in agreeance before turning his attention back to the menu.

Which was turning out to be the ban of his existence.

When he decided to take Magnus here, he hadn’t thought that the menu would be a problem. And it shouldn’t have been except Magnus had always ordered for him before or conjured up whatever; his boyfriend always knew exactly what to get him.

But he’d never seen the names of the dishes before and a lot of them sounded similar based on their description. All the dishes seemed good and he’d probably eat anything he got. But that didn’t mean much since Izzy’s cooking sounded delicious when she described it and it’d long been proven that Izzy couldn’t cook to save her life (though Alec still managed to choke down half of anything she made him). He knew he was thinking about this too much and he was desperate for Magnus to tell another story so he could stop looking at the glossy pages in front of him.

“Are you alright?” Magnus questioned, his hand reaching across the table to touch Alec’s. “You have that look on your face.”

“What look?”

“The brooding one, the one where your eyebrows furrow and your jaw tenses.” Magnus squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest. “The Shadowhunter look.”

“I’m not brooding,” Alec protested, snorting at Magnus’ impression. He grabbed Magnus hand and laced their fingers together. “I don’t know what to order.”

The admittance seemed to quell Magnus’ worries. “Is that all? What are you stuck between?”

“Um… everything?”

His boyfriend raised his eyebrows. “All of them?”

He shrugged. “What do you usually conjure us?”

Like a lightbulb turned on Magnus seemed to understand. “We usually get pad thai, but I think you’d love neua yang. The papaya salad has a similar texture to cabbage and its savory.”

Alec nodded his head at the suggestion, his indecision gone now with Magnus’ recommendation. “I’ll get that then.”

“Or,” Magnus started, closing his menu and setting it to the side, “we can both get different meals and share them both so that you can try two new dishes.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“No, but think how it’ll spice up our take-out options.” Magnus scooted his chair so that he was sitting closer to Alec at the table. “It’ll also give me an excuse to be closer to you. We can just pick from each other’s plates if we’re like this.”

The familiar warmth that seemed make itself known when he was around Magnus flared hotter. “I think I’d like that.”

“Well that makes two of us,” the warlock winked, rubbing his thumb across the back of Alec’s knuckles. “If at any time you aren’t sure of something, you are more than welcome to ask, Alexander.”

After having to literally trick Magnus into letting him pay the bill for their meal, they made their way to Pandemonium. The heavy bass of the music reverberated through the pavement and Alec took a fortifying breath. At least they didn’t have to wait to enter since Magnus literally owned the place.

They made their way through a throng of people meandering towards the entrance, Magnus tugging him along with a manic glee. It was adorable to see the warlock so excited.

“This calls for a change in wardrobe,” Magnus piped with a snap.

Magnus’ sharp waistcoat and patterned button-up were replaced by a maroon, silk shirt that left a tantalizing amount of skin on display that had Alec aching to explore. He was also positive that Magnus’ pants had become impossibly tighter and he doubted even Magnus could’ve wiggled into them without magic.

Magnus was always beautiful to Alec, but now he looked sinful.

It hadn’t occurred to Alec that he might have worn the wrong clothes to go clubbing in, but he’d never been fashion conscious in the first place and Magnus didn’t seem to mind his leather jacket at all if the amount of times he touched it was any indication of the warlock’s opinion of his jacket.

Even though it was him who suggested they go to Pandemonium, Alec already wanted to leave. The place was packed with people drinking, shouting, and dancing to the beat of the music. He was overwhelmed by the influx of stimulation that left him disoriented.

But he came here to take Magnus dancing. Magnus loved clubbing. He could deal with some mild discomfort to make Magnus happy. He could totally go clubbing with Magnus.

No problem. None at all.

Magnus already started swaying his hips to the music beside him, but his hand never left Alec’s. “I haven’t heard this song in ages,” Magnus beamed. He pulled Alec closer and moved them so they were moving to the music.

Alec shuffled his feet in lieu of dancing, but he let his hips rock side to side as Magnus gyrated against him. If nothing else, he enjoyed the feeling of Magnus against him.

Their chests pressed together and Alec leant his forehead against Magnus’ as the warlock wrapped his arms around his neck. If it was just this, Alec could completely understand the draw of clubs.

But they were so loud.

He tried to focus on just Magnus, but ever-so often another person would brush against him and he’d be brought back to the reality that he was packed in like a sardine with all these people. He wrapped his hands around the sharp bones of Magnus’ hips to further ground himself.

“Aren’t you handsy,” Magnus boomed over the music.

“Only with you,” Alec assured. He wasn’t sure if Magnus had heard what he said but he hoped the subtle grind of his hips against Magnus’ told him all he needed to know.

They spent a few songs like that, grinding and undulating against each other. As a new echoed across the dance floor, Alec prepared himself for another round of dancing but Magnus pulled away from him and grabbed his hand again. “What’s up?” Alec asked.

His boyfriend shook his head and started dragging him off the dancefloor. “I figured a drink might do us some good.”

Alec knitted his brows and turned his head to look at the bar. “But the bar is that way.”

Magnus laughed and gave him a sly look. “I’ll be providing us drinks tonight, darling and I assure you that I haven’t made a bad drink in the last century.” He squeezed his hand. “Besides, I think the VIP section would suit us better for now.”

He tried not to rejoice at moving to the VIP area.

Magnus led them to the roped off area where only six people were hanging out. It was such a difference from the mass of bodies that made up the dancefloor and Alec felt himself already begin to relax in the new space.

He was pushed to sit down on the plush couch that Magnus usually sat at when he held court as Magnus summoned two glasses. Alec took a tentative sip, making a considering face at the surprisingly sweet and fruity flavor.

“It’s good,” Alec complemented. It wasn’t too strong and the sharp burn of alcohol was virtually masked by the sweetness of what tasted like strawberries. “What is this?”

“Strawberry margarita,” Magnus informed, taking a seat beside him and snuggling up to his side and taking a sip of his own drink. “There’s quite a number of drinks that don’t taste like alcohol and I’m determined to find out all of your favorites.”

“Well I want to know your favorites too.”

Magnus sent him a smile and kissed his cheek. “I’m drinking a ‘stepping razor blade,’ not only does it sound dangerous but the cayenne pepper on top provides a lingering burn.”

“And that’s good?” It didn’t sound pleasant.

“To me it is, but it’s definitely not a drink for everyone.” Magnus held out his glass. “You’re welcome to try it if you’d like.”

Alec took another sip of his own drink and shook his head. “I think I’ll stick with my own drink for now.”

“The offer stands, angel.” Magnus shifted his body so that he faced Alec. “Why don’t we play a game?”

“A game? Don’t you want to dance?”

Magnus waved off the statement. “I can dance whenever, I want to spend time with you.”

Alec flushed, his eyes darting down to look at Magnus’ lips. “Okay, we can play a game.”

“Excellent! I figured it might be fun to play a game of 20 questions.”

Alec had played a version of it with Izzy and Jace before, but he wondered how the game changed when played by couples. “Should I go first?”

Magnus gestured at him with a grin. “By all means.”

“Alright um…” What was a good question to ask Magnus? “What would- what’s your favorite… What brings you the most pleasure in life?” That seemed like a good question.

His question garnered him a heated look. “Well hopefully you if I’m lucky.”

Alec choked on his margarita. “M-Magnus! You know what I meant.”

Magnus’ laugh was beautiful even at his expense. “I’m being totally serious, Alexander,” Magnus purred. “But if we aren’t talking about sexually, I think making other people happy and safe brings me the most pleasure.” His eyes drifted to the dancefloor, to the dancing crowd of Downworlders. “Making sure my people are safe and taken care of to the best of my ability is something I will always strive for.”

Alec rubbed Magnus’ knee which got the warlock’s attention back on him. “Right, it’s my turn now,” Magnus said. “On a regular day, when you’re doing all your Shadowhunter-y duties, what do you find yourself thinking about the most?”

Alec thought about it for a moment. “Keeping my family and those I’m supposed to protect safe the most,” he admitted. “Both Jace and Izzy are ridiculously reckless and it’s hard to reign them in, especially with Red in the mix.” He paused and looked back at Magnus’ eyes. “But every day I’m thinking about you more and more.” He ducked his head and idly fiddled with one of Magnus’ rings. “I wonder how you’re doing, if you’re safe, if you’ve eaten, what you’re wearing,” he chances a glance up at Magnus’ face, “I wonder what color glitter you’ve chosen for the day and if you’re thinking about me too.”

The admittance feels raw and revealing in ways Alec had never been before. The majority of his life he’s spent keeping whole parts of himself locked away. He wonders if he’s always cared like this or if Magnus is special.

His soul crooned its love for Magnus before he ever had words for it.

His answer seemed to stun his boyfriend who continued to stare at him with lips parted and eyes wide. But all at once those eyes welled up and Magnus rapidly blinked what might be tears from his eyes.

“Magnus, I- Did I say something wrong?” Alec asked. He can’t see any reason for Magnus to cry at his answer, but he’d never been the best with social cues.

Lips descend on his before he can say anything else.

Kissing Magnus is just as magical as it was the first time and every time since. A pleasant buzz tingled from his lips throughout his body as he gave the reigns over to Magnus to control their kiss. His heart pounded in his chest and he felt warm.

He felt at home.

However, the universe seemed to have something against him because Alec felt the sudden chill of his margarita spilling on his lap.

He cursed as he broke the kiss, swiftly righting his drink and putting it on the table in front of them. The drink sept through his jeans; already he felt sticky and he knew that the red from the drink stained his thighs red.

“Shit,” Alec muttered, looking around for something to sop some of the liquid up.

“Allow me, darling,” Magnus offered, wiggling his fingers before he snapped the mess gone. “That should do it.”

“I’m sorry.”

His boyfriend smiled at him, all teeth and happiness crinkling the corner of his eyes. “You have nothing to apologize for. If anything, I should take it as a complement that my kiss can make you lose your awareness to what’s around you.”

Alec still felt foolish, but he didn’t dwell on it. “We could always try it again, second times the charm.”

Magnus snorts, leaning into his space once more. “It’s third time actually.”

“Hm, I guess you’ll just have to kiss me a third time then after this one.”

“Gladly.”

They don’t end up going back to the dancefloor. The stay in the VIP section and occasionally got up to sway to the music as they talked but other than that Alec’s plan to take Magnus dancing seemed to have fallen flat in the end.

Because Magnus knew Alec was uncomfortable when they were dancing before no matter how much he tried to hide it.

Alec can’t stop thinking about the multiple times their date hadn’t gone as planned as they walked back to the loft. The city is still plenty active at this time of night, but the streets are surprisingly empty. He squeezed Magnus’ hand as they walked and tried to tune back into the story Magnus was telling him.

“- She came banging on my door to demand how to best tell her paramour to kindly ‘fuck off,’” Magnus narrated.

“How’d she end up doing it?” Alec questioned, even though he wasn’t quite sure how the story started.

“She and the Seelie he was seeing on the side hooked-up,” he laughed, “they’ve been together ever since.”

Alec grinned, looking over at Magnus and flinched when he felt something hit his cheek.

He looked at the ground to see little drops of water begin to speckle the ground. Five spots quickly became ten then twenty until they were abruptly assaulted with a downpour.

“By the angel, really?” Alec yelled, quickly pulling Magnus to the closest overhang.

It was too late. They were both soaked, hair dripping into their eyes and shivering. Alec hoped that whatever angel up there watching him was having a good laugh at his expense.

“Well,” Magnus interrupted, running a hand through his hair, “that was exciting.”

Alec turned his attention to his boyfriend, taking in Magnus’ wilting Mohawk and marveled at the sight of his makeup still looking impeccable despite the water dripping down his face. “I- Wait, here,” Alec mumbled, shucking his jacket and wrapping it around Magnus’ shoulders. He doubted it would do much but the leather prevented the lining from getting wet and would do more against the chill than Magnus’ silk shirt.

Magnus ran his fingers across the worn leather of his jacket with what looked like a quiet reverence, like he couldn’t believe what he had just transpired. Like before, Magnus was the one who broke their silence. “Aren’t you cold?”

He shook his head. “I’m fine, I’m just sorry about this.”

“About the rain?” Magnus’ lips twitched as if fighting a smile. “Darling, you can’t do anything about the weather.”

“About this whole night.”

Magnus froze and his eyes shuttered and Alec knew he must’ve said something wrong. “Do you regret the date?”

Alec blinked owlishly at Magnus and shook his head. “No, I don’t regret the date it’s just…” He groaned and tugged at his hair, “I had this whole date planned. I picked the restaurant, I made plans to go dancing with you, I even thought of our walk home.” His voice quieted to a whisper. “But everything went wrong.”

It was Magnus’ turn to look confused. “What went wrong?” He sounded genuinely confused by Alec’s confession.

“I was late to pick you up, I couldn’t pick what to eat at the restaurant,” Alec listed. “When we went dancing you felt like you had to take me off the dancefloor because I couldn’t handle it. And then I went and spilled my drink on myself while we were having a moment and you had to clean me up.” He let out a self-depreciating laugh, pinching the bridge of his nose and gesturing to the sky. “Not even our walk went as planned because now it’s raining.”

Magnus didn’t say anything for a few grueling moments and Alec felt his frustration dwindle to the familiar feeling of inadequacy.

His best was never good enough.

Magnus cupped his cheek and directed his gaze back to him. “Alexander,” Magnus cooed. Like Alec was something precious. “How is any of that bad?”

Alec opened his mouth to repeat himself, but Magnus pressed his lips tenderly to Alec’s own. It was chaste but there’s a comfort in the soft touch.

“I’ll be honest with you, Alec,” Magnus said, “this has been one of the best dates I’ve ever been on.” His boyfriend ran his thumbs across Alec’s cheekbones. “You brought me flowers because you thought I’d like them. You took me to a restaurant I’d only mentioned liking to you once before.” He kissed Alec’s nose. “You took me to a club which I know isn’t your scene because you know that I like to party.”

Alec shrugged. “It makes you happy.”

Magnus rubs their noses together before he leaned his forehead against Alec’s. “That’s what I mean, Alec. How could I ever think it was a bad date when you’ve done everything to make sure I enjoyed myself?”

Alec let out a shuddering breath, clutching at Magnus’ waist underneath his jacket. “But-“

“Ask me what my ideal date is, Alexander.”

It’s a command and Alexander can’t refute. “What is your ideal date, Magnus?”

His warlock pulled back to look him in the eye, his eyes holding the same softness they held back at the club after he’d answered Magnus’ question. “My ideal date is being with you,” Magnus insisted. “It’s getting to know you better and see you happy when we’re together. It’s getting to fall harder for you each time I see you.”

“That’s my line,” Alec’s voice wavered. His heart felt like it might burst in his chest but he never wanted this feeling to leave. He wondered if this is how love felt because he knew he was in love with Magnus.

Without a doubt, he loved Magnus Bane.

Magnus grinned and tugged Alec back out into the rain. Alec couldn’t help the watery laugh as they were once more pelted with water. He moved one of his hands up to the back of Magnus’ head, carding his fingers through the longer strands.

“You need to learn that relationships are never perfect and even when we want something to go perfectly it might not, pretty boy,” Magnus said. He must’ve cast a spell because Alec had no trouble hearing him over the rain. “Love’s never the best days or the worst days, but it’s beautiful and-“

“I want that with you,” Alec finished, surging forward with a renewed passion. The kiss was wet and their teeth clacked together in their enthusiasm and too soon they were breaking apart to laugh against each other’s lips.

He wanted to try and chase the taste of that laughter from Magnus’ lips, but was content to lean his forehead back against Magnus’, the rain now a welcome accompaniment.

Love isn’t just the high and lows.

But maybe that’s what makes it perfect to Alec.

Notes:

Thank you so much for reading this! If you have time, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Did you like it? Favorite part? Reading comments always make my day!

You can also find me on my writing tumblr @cakelanguage

Oh and if you were wondering why I chose blue orchids for the bouquet: blue orchids specifically represent power, beauty and peace. I thought it fit Magnus and how Alec sees him.

#lightwormsiblings #malecsanta20 #*fic20 #*gifts20

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chibi-tsukiko · 4 years

Note

Do you think TMI gang’s have a strong dynamic bond?

Yes! Yes! YES!

I absolutely think that the TMI gang has honestly one of the strongest bonds of any group in the TSC series!

They have been through so much together! And that’s not to say that the other TSC gangs like those in TLH, TID, and TDA, havent gone through perils together—they have! But I think what makes the TMI gang stand out-for me anyway- is that we get to SEE that bond form.

In TID, TLH, and even TDA bonds are already formed and established. (Will & jem), (the merry thieves), (emma & the blackthorns), ect.

But with TMI, we get to see the bond come together. Like technically there is a bond already between Jace, Izzy, and Alec, but it’s shaky at times and becomes easily rattled (as we see in the early books) then we have Clary come in & she puts a tremendous amount of strain on the dynamic. She upsets Alec and Jaces relationship and even theirs with Izzy, and then you throw Simon into the mix (coupled with Valentines mind games & fuckery) and it’s straight chaos.

But what is amazing to me is that, although the bond isn’t solidified, and although they haven’t known each other long — they rally for one another. They protect and fight for one another. And slowly we watch the ties that flow between them knot together.

I mean, here they are, 3 siblings, and 2 childhood friends (+ one Glittering Cyclone of perfection 😉) taking on a racist tyrant and uniting two worlds to fight a Great War. These kids, teenagers! All the while stumbling through normal teenage drama (ah young love) this could have easily shattered them, but it didn’t. They saw each others strengths and believed in one another and in what they were doing. And we get to see them form the faith that they have in one another.

They bring out the best in one another and compliment eachothers weaknesses. They trust and rely on each other, they free one another from their own chains.

They are one of the few TSC groups that we get to see grow up. We watch them mold and shape each other, their ideals, changing one another into the best versions of themselves. They’re not perfect, but they’re a family.

And idk if any of my rambling made sense, but the TMI gang has one of the best bonds in the TSC series and they will always hold a special place in my heart.

Thanks for the ask Annie! ♥️

#emsaskbox #tmi gang #tsc #the shadowhunter chronicles

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monysmediareview · 3 years

Text

Mortal Instruments Series Review

My first review! Yay!

We’re going to start with a series I recently got very into and then very out of: The Mortal Instruments series. I only read the first 3 books. I started the 4th and simply wasn’t interested, but we’ll get into that.

This is honestly going to be a mixed review. There was a lot that I really loved about this series and was super happy to see so many well written or well thought out elements, but there’s also a lot that I wasn’t pleased with and could have done without. For the purpose of this review I will only be talking about the books and not the show or the movie, but again, we’ll get to that later.

First thing’s first: the lovers to siblings back to lovers plot

What the actual fuck was that? I mean, I get it, the drama of it all was intense and emotional. I loved it for that but let’s take a moment to really consider what was wrong with this. I could have gotten on this band wagon, because it is dramatic as hell, which I love. But there are several moments throughout the first three books where, to Jace and Clary’s knowledge, they are full blood, 100% siblings, but they still make out.

Outside the Wayland house in City of Glass they literally lay in a field, making out, taking clothes off. Not only is the world around them quite literally ending but at this moment they are under the impression that they are siblings. But they do it anyway. Which is disturbing to say the least. Sure, it makes it that much more of a relief when we find out they aren’t siblings and that Jonathan is a whole other person, but there were other ways to do that. This is a story read by a ton of young, impressionable, mostly female readers and that is just such a strange message to send. They’re already confused and worried about the world going on around them, why on earth would you throw that in, too? Thinking back to middle school, I can remember at least 2 cases of brothers and sisters being accused of hooking up and I now wonder if this series had anything to do with that. I shudder to think about it.

Izzy deserved better

Right off the bat, we see Izzy through Clary’s pick me girl eyes and she does not like Izzy. She’s threatened by her and her connection with Jace. Again, why are we alluding to siblings hooking up with each other? It’s weird and uncomfy and Izzy deserved better than that.

She’s a strong, independent, smart, well trained, self sufficient woman and I would have read so much more about her if it was there. Izzy is emotionally mature, resilient, and in my opinion would have been a much better main character for a series like this. There was no reason for Cassandra Clare to make Izzy so unlikable or have Clary put her down like that. This was actually an amazing opportunity to pass the Bechdel test but to have a strong female/female relationship and set a really good example for the younger readers.

The Jace/Clary/Simon love triangle was weak

I’m a sucker for a good love triangle. It’s an old, played out trope but I can’t help it. The drama of it all is intriguing and I like them. However, the love triangle with Clary and Simon and Jace just wasn’t juicy enough. Having Clary date Simon simply because she couldn’t be with Jace anymore was really weird, especially considering Simon had almost given up/gotten over Clary because he was interested in Izzy. Then, he drops Izzy, runs to Clary and then they just stop dating and decide to be friends. And then he goes back to Izzy from what I can tell from the beginning of City of Fallen Angels, which I think discredits her even more to go back to someone who left in her in dust like that. But I digress.

If there was going to be a genuine love triangle, there needed to be a struggle of choice. Having her only choose Simon because he was what was left over was not a strong plot point and I felt that it took away from the story. It could have even been improved if Jace had shown outward jealousy or tried to convince her not to be with him but instead he ignored it. But that takes me to my next point.

Jace was kind of an asshole

I understand the idea of a “bad boy” love interest. It’s hot, it’s interesting, it’s everything every girl wants. But I’m also kind of over it. And in this case, it didn’t even stick. Jace very quickly goes from complete asshole to emotional loverboy and while I’d normally love that, it actually felt unintentional. I don’t have too much to say about this other than begging for writers and readers to have higher standards for male love interests in these types of stories.

Jace’s unconditional love for Clary even though she’s boring

Category is: more tropes I’m kind of done with.

The thing is, Clary isn’t anything special. It’s why I really don’t like her as a character. It enforces this trope of these “regular” but also “not like other girls” girls who get a bad boy to fall in love with them and suddenly be soft and gentle and kind just for them. It’s not realistic and it is so so damaging to the young girls who read things like this. Not that I think we should censor art or writing in any way to make it more morally upstanding or appealing to certain groups, but I do think that in wide spread media it is important to be conscious of the impact your work might make on certain groups of people. If a story like this needed to exist, then maybe it shouldn’t have been marketed to the audience it was. And let’s be real - there was no reason these characters couldn’t have been college aged instead of 16.

Back to the topic at hand - Jace has completely unconditional love for Clary. I think that’s super cute but it is almost unhealthy the way he’s obsessed with her. Maybe it was just how I read it but I think there could have definitely been a better way to express that he’s in love with her without making it seem like he would die without her.

Moral of the story, kids - let’s stop romanticizing unhealthy relationships.

Simon being a Jewish vampire was a fantastic idea

If you follow my main blog you probably know how much I love vampires. It’s kind of my thing. It’s why I picked up this series in the first place; because I was told that it had a really cool vampire subplot and it absolutely does.

Vampires have always had a strong connection to catholicism, what with the crosses and the holy water and the churches and all that. It had never even occurred to me that a Jewish vampire might have to abide by different rules and it begs the question of how religion plays into vampirism in the first place.

I don’t want to spend too much time on this because I could write pages and pages and pages on my take on vampires but I just wanted to praise this aspect of the series because it is badass. I hope we see more vampires of other religions popping up in media in the future. I think that would be dope as hell.

Alec and Magnus are my OTP of this series

As far as love stories go I really don’t think it gets better than this couple. There wasn’t too much of them in the books I read but I became absolutely obsessed anyway. Magnus, who seems to be portrayed as some kind of bad boy in his own rite; you know, like an immortal whore, falling in love with Alec. Alec who is strong and kind and loves with his whole heart but hides who he really is. They help each other change for the better and seem to really complete each other. Even if this wasn’t entirely intentional, I’m here for it. I would die for them. If/when I review the TV show there will definitely be a ton about this.

There are far too many parallels to Twilight for my liking

Okay, there aren’t that many. SMeyer does have a quote about how much she loves the series on the front of all the books that I have, though, and that’s too much already. Beside that there are a few things I noticed.

Bella is obviously SMeyer’s self insert character and that makes me think that Clary is too. First of all the names are incredibly similar and let’s just take a look at Cassandra Clare.

Look familiar?

Not to mention the story was stolen in the first place, but that’s for another review. I plan on reading that series as well to make my own observations.

This series did not need to exceed 3 books

By the end of City of Glass, the story felt over to me. There were a few loose ends but nothing that ultimately made me want to keep reading and that’s why I think the 4th book fell flat. The entire thing could have been wrapped up nicely in three books or the end of the third book should have been more enticing and inviting to another installment.

So, overall, I did enjoy the series. I think a lot of the characters were really well written, the dialogue was good, and the plot, while it has its flaws, was interesting at the very least. I’ll definitely be giving the rest of the books a shot at some point since the show opened my eyes to what plot lines may have been followed and I like that idea a lot. I know it seems like I really hate this series, but I don’t. It certainly has it’s issues but if you’re looking for something fun to read that you don’t plan on taking too seriously then I highly recommend.

Until next time, friends!

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ourooboroos · 4 years

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a lingering soul

It's been two weeks since Magnus went through the rift to Edom. Read below the cut or on my AO3!

This house has never been the same as before It's never felt warm, never felt warm

-The Paper Kites, "Paint"

For 23 years, Alec thought something was wrong with him.

It wasn’t that he liked guys. His sexuality aside (because while he knew that the Shadowhunter world would never fully accept that aspect of him), something else felt innately wrong . He’d felt out of place for as long as he could remember, even inside the Institute, even inside the only home he’d ever known. It was like a piece of his very soul was missing.

Izzy had always strutted the halls like she owned them. When Jace arrived, he was scared and shy, but even he seemed to fit in better than Alec did. The only thing that ever felt right to Alec was the bow clenched in his fist and the quiver slung over his shoulder.

For 23 years, he felt out of place. It had been 23 years until he found his true home, something -- no, some one -- who made him feel whole, special, enough. Even when his bow and quiver were leaning against the wall. Even when his stele was on the bedside table and he wasn’t in parade rest or tensed with the expectation of battle. Even when he was bruised and scarred from a long fight with a demon.

Home was a warm hand that ran over his shoulders and cupped his cheek gently. Home was a soft voice, teasing and kind. Home was eyes that flickered from deep brown to bright gold, each beautiful and full of love. Home was a man that he fell asleep and woke up next to, limbs tangled together. Home was shared coffee in the morning and dinner dates on the balcony. Home was love.

And now. Now it had been two weeks since his home had been stripped from him.

Two weeks since the battle, since Idris devolved into chaos, since flames licked Alec’s calves as he nocked arrow after arrow and shot them into the darkness. Two weeks since Magnus had disappeared into the rift.

Alec knew his boyfriend -- no, fiancé, they were engaged -- wasn’t dead; not in the traditional sense, anyway. He was still alive but a realm away, in fucking Edom . And Alec had no earthly idea how to get him back.

The two weeks had been fraught.

Alec’s bed at the Institute felt stifling, but the loft overwhelmed him in every sense of the word. It looked like Magnus, it smelled like Magnus, it felt like Magnus, from the wards that wrapped around him every time he walked in the door to the golden silk sheets that lay tousled on their bed. There was an unfinished glass of whiskey on the end table; Magnus must have been drinking it before portaling to Idris. His slippers sat untouched by the front door, and his towel and robe hung in their usual places in the bathroom. Alec couldn’t bring himself to move anything, to even touch anything, the few times that he visited. It was like he was on the edge of a cliff and if his fingers brushed the silk of Magnus’s pillow case, or the wool of his slippers, he might topple over the edge.

He avoided the loft as much as he could, but the Institute wasn’t much better. Every turn held a memory of his dear warlock, from the mess hall where Magnus had grumbled about the early hour and the unpleasant food to the training room where Alec could only remember wrestling on the floor, and then… well. His own room was no better.

The worst part, maybe, was that Magnus was alive. Alec knew it. He could feel it, as surely as he could feel Jace’s steady presence through their parabatai bond. This was a different kind of surety, but it was there. His heart was broken, but it wasn’t shattered the way it would be if Magnus was well and truly gone for good. But Alec had no fucking clue how to get him back.

And Alec hated being helpless.

Maryse told him he needed to move on. That he needed to take some personal days, allow himself to grieve, and then get back to work ready to continue. But while Maryse may have loved Robert once -- and in Alec’s mind, that’s a very strong may -- he knew that their love was different than what he had with Magnus. They would give up anything for each other. Magic, immortality, their jobs, their very lives--

It was then that he got the idea.

Alec rose from his desk, fingers tapping away on his phone, asking Jace, Clary, Simon, and Izzy to meet him in the Ops center.

He was going to Edom.

#linkscap writes #malec #shadowhunters #fic #tmi #ficlet #alec x magnus #magnus bane #alec lightwood #magnus is in edom #:(#sad alec lightwood

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normal-thoughts-official · 4 years

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more malec livewatch, everyone! i decided to start making the posts separately instead of keeping reblogging the same one over and over because i don’t want to drive everyone crazy with that gigantic fucking post. you can read the first ones here and i’ll keep updating the posts to lead to the next ones i guess. also im tagging it malec livewatch for those who want to avoid this nonsense

so let’s brave pre-wedding episode 12 i guess

oh boy.... we’re gonna do it... we’re gonna experience the Maximum Cringe

the special effects are so BAD odaijsdoaj when he summons the wine into Alec’s hand it’s just...... god

“we never finished our conversation” i mean you were the one who finished it magnus so wtf are you going on about

“it’s about family, tradition, honor” yeah we get it zuko boi duoahsiudhdiusa

really tho like he’s so clearly just.... reciting it. taking some shit out off the top of his head about how it’s the right thing and it’s sad tbh

he clearly kinda already has a script too? like “you and I understand marriage very differently” he says it right off the bat, he’s been thinking it over and hghgghgh

magnus goes near alec and alec swallows immediately and magnus ain’t even making a move to touch him yet. just diuahsdah it’s so obvious how hard he’s trying to hold back here

“you’re confusing me” is like the only thing he says the whole scene that sounds genuine

he’s paying so much attention to magnus’ dumb little speech about what love feels like too like. he’s trying to hold back but he’s very clearly pulled in, and i don’t even think it’s by magnus specifically (i mean obviously cuz have you seen him) but because he... kind of wants to hear it, kind of wants magnus to give him some golden argument that will make his whole resolution shatter. except he doesn’t because he doesn’t know what he’ll do then, but he’s still hoping for something and it’s sad

like how magnus clearly pauses like he’s waiting for alec’s reaction too, like. alec makes to leave and magnus doesn’t go after him, but he speaks, and alec stops. only when alec stops he gets closer. only when alec looks at him, clearly waiting to hear more, does he begin to talk again. i dig that even if most of this scene is kinda ugh to me

i hate how he uses his magic tho like what’s the point?? like yes i know that magic “can’t create feelings” but still dauhdsa it kinds feels like he’s cheating or trying to manipulate alec or something and i’m.. not into how the whole thing is done

oof hate how alec says “this is all just a game to you, isn’t it?” like bitch you know damn well it’s not like he’s putting himself at risk and showing you so much vulnerability and i hate how he goes for the whole “oh magnus doesn’t care about anything he’s just a seductive lothario” narrative in here lowkey. like i know he’s just trying to distance himself and he doesn’t fully believe it but... aaaaa i hate it

and he’s so HURT by alec’s words too like the rejection doesn’t hurt him as much as hearing alec say that he just flirts and it means nothing to him does. he’s trying so fucking hard to be open and honest and taking such a RISK (psychological, emotional, even physical) and alec is just throwing all of that bullshit persona he’s actively trying not to hide behind in his face, belittling all his efforts and feelings, and aaa

like again i don’t really blame alec but he truly is so hurt

still wonder what alec was about to say when he turned around to talk to him and magnus wasn’t there anymore tbh like. probably something else to try and distance himself so it’s probably good magnus left and isn’t there to hear it and it kind of forces alec to really think it over to himself instead of trying to argue but...... i do wonder what he was going to say diahsiduahdisah

magnus doesn’t even answer the whole “this means nothing to you” veiled accusation which.... also hurts like idk if he’s trying to avoid a fight or derailing like alec clearly is trying to, or if he just is too tired to have this argument, or if he just doesn’t want to open up this much, but either way he doesn’t acknowledge it except for his hurt look and oof

no one cares about jace and clary talking or whatever’s happening here next

i had never noticed the way magnus winks at clary when he says “oh, it’s happy hour somewhere, my dear” daishdaiuh it’s kinda cute tbh

hodge is so uncomfortable like the way he talks to magnus and gets too close to him... in a way that he doesn’t with anyone else either like he’s clearly just lowkey despising him/getting into his space and magnus notices too and it gives me the heebie jeebies

diuhaiudsahduaishdai magnus’ IMMEDIATE reaction of “why is ragnor fell there, he’s not more powerful than me” asohdaiudha we stan bickering bffs i truly love them so much

“he’s older than you” “certainly not wiser” daiohsahda

i think he might also be lowkey trying to protect ragnor and take the clave’s attention away from him now that i think about it but still i love their bickering

nah that’s cancelled he immediately rats him out on having been jocelyn’s profesor lmaoo

“that’s why he hasn’t been responding to my fire messages” daoihdsaiohads someone needs to lick their wounds

he’s just like “oh ragnor is hiding in his specific safehouse outside of london” like daoiusduaihdasuda love how he just knows that off the top of his head when ragnor clearly didn’t actually tell him about it since he just fucked off and hasn’t been responding

“didn’t know you were here” “that was the point” doaiuhdasiouhdaiuhdas

like i know he’s talking about the marriage but also.... just mood in general tbh

again with the eye flickering. hes looking at magnus, no hes not, yeah he is, haha SIKE, oh there it is again, nope it’s gone..... kinda funny cuz like i know that alec’s eyes flicker a lot in general but afterwards when they are together every time he looks at magnus it’s just so pointed and intense and focused on him so the contrast of watching the s1 scenes and realizing how little his glances at magnus always lasted is... interesting and heartbreaking. like obviously he doesn’t want to be looking at any man for too long, doesn’t want to take that risk, keeps hyper aware of his attraction at all times, but he still can’t help the glances and then when he can look he just does it so unapologetically and intensely and you can tell that it’s just. intimate to him (to both of them really) right then, and wow

i know we talk a lot about alec’s Big Hands but magnus’ hands are so nice too in like a totally different way... anytime he holds anything it just looks like he’s treating it like it’s precious, it’s so delicate and careful and his hands are smooth and pretty and wow i love him so fucking much

wow can’t believe nothing heartbreaking at all happens when they go to ragnor’s house and that ragnor just winks at magnus like “haha yes i am ‘dead’” and magnus is like “yes, this is a lie and a ruse and also a plan. i am perfectly aware that ragnor is not dead at all”

ragnor says “my dear friend, i will always be here for you” with so much honesty and love and ugh i love them like they’re always little bitches to each other but they still have the room to be perfectly loving and honest with each other and i stan

ragnor looks at magnus with so much fucking hurt when magnus says “i prayed she would love me the same” like you can tell it destroys him to even remember it or think about it and aaa

“he was always so much better looking than you” and the way magnus purses his lips in what is clearly a smile like he just knows it’s the teasing and he loves ragnor and their dynamic and i just daouhdsauida also he’s so beautiful boy i die

the way ragnor says “someday, someone will come and will tear down those walls you put around you and around your heart” and magnus looks at him with so much. fucking PAIN in his eyes because someone did but it got nowhere and in the end alec just kind of acknowledged his walls again and went back to pretending that it never happened and that magnus didn’t progress or open up to it at all, that magnus was just lying, that it’s just a game and dauhdaiudha god he’s so HURT

again i owe harry shum jr my entire life like he might be seriously the best actor i’ve ever seen in any show, he’s so damn expressive and talented in every little motion he’s truly a pearl in the desert of shit that is this show

“even in death, you give the best advice” ugh love how this really cements that magnus is used to opening up to ragnor and even with their bickering there’s so much room for them to be emotionally honest like we stan

anyway sure wish this had any emotional continuity whatsoever but at least the cringefest is over. onto an actual good scene fucking finally

love every little detail about this scene as yall probably already know so i’ll try not to point every single one of them out yet again but who knows if i’ll succeed. i bet that i won’t tbh

love the contrast between alec looking so tense when lydia comes down the aisle and she’s like all smiles and shit

she’s before him and he can barely look at her like his eyes flicker a bit between her and the bouquet and he settles on the bouquet this whole thing is so... wrong so clearly, like i could show it to someone who doesn’t know shit about sh and they would be able to tell that nothing fits

even alec’s clothes are weird, like idk i don’t understand fashion but his look looks so disjointed, like the blazer doesn’t really match the pants, the bowtie looks weird and doesn’t match the buttons, and shit and nothing about him looks like it’s in the right place. and everyone else (except maybe izzy who also looks miserable lmao) looks like a perfect picture and he’s just.... idk there’s this aura of wrongness around him that’s subtle but really well done in the terms of costume and shit. the costume department really went off in this whole scene honestly like we stan. possibly the only ones other than the actors who knew what the fuck they were doing lmao

when lydia smiles at izzy and izzy barely moves up the corner of one of her lips dajdasnjdan she looks even more miserable than alec does and god i love the lightwood siblings so much like i truly do. she’s supporting him because she’s decided she’s not going to keep pushing him when it only leads to him not trusting her but she’s all broken that he’s broken, and she was willing to take his place and throw her life away even when that’s everything she’s always tried to avoid, just so he wouldn’t have to do this, and aaaaa

who cares about jace and clary looking at each other @directing team like seriously get over this

he turns in the direction of the silent brother in an almost kind of jerking motion like he completely forgot about where he was supposed to go or something, like again he’s just... not in it

they are holding hands in the WEIRDEST possible way too like there’s so much distance between them it’s almost funny ldaojsja

he tries to smile at lydia when she’s about to put the rune on his arm like he knows she knows that he’s hating this and he’s just bearing it and trying to not make her uncomfortable? like doajdsaoj

the way that magnus INTERRUPTS not just the wedding but also the chorus, you could tell there was a crescendo coming even if you’ve never heard the song, but magnus pushes the doors open and suddenly it stops and there’s this little bit and then the “tututututu” of tension as he comes into view and his steps perfectly match the three little beats that were already there before, but sound so much louder and more prominent like a heartbeat, like before they were muffled and now they’re real??? the poetic cinema bro

ill just never get over the way they used song here it sounds like an AMV like the song isn’t just giving the vibe, they are telling the story THROUGH the song and the whole scene is basically a coreography, and the song is the narrative, and holy shit i love it so much could you imagine if they had used this amount of thought and genius and clever storytelling the whole show?? i’d shit myself

ugh the DRAMA of magnus’ look again i KNOW i’ve been over this again and again and again and again and again and again but i just. i love how they used his makeup & costume to accentuate magnus’ 1- face, 2- eyes, 3- jaw, and 4- adam’s apple. the whole focus is on his face and eyes (which again so expressive we stan harry shum jr in this house), the fact that his eyes are his WARLOCK MARK (yeah they’re not out but like we’re still drawing attention to the part of magnus he tries to hide the most, and the part of him that marks what makes him disdainful to shadowhunters), the fact that his jaw and adam’s apple are so prominent. his whole face looks really sharp and masculine you know?? like the whole focus is on everything about him that’s supposed to be “wrong” and make malec “wrong” but he’s never looked more beautiful (IT’S SUCH AN UNDERRATED LOOK) and they didn’t sacrifice his gnc-ness for it either, on the contrary, they gave his hair the hot pink streak which. INSPIRED WE STAN, and the makeup is very clear (again esp around his eyes) which of course only adds to it because he’s not just a man, he’s a gnc man and that makes it “worse”, but also like, i like how they accentuated his masculinity in alec’s coming out scene, without sacrificing his identity and gender non conformness. again the costume department is the only one who genuinely knew what they were doing 100% of the time i hope they all got big fucking checks

alec just blinks and focuses on him and it’s the first time it looks like he’s really looking at something and i just wow

izzy is so happy to see magnus there :) she loves her brother so much :)

magnus holding up two fingers to get people to shut up... the way he snarls “maryse, this is between me and your son” with so much certainty and like no room for bullshit he’s so good at making shadowhunters too speechless to stop him and honestly im such a whore tbh if he did this to me id just nut on the spot. shut me up daddy. fuck who said that

like how they included the “i’ll leave if he asks me to” and how he really doesn’t say anything, he’s just standing there, like they made sure to make this scene respectful and i was kind of dreading it the first time because i’d HATE it if magnus had outed him or made this whole drama out of it but he didn’t and i like that so so much

“i thought we were doing the right thing, but... this isn’t it” always gets me and i can’t even put my finger on why. it just does like again this is not really about magnus or their relationship, it’s about how he feels about the whole thing, everything that he’s giving up and he barely knows what for anymore, and i justjfianfajf

again the BRILLIANCE of the song usage the way that he’s talking to lydia and the beat is so damn loud and overwhelming and then as soon as he turns to magnus everything just drowns out and there is one (1) piano note and it’s just him and magnus and it’s like everything silences??? he’s just so damn focused and it’s not the nervousness and loudness of everyone else and their whole audience (they don’t even show the audience anymore after alec turns to him for real and before the actual kiss i don’t think) and there’s just that sharp focus and certainty because alec’s made up his mind and there’s no sound anymore like mwaaahhh poetic cinEMA

and it’s just that moment of clarity as they both look at each other and the song begins again with the higher tempo again, but it feels more like, a march? than that overwhelming noise. and of course there’s the singing and it feels like everything has purpose and is just laser focused and it’s still intense but in a completely opposite way, not lost but found and wow im such a whORE for this scene it’s unbelievable

like how alec takes the first step towards magnus after he’s down the stairs exactly as the song goes “want” like mwaahhhhh brilliance amazing talented showstopping spectacular never been done before completely unique,

his “enough” is dajksdfahidasdhadusahuash again im a simple sub id nut

i was right they only really show the audience again after the kiss. except for maryse but even then it’s so quick, we see her going to alec and after alec says “enough” she literally doesn’t show anymore it’s like she’s not even there, she just disappears it’s so sexy we stan??? like again alec’s made up his mind and nothing else is there to stop him wow love that for him could you imagine thinking this man is shy and insecure? can’t relate

THEY ARE SKIGGNISNGG

FOREVER A WHORE FOR THE WAY MAGNUS CHASES AFTER HIM HOLY FUCKING SHIT. THE WAY HE’S SO LOST IN THE KISS, IN THE ELATION, AND HE JUST CAN’T HELP GOING FOR MORE BEFORE HE CAN STOP HIMSELF AND KEEP UP WITH HIS TIGHT COMPOSTURE (because magnus had barely moved once alec had seen him, he just stood there and waited like he was waiting for his cue, he was holding himself perfectly steadily and just had so many walls) LIKE HE JUST CAN’T HELP BUT WANT?? AND GO FOR MORE?? AND THEN HE REALIZES ALEC IS PULLING AWAY AND HE LOOKS AT HIM FOR A SECOND (and his eyes look so DIFFERENT, not like there’s a wall there, he looks relieved and happy and even kind of dazed and i just wow the difference is SO clear) AND ALEC LOOKS AT HIM AND HE TAKES JUST A FRACTION OF A SECOND BEFORE HE LEANS IN AGAIN, AND IT’S THE FIRST TIME THAT MAGNUS HAS ASKED FOR MORE AND ALEC’S GIVEN IT, BECAUSE ALEC HAS BEEN GIVING HIM SOME OPENINGS BUT EVERY TIME MAGNUS WANTED MORE HE TURNED AWAY, BUT THIS TIME HE FUCKING GIVES MAGNUS WHAT HE’S SILENTLY ASKING FOR, HE’S CHOOSING HIM FULLY AND NOT JUST ENOUGH FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE TOGETHER, HE’S CHOOSING TO GO ALL IN AND KISS MAGNUS UNTIL HE’S SATISFIED AND HOLY SHIT THE POETIC CINEMA!! THE TALENT!!! THE BRILLIANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SHADOWHUNTERS CREW FOR PUTTING UP YOUR FIVE TOTAL BRAINCELLS TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS FANTASTIC THING HAPPEN HOLY FUCKING SHIT THIS SCENE IS EVERYTHING TO ME

a bitch needs to lie down i think that’s all for today

next part

#malec livewatch #magnus bane #alec lightwood #meta #malec #sh

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silver-lily-louise · 4 years

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A Whole New World - a Shadowhunters fanfic

Chapter Five - Let Your Heart Decide

Summary: Alec doesn’t want to hold Magnus back. Magnus doesn’t want to throw Alec’s normal life up in the air. Alec makes his final wish.

A/N: The final chapter!!! We made it, guys. Thank you so much to everyone who’s been leaving lovely comments/tags along the way, it’s been a joy! I hope you enjoy the wrap-up. <3 (As usual, the titles are from Aladdin.)

Read it from the beginning on AO3 Chapter Five on AO3, or alternatively, keep reading!

~oOo~

Alec folds his arms over his chest, holding still; tossing and turning wasn’t helping him drift off any faster, so maybe this will work instead. But the gentle pressure just reminds him of earlier – of Magnus’ hands, arms, chest holding him upright but by no means steady. Of being so close, and wanting nothing more than to close the rest of the distance and kiss him. He shuts his eyes, but there’s barely any difference. There’s no pesky ray of moonlight peeping in, no noise besides the familiar hum of the city he can no longer sleep without. It’s his own thoughts, his own foolish wants, keeping him awake.

Tomorrow, he’s going to make his final wish. He’s going to let Magnus move on, and try to return to his own normal life. And hey, he’s got his work, he’s got his family nearby – there are plenty of things to distract and ground him, to help him pretend that these last few weeks have just been a strange dream; exhilarating, but fleeting, and not to be mourned for that.

He groans, giving up and turning onto his side again, feeling his face smoosh up against the thin pillow. The problem is, this time with Magnus hasn’t felt like a dream. It’s felt more real than anything Alec’s ever known. It’s never been perilous enough to be exhilarating, and he doesn’t want it to be fleeting – instead, it’s been comfortable, quietly and steadily joyous, and he thinks he might want it forever.

That word snaps him out of his reverie, and he opens his eyes to the darkness in a kind of shock, before frowning at himself. Forever. For God’s sake, he’s known Magnus less than a month – it’s ridiculous to feel so attached already. Not to mention that Magnus is a genie, a fucking magical entity who’s lived for centuries, and so to him, forever means something entirely different. Alec’s never thought of himself as self-deprecating – though he knows Izzy disagrees with him on that – but he’s aware of his limits, and nothing makes him feel quite as limited as comparing himself to the kind of life that Magnus is used to. The kind that such a generous, brilliant man deserves.

So tomorrow, he’s going to make his third wish, and then say goodbye. Now, all he has to do is think of something else he wants, besides what he knows it would be too selfish of him to ask for.

It’s a while before he manages to fall asleep, and if he could muster the will to care about anything his head has to say, drowned out as it is by the petulant demands of his heart, he’d bemoan how tired he’s going to be at work tomorrow. He dreams of a magic carpet ride, of warm smiles and golden eyes and arms wrapped snugly around his waist, holding him safe. When he wakes up to a gently scathing alarm a few hours later, he’ll almost manage to convince himself that it doesn’t mean anything, simply because it can’t.

***

Magnus throws his head back against the chaise longue, staring up unseeingly at the highest shelves, barely noticing when the book tumbles from his fingers. He’s finished Les Mis, finally, but he’s barely seventy pages into Doctor Zhivago and he doesn’t know what he was thinking choosing it as his next literary conquest. Trying to keep track of such an infamously confusing story would be difficult at the best of times – let alone when he’s moping around like a lovesick teenager, lounging in his lamp’s library because it was too frustrating to lie in his opulent four-poster bed and gain no comfort, no rest from the perfectly temperate silk embrace.

He sighs, and if he wasn’t feeling so low he’d laugh at the dramatics of it all. He wants to go back and use only his magic to catch Alexander, to spare himself from the feeling of what he wanted being right there and yet so far out of reach. Better yet, he wants to go back thirty years, to when he misplaced the lid of his lamp for the seventeenth time that month, decided enough was enough, and sealed it in place; because if he could just change that decision, he wouldn’t have gotten stuck, wouldn’t have ended up offering a handsome, kind mortal three wishes and accidentally throwing in a piece of his heart as part of the deal.

He shuts his eyes, a little overwhelmed by the current toll on his willpower – because as much as he tells himself that he wishes he could change the past and avoid this situation, he knows it isn’t true. What he actually wants is to leave the lamp right this second, march over to Alexander’s bedroom, and declare that he’s never met anyone like him. That he’s never felt such connection to someone else, something that feels so immense even in its beginning – because he wants this to be a beginning, he wants to confess his feelings and trade silk sheets for soft-worn cotton, four posts for a pair of strong arms and gentle archer’s hands. He wants to conjure roses and day lilies and give them to Alexander as tokens of his affection, because Magnus has always been a hopeless romantic at his core and because Alexander is so beautiful when he’s flustered.

But although he’s a fool, Magnus is not an idiot, and calm resignation is stronger than his unattainable hopes. If his eight centuries have taught him anything, it’s that no matter how much of the world his powers can grant him, there will always be some things that he just can’t have.

***

Alec has decided on his final wish, and rationally, he knows it’s a good one. If Magnus can help sway his landlord’s opinion into something a little more pet-friendly, Alec can finally get the puppy he’s been dreaming of adopting ever since he was a kid. It’s something for him, like Magnus suggested, and it’s something he’d never be able to get without Magnus’ help, so it’s not like he’s wasting this once- (or, more accurately, thrice-) in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s a good wish. It’s also the complete opposite of what he wants, because making it means that Magnus will leave again.

He opens the door, false smile plastered on as he turns to the living room, where he usually finds Magnus at this time of the day. It’s empty.

The smile falls, and Alec curses the lump in his throat because this is ridiculous. He’s lived alone for a good few years now, and Magnus has only been here a matter of weeks. Coming home to an empty apartment is the norm, for God’s sake, and it’s one he’d better get used to again because he’s here to make his wish, and Magnus is going to leave.

Unless you ask him to stay, whispers a traitorous voice in his head, and he shuts his eyes because he can’t, he can’t make a request so selfish – Except… he can. Wasn’t this exactly what Magnus suggested for his final wish? To make it something Alec truly wanted for himself, as much as he wanted happiness for Izzy and his mom in the previous two wishes? Alec’s heart starts thundering in his chest, because suddenly, he knows – not only can he do this, he has to. He knows he can’t bear to let this – this something, whatever it is, just pass him by. If he doesn’t at least ask, he’ll never forgive himself.

He goes to his bedroom, making a plan in his head as he tries to find something nice to wear, something that says I made an effort for you because you mean something to me. Go big or go home, right? Granted, that’s usually Jace’s motto, not Alec’s – but considering that Jace is happily married and Alec’s currently pining after someone he may never see again, maybe he could use a little of that spirit tonight.

He ventures back out into the living room, running over what he’s going to say in his head. He can’t just ask outright, can’t just make this his third wish and be done with it – he has to know that Magnus wants to stay as much as Alec wants him to. So instead, he’s going to give him a choice, and pray that Magnus feels the same way. He clears his throat, faces the lamp, and speaks before he has a chance to chicken out. ‘Magnus, do you have a minute? I’m ready to make my last wish.’

***

Alexander's voice echoes in the high ceilings of his otherwise cozy study, and Magnus looks up from the list he was compiling. He needs options for where to go next, once he leaves New York; so far, he’s settled on Rome, Tokyo, and Lapland. All bright distraction, tourist traps and beautiful culture and ways to lose time. All thoroughly unappealing, now that they're suddenly imminent. He stands with a sigh, mustering a smile as he closes his eyes and allows himself to drift out of the lamp's spout.

When he rematerializes, he blinks in surprise. Alexander usually favours sweaters, polo shirts and jeans, both for relaxing at home and for working in his fairly casual office. This sharp, smart combination of a crisp button-down shirt and a blazer is new, and he looks - Magnus cuts himself off before he can follow that train of thought into dangerous territory. 'Some sort of special occasion today?' he asks, gesturing at the outfit. 'Did the Mayor stop by the office, perhaps?' Alexander's cheeks turn just the tiniest bit pink, and Magnus is really going to miss talking to someone who's so easily affected by simple conversation. 'Not quite,' he says. 'I just... had a meeting I wanted to make an effort for.'

'Ah, of course.' Magnus' good humour dissipates a little, though he tries to hide it, because there's nothing left to do but ask. 'So - your final wish. You've decided?' Alexander nods. He looks a little nervous, and Magnus braces himself for what may be a more difficult request than the previous two wishes.

What he isn't expecting is for Alexander to set his shoulders in determination, and say, 'For my third wish, you have a choice.'

Magnus stares at him for a moment. ‘I have a choice?' A small chuckle escapes him, and he hopes it doesn't sound too bittersweet. 'You continue to surprise me, Alexander. All right, then.' He puts on a mock-serious expression, letting pomp and circumstance infuse his tone. 'Tell me – what devious conundrum lies ahead of me, good sir?' Alexander gives a brief (and, if Magnus is honest with himself, not wholly deserved) smile at the moment of levity. 'Okay. For my last wish, I’d like one of the following, and it's completely up to you which one you grant. Option one is a jasmine plant that will never wither.' He hesitates a moment, before continuing resolutely. 'Or, option two… let me buy you dinner. Tonight.'

It's a few seconds before Magnus realises that his mouth is hanging open, and a good few more before he remembers how to use it. 'You mean...' Oh. He's an even bigger fool than he thought. Because suddenly, it all makes sense – the blushing, and the nice jacket, and the tension yesterday when they were standing so damn close -

Alexander's nervousness is starting to give way to a gentle panic, and Magnus realises that he hasn't actually given an answer yet. He raises a hand to forestall any babbling, because Alexander looks like he's on the verge of one of his (usually unnecessary, but also unfairly adorable) I'm sorry, it's stupid, forget it tirades. One particular thought from last night sparks in Magnus’ mind again, and he smiles slyly as his eyes catch on Alexander's top buttonhole. He gently twirls his wrist, and a short, delicate stem sprouts into existence, budding at the top and unfurling slightly into a small red rose. He steps forward, tucking it into the buttonhole, and his smile widens as he meets Alexander's gaze. 'Option two. Definitely option two.'

Alexander's eyes flick down to the rose briefly – or perhaps to where Magnus' hand is lightly but unabashedly lingering on his lapel – and he barks out a short, surprised laugh. 'Seriously?' he says, in response to Magnus' questioning look. 'I ask you for a date or a plant, and you say yes to the date by conjuring a plant?' He laughs again, shaking his head in apparent disbelief. 'I thought you were going to say no!' Magnus winces a little in amused embarrassment, but you don't live as long as he has without learning how to recover quickly from social slips. 'I'm sorry,' he says smoothly, one finger trailing over the silky rose petals. 'I'm not normally so distracted. It usually only happens right after I've been asked out by someone singularly attractive.' His eyes dart back up to meet Alexander's, and when he sees the flustered mirth reflected there, every reason he previously thought of to leave New York seems to evaporate into nothingness.

Alexander proffers his arm. 'Well,' he says, his voice low and soft. 'Shall we get going, then?' Magnus loops his own arm through Alexander’s, and flashes his most dazzling grin in sheer joy. 'Your wish is my command.'

***

Six months later, Alec finds himself at the Oddities display once more, while Pat’s bustling around with the clothing. ‘Hey, Underhill,’ he calls, ‘do we want the imitation Fabergés out yet, or do we wait another week?’ ‘I’d say go for it. The chocolate bunnies have been out in the grocery stores for nearly a month already.’

It’s fairly slow, especially for a Saturday afternoon just before closing time, and the three of them are taking the opportunity to reshuffle the stock. Alec’s been volunteering at the thrift shop since New Year’s – it’s a total change of pace from his nine-to-five, and it’s fast becoming a highlight of each week.

At the brief, informal interview – conducted by the cashier who sold him the lamp, who introduced himself as Andrew, but everyone just calls me Underhill – he’d been asked why he wanted to volunteer, and he’d smiled. ‘You remember that old lamp I bought? Well, it wasn’t exactly like Aladdin, but it definitely brought me some good fortune. I wanted to pay it back a little, like you said.’

And speaking of that good fortune – the bell on the door chimes merrily as Magnus waltzes into the shop, his disguised eyes meeting Alec’s with a surreptitious flash of gold. Alec smiles, walking over to plant a brief kiss on Magnus’ cheek. ‘Hey.’ ‘Hey. I know I’m a little early, but I thought I’d see how you were doing.’ He glances around the shop, raising an eyebrow. ‘Though if I’d known you were so swamped, I might have decided against it.’ Alec rolls his eyes fondly. ‘We’re nearly done for the day, then I’m all yours.’ Magnus smirks, and opens his mouth – likely to comment on the I’m all yours part of that sentence – but Underhill interrupts. ‘You guys can get out of here, if you want. Pat and I can finish up on our own.’ ‘Are you sure?’ Underhill gestures to the empty aisles. ‘He has a point. It’s totally dead, and I doubt we’ll be overrun in the last ten minutes of business.’ He nods towards the door, smiling. ‘Go enjoy your anniversary. See you next week.’

Alec barely has time to thank him before he’s being practically pulled out of the door, laughing. ‘Someone’s eager,’ he says, and Magnus turns to shoot him a grin. His silver tortoise pin – a Christmas present from Alec – glints against his burgundy cravat, the bright blue gemstones catching the late golden sunlight. ‘Where are we going?’ Alec asks, pulling his hand from Magnus’ to wrap his arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders instead.

Magnus meets his gaze, a hint of mischief in his expression. ‘Well, in honour of our first date, I thought I’d give you a choice.’ Alec chuckles. ‘Oh? And what would that choice be?’ ‘Well, option one is Tokyo. I thought we could revisit that sushi place…’

Alec listens contentedly as Magnus rambles on, extolling the many virtues (and some of the vices) that Tokyo and Rome each have to offer. There’s an early spring chill in the air, but Magnus is warm against his side as they walk in comfortable rhythm, and the low flurry of his excitement feels like sunlight on Alec’s skin.

He listens, but a part of his mind drifts back to six months ago – and he thanks his lucky stars that he took this chance, that he didn’t just let this go. Because now he gets to be in love with this amazing, kind, golden-eyed magician, and by some miracle, Magnus loves him back.

It’s even better than he could have wished for.

~oOo~

#malec #malec fanfic #malec au #shadowhunters #shadowhunters fanfic #shtv #shs #genie!magnus #mine #ALSO this is now my longest shs fic to date #beating out 'Back to Each Other' by like 2k #this chapter took quite a bit more effort than the previous ones but i'm happy with the result #please let me know what you think!!

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morgemuffel · 5 years

Text

MALEC. ➰ INSECURITIES ARE HUMAN.

This story takes place between 3Bx14 & 3Bx15

I know Underhill has not been given a first name yet so I'll just name him Jack in my story. If the name gets revealed in season 3B, I will revise the text and replace the name. :) *(Part 1 of my series: our heart beats like one)

So enjoy reading & please remember English is not my mother tongue... :)

Sometimes I can't understand his reasoning, I can't understand him. Why can't I just understand his actions and be happy for him? He has regained his magic, well more likely he got a top-of-the-line dose of Lorenzo's and even that to a pretty lousy price. To the price tag of the loft. His home. My home. Nevertheless, I should be happy for him, but I just can't. Am I a bad boyfriend now?

Alec is lying on his bed at the New York Institute and has been staring at his white bare ceiling enormously fascinated for a quite bit of time now. He never realized how uncomfortable his room was set up. The large room radiated more of a particularly than a cozy atmosphere. Everything looked rather cool. The antique furnitures were indiscriminately combined, the whole previous facility more functional than friendly and inviting. Not like if someone would really live here and feeling safe and secure while being there. Neither Alec's character was reflected nor did it somehow felt like his home. Home, that was the key word, Magnus' Loft was home, Magnus was his home. A part of Alec, just a tiny little egotistical part of Alec, had been looking forward to the loss of Magnus magic. He had felt an unintentional relief at the thought that he and Magnus now had a chance to get old together and the immortality issue would be out of the blue once and for all. But as soon as the thought had come so quickly it had evaporated again. He knew how much Magnus was suffering from the loss of his magic and it hurt him to see him like that. His magic connected him with everything around him and without it he felt like a stranger. In the body of a more than 400-year-old warlock without the electrifying feeling of his magic flowing through him like blood through his veins. So how could Alec begrudge him that feeling? Furthermore, it was not certain that the return of his magic had automatically resolved the mortality. But he was too afraid to ask him this question. This one question that burned like fire on his tongue. The fear that this little shameful part of him would gain the upper hand in a confrontation. He didn't want Magnus to know about that ugly part of him. And so he was back to the beginning of his thoughts, was he a bad boyfriend because of that?

All at once his cell phone rings and an unknown number showed up on the display. Astonished, Alec answered the phone "Alexander Lightwood, head of the New York Institute, who am I talking to?" There was a moment of silence at the other end. Until the person cleared his throat. "Underhill here, well ahm... Jack." Alec felt a little stupid right now. Why did he have to answer so over-formally? Jack continued "I got your number from Isabel, After assuring her that I really only wanted to go out for a drink after work without any ulterior motives, she gave me your number." Ahm... yeah so, how about a beer? The first round is on me." "Alec tried to quickly sort the information inside his head: 1. OK then his cheeky sister Izzy just pulled out his private number 2. what makes her think that Underhill would actually go for someone like Alec? Alec blushed at the thought. Of course two gay men could also only be friends with each other and 3. Would Magnus see it that way too? What was he thinking, sure Magnus was not a jealous man. "Yeah, why not, Hunter's Moon at 8:00pm?" Jack laughed relieved. It almost seems like he wants to talk to Alec about something important. "Sounds great see you then." They said goodbye and Alec slips his phone a bit confused back into his pocket. He never really had friends apart from his brother Jace and his sister Izzy. Well there were still Clary and Simon. But Simon talked too much about irrelevant mundane stuff and Dustin Hoffman movies. Clary and him were just recently getting along maybe that would change in the future but right now it was more like a collegiate base. It would be nice to have someone who was just his friend, someone who knew what it was like to come out at the institute, someone he could talk to about shadowhunter-stuff and relationship issues and who'd actually understand him. Of course, Jace was his Parabatei and felt everything what Alec felt through their connection and tried to help him as best possible. But Jace, well... Jace, was still Jace at the end of the day and his advice, though well intentioned often not really helpful. With Magnus he could talk about all these things and he appreciated that. He had never opened so much to anyone but what bothered him now, had to do with Magnus and therefore he also dropped out as an option. So Alec was looking forward to hangout with Underhill, with Jack.

Magnus just left Hunter's Moon after his cheering-up-martini. He was feeling a little melancholic at the thought of his lost loft. But he was still convinced that it was worth it. At the end of the day it's just a thing and so he had the opportunity to look for a new home. That was always a lot of fun. He loves to have a look at new apartments and then set it up and decorate it again. He had the money and who knows, maybe he could even persuaded Alec to to paint the walls with him and pick out new furniture from catalogs? Maybe there was even a similar apartment in Brooklyn just waiting for him. And perhaps it was a sign? That the time to take the next step and move in with Alec has come. He had told Alec a few weeks earlier that it wasn't the time yet, that it's to soon. They were together for about two months now but it felt like an eternity. He wanted to say yes that day when Alec stood there in Magnus' blue shirt when he looked at him expectantly, but he couldn't. He was too afraid and had never ventured this step with anyone before. With Alec he always discovered new needs, needs he never know that they were even there. What Magnus really wanted, no needed was waking up every morning beside his wonderful boyfriend, to lose himself in those beautiful hazel colored eyes, having breakfast with him, eating french toast on a balcony each and every morning, spend the day with him and wait for his return in the evening. For his return to their home. Home, Magnus smiled, yes he was ready for this new adventure.

Arriving at Hunter's Moon, Alec looked for the blond shadowhunter. He just missed Magnus who went out of the back door. Jack Underhill sat at the counter with a beer in his hand and waved to Alec. Alec sat down and ordered a beer as well. Magnus tried to familiarize him with the different drinks and wines but Alec was usually more confused at the end, that's why it was always up to Magnus to decide. He thought taking the same thing like Underhill would be the easiest. "Cool that you've made it, Underhill started, I honestly asked you out for a reason ..." Alec frowned, and took a sip of his beer. Jack hesitated before he finally started. "I haven't been dating anybody for a long time now and..." Alec's thoughts were a wild mess now. "Oh by the angel, no I don't know how to deal with such a situation please don't say what I think you're about to say ..." Underhill took a deep breath and asked: Would you be my wingman tonight? Alec blushed, he wasn't expecting that. He has never been asked to be someone's wingman. Jace didn't need anyone because he was the master of flirting and now he's happy in a relationship with Clary anyway. What do you even do as a good wingman? Alec wasn't sure. Nevertheless, he agreed" "Okey, then and what did you have in mind?" he asked hesitantly. Underhill told him he just had to help him talk to a potential partner. "I don't know if I'm the right person for this job..."Alec said. Jack shook his head tentative. "Of course! if not you who else?" You got yourself the High Warlock of Brooklyn the Magnus Bane!" Alec grinned at the thought of Magnus. Although he wasn't the high warlock of Brooklyn anymore he sometimes couldn't believe it himself. Magnus wasn't only incredibly hot and sexy but also extremely funny intelligent and... oh, he shouldn't digress it wasn't about him now. But how should he help Underhill? Communication with other people apart from Magnus wasn't really his strength. Except he was drunk then he was according to Izzy *a babbling waterfall* "Well, let's try it, but I'll need two more beers first," Alec laughed.

Meanwhile Magnus opened a portal in the narrow alley behind the bar to get into the institute. Suddenly blood ran from his right nostril down to his lips. Surprised, he wiped his nose and tried to suppress the thought that wanted to spread in his head. Just don't think about it, then it is not true. He wipes his hand on the inside of his jacket and walked through the portal. Once there, he sets out to find Alec, he should be finished working by now. But he doesn't find him anywhere. As he passes the Armory, he sees Izzy and he decides to ask her about Alec."Isabelle, have you seen Alec? I wanted to surprise him with a dinner in Paris and talk about my... our... new living situation." Izzy looks at him sheepishly as she replies "Yes he is with Jack, I mean Underhill they went out for a drink." "Oh... Jack," Magnus says visibly surprised by this message. "Well then we'll have to delay this special occasion..."Izzy perky as always "don't worry about my brother, he only has eyes for you and I think tall, blonde and handsome is more like Clary's type." "Yes ... no no, I'm not jealous Isabel, do you know when he'll be back?" Izzy thought about it "naah, no idea tomorrow is his day off from that... I don't know. Magnus was undecided what to do next. He had hoped to spend the night with Alec in his apartment in Paris. Now he wasn't even sure if it's a good idea to open a portal again. Should he just wait in Alec's room? Yes, that was a good idea. "I'll just wait for him in his room," Magnus said. Izzy nodded and continued polishing her seraph blade. Magnus headed to the bedchambers of the institute until he reached Alec's room. He rubbed his hands happily when he got the idea to redesign the room. And so he was busy with his new project for the next few hours.

An hour later, the two men sat laughing, lolling and loot spying at the counter. So far, Alec had not found any of Underhills suggested men passable. Underhill: "How about the one over there at the pool table, the one in the white shirt?" "I mean he looks good... and I like the way he's stroking through his hair when he laughs... somehow cute." Alec: "Uh... really?" I'm not sure, he's a bit pale" he said with a shrug. Jack: "Well, not everybody can have a flawless tanned caramel-like body with perfectly defined muscles and silky smooth hair. Alec looked at him puzzled "you remember that you're talking about my boyfriend right? Underhill then a bit uncomfortable "Yeah sorry, but I mean Magnus is really good-looking even I can see that. Alec laughs and turns back to Mr. White-Shirt. He inspects him from top to bottom, but finds it difficult to find something about him that he would actually classify as attractive. Automatically, Magnus' Ideal Body appeared in his mind's eye and Alec started comparing the two men. He couldn't say if he would find the man attractive if Magnus wasn't his boyfriend. Hm... Okay the guy could play pool that was positive but otherwise? Alec: Well he's definitely not a Magnus, at the most a 6 out of 10 and he's good at playing pool, you like doing that too sooo...? Jack: "Haha, but I'm not looking for a second Magnus either..." he started but Alec interrupted him, "you wouldn't even find a second one he said in a played sulkily tone. Underhill "Maybe I should have thought this through." The two men burst out laughing again and so it goes back and forth for a while. As Alec's phone rings in his pocket. "Oh, speaking of which..., "heeeey baaabe... "he mumbles into the phone, smiling.

Magnus on the other side of the phone exhales slowly before answering in his casual tone. "Hello darling... I've heard you're out, uhm... with a friend and I wanted to ask you when you're about to be back..? I'm here at the institute, decorating your room a bit..." Magnus cursed inside that wasn't very subtle, he had told Isabel that he wasn't jealous and he meant it. Especially after so many centuries and several relationships, he had learned that, jealousy is just a feeling that comes from your own insecurity. And he knew that he could fully trust Alec but even Magnus was uncertain sometimes. Unsure he might be easy to replace? "Pssst... that's my boyfriend Magnus on the other end, could you all be quiet, thanks!" Alec rolled his eyes at the guests at Hunter's Moon and shaking his head as if it were the most logical thing that the entire bar has to be quiet when his boyfriend calls. Yes drunk Alec was here. Underhill could barely suppress his laugh as he tried to ignore the evil glares of the others. "Send your better half kind regards." Magnus heard Underhill whispering in the background. Alec returned to his conversation with Magnus. "Ahm... greetings, no a kind regards from Jack and I'll be on my way in about 15 minutes," Alec whispered lovingly into his phone. Magnus' heart on the other end began to throb wildly, oh he loved this Nephilim so much that it almost hurt and Underhill is a nice guy so get yourself together Bane. "See you then darling," Magnus replied and hung up.

After Alec has finished the call, the sentence which Underhill had told him a few weeks ago went through his head - Nephilim love once, fiercely - Yes, he couldn't look at other men without thinking about Magnus and his inner conflict made itself noticeable again. Now was the right time to ask Jack for advice. So he took all his courage together and just blurted out with it. "Hey... Can I ask you something serious about ahm... relationships...?" Alec asked. Underhill took a deep breath and stretched slowly. "Alright buddy go ahead." Alec started to tell him about his worries. He told him that he was hurt when he found out that Magnus had regained his magic today. Because he has the feeling that Magnus prefers to have his magic, be immortal and to outlive him. To forget him and one day simply replace him, instead of being mortal and spend like fifty years in the mundane way with Alec. He confessed to him that he thought the biggest hurdle in their relationship would be out of the world. Even though he wants Magnus to be happy at all costs, he doesn't know how to handle this feeling. "He could have died trying and did'n't even ask for my opinion you understand? And I dare not to ask him if he has now regained his magic and immortality, or only his magic and if I am unnecessarily maddening." Jack nodded slowly as he said "It's always best to start with yourself first." Let's talk about the immortality part..."

Alec was obviously feeling better after Underhill's speech and decided to get back reasonably sober with a lot of coffee and then confront Lorenzo at the handover in Magnus' loft. Nobody had the right to humiliate his Magnus like that and he would do anything, to make sure his boyfriend was happy again. The two men said goodbye and reassured each other to repeat this soon again. Alec walked towards Magnus' loft, the cool New York breeze blew in his face and he felt more sober after each block and more like himself again. He took the time to think about Jack's words. Alec had realized he was right about everything. He loves Magnus and he knew from the beginning that Magnus was immortal. He knew that one day he'd be old and that Magnus would probably just bee as young and alive as now. The new situation, whether temporary or not, doesn't change the fact that Magnus is a warlock. He was born as a warlock and his magic is a part of him as well as the immortality. Done.

The loft was unrecognizable. Alec went to the balcony and admired the view as he did so often before, as the door opened and Lorenzo entered. He had so much to say to him, wanted to yell at him, beat him but he tried to stay calm. Instead, he just asked quietly, "You really are despicable, aren't you? Lorenzo remained calm and replied only insolently, "Mr. Lightwood what a pleasant surprise. I didn't know you came with this apartment." And confessed that he just wanted to humiliate Magnus and put him in his place after all, he is now the high warlock of Brooklyn. Not Magnus. Mockingly, he added a condescending remark, "And the fact that he sent his little boyfriend to plead his case tells me I more than succeeded."Alec was seething with anger. Lorenzo forgot who he was talking to. Alec would teach him some manners. Lorenzo could play games with everyone else but not with Alec. No. "I'm the head of the New York Institute. Don't speak to me like that." For a moment he saw the fear in Lorenzo's eyes. Lorenzo said soothingly: "You're right." Perhaps this is getting unnecessarily heated." So Alec tried to negotiate with him offered to find him a better deal. But the warlock refused. He was only interested in referring Magnus to his place and playing out his new position of power. Alec had heard enough. You don't climb higher than you should otherwise you'll fall deeper than you'd like. And Lorenzo was getting too cocky. Alec lowered his voice as he spoke again "Enjoy this position while it lasts." The Clave doesn't take kindly to conniving, unethical Downworld... Leaders." He took a step towards Lorenzo and glared at him as he said: "You will slip up." And when you do, I'll be waiting there to take you down." With these last words he left the loft and thus a thoughtful and confused Lorenzo Rey.

Back at the institute Alec opened the door to his room when he realized, that he was probably still a little drunk, since he had obviously mistaken the room. He was just about to turn in between the door step when the shape on the bed moved and two cat eyes lit up in the dark and gazed at him. "Alec is it you?" Perplexed, Alec tried to spot the flaw in the room in the dim light. The furniture were the same but the walls had been painted in a cool shade of gray, black picture frames were mounted on the walls, with memories of travels he had made with Magnus. It looked like in an art gallery. A big plant was standing next to his desk and he slowly recognized the Scandinavian style that wafted through the room. "Maaa...gnuus, what have you done to my room...?" Alec laughed. He heard a giggle followed by a yawn."I was bored when I was waiting for you and well Nordic Interior Design is currently very trendy, you like it?" In that moment Alec knew he would never ask him. He didn't need to know the answer. The only truth he knew was that he loved this man with skin and hair. And that was all that matters. "I love it" Alec said. "And I love you, so will you finally join me my angel?" Magnus whispered. Alec liked it when Magnus addressed him with pet names, though not all of them were great, but most of them were actually really cute. He wasn't as original at them like his boyfriend and when he tried well... something strange came out of it. He has become friends with *Babe* it was not very originally but since he was the only one allowed to call Magnus like that it was enough. He undressed and slipped in something comfortable to sleep before he went to bed an snuggled up with Magnus. For a while they lay there quietly entwined until Alec asked into the darkness: "Magnus were you jealous of Underhill...? cause I wasn't sure but... " Magnus hesitated for a moment before he answered, maybe in an octave too high "Uhm nope, I have no reason to be." Alec laughed as he noticed the little lie and pressed Magnus even closer to him. He whispered in his ear: "We both know that there is no reason for jealousy but sometimes even I'm a bit jealous, I think that's normal." Magnus turned to look at Alec in surprise. His Alec jealous of whom? He could not imagine with the best of intentions who Alec even rudimentarily regarded as competition. "Please, who could you possibly be jealous of?" Magnus asked. Alec grinned into the darkness. "Good night babe."

#magnus bane #alec lightwood #magnus x alec #shadowhunters #the mortal instruments #underhill #isabel lightwood #jace herondale #malec #huntersmoon #the law is the law #from rules to suggestions #season3b14x #are you jealous?#nephilimdaily #shtv #sh spoilers

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jordancat · 5 years

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Malec (aka Matthew Daddario and Harry Shum Jr.) Say Goodbye to 'Shadowhunters'...for Now

On that epic finale, fandom, and weddings...onscreen and off.

by EMILY TANNENBAUM MAY 7, 2019

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/amp27375054/shadowhunters-malec-wedding-finale-matthew-daddario-harry-shum-jr/

Please give the link a hit to show your interest in the show ans these two actors.

But I always like to put the actual text of an interview or article in my posts in case the link moves or the article in taken down, so here it is.

********************************************************************************

As I corral Harry Shum Jr. and Matthew Daddario around the Cosmo offices, Matt bounces on his heels, pointing to random objects—like a fancy golden coffee table and fuzzy pillows—asking me if he can bring them home with him (the answer is always "no"). Harry is much more calm, back straight and confident, happy to just laugh at his co-star.

It's jarring how their roles are almost the reverse of their characters: For the last three years on Freeform's hit series Shadowhunters (based on The Mortal Instruments, by Cassandra Clare). Matt played Alec Lightwood, the stoic half-angel leader with a heart of gold, while Harry embodied the eccentric Warlock Magnus Bane, always moving, portaling somewhere or changing his look...not to mention throwing shit around his beautiful New York apartment.

As they say, opposites attract, and Matt and Harry captured the hearts of the entire Shadowhunters fandom as a certified power couple. Malec has certainly had their share of rom-com moments (they share their first kiss when the warlock crashed Alec's first wedding) and dramatic breakups (don't remind me about 2X18). But last night, Shadowhunters gave Malec the happy ending they deserve, complete with gorgeous wedding and happily ever after as the Inquisitor of the Clave and High Warlock of Alicante.

A wedding finale is hardly unheard of in the TV world, bordering on cliché, but for Shadowhunters there was truly no other option. The union of a strong gay man and proud bisexual has been the cornerstone of this fandom throughout its run, inspiring countless LGBTQ+ fans and landing a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Drama (not to mention sweeping the 2018 People's Choice Awards the same year as its premature cancellation). How else do you celebrate their legacy, if not by throwing a giant party and giving our boys one more showstopping kiss?

Of course, as surreal as it is to discuss the end of Shadowhunterswith the ship to end all ships, it's even tougher for them to say goodbye. Here, Matt and Harry talk about the Malec wedding, balancing fandom with real life, and why Alec had to stay mortal.

THE MALEC WEDDING

Tell me about the wedding. You’ve built this relationship for three years now, and you’ve seen how massively people have reacted—what did it feel like to give them that milestone?

Harry Shum Jr.: It had to happen. It was a great moment to bring everyone in and say, "Look at this joyous moment."

It was nice to have everybody back on-set. It really felt both, for the show itself and for us as a whole, that this was a great ending. Because it was the last thing we filmed. I'm happy that we got these two episodes so that we could do it because it would have been really unfortunate if the fans hadn't gotten that wedding. And then fans can play in their heads now, Magnus and Alec are married and doing whatever.

Matthew Daddario: You know, it's like the end of a chapter.

Harry: We're safe now.

So correct me if I'm wrong, but Alec is just a Shadowhunter still? He's not immortal.

Matt: Just a Shadowhunter? [Laughs] Yes, I am.

Some fans were really rooting for Immortal Husbands...like, intensely. How do you feel about this?

Matt: This is the thing I always have trouble understanding is that people want the immortality. And this is a topic that's been written about and discussed for thousands of years, and everyone comes to the same conclusion: the curse of immortality. It is not always the best thing in the world to live forever. In fact, that's close to this kind of a godliness that is considered almost like a living hell.

For Magnus, he's living and living in this endless loop without the repercussion of the totality of life. And if Magnus was instead mortal, would we not celebrate their wonderful life? But it's because he's immortal, we worry about what happens after the fact.

Harry: But here’s the difference: It’s not the immortality that you get shot and you can’t die.

Matt: Right. You can get killed. They're immortal, and then they get the shot off the top of the castle walls, and you're like, "Whoa, that's screwed up." But at the same time, every mortal has to deal with that. [Turns to Harry] So it's not your mortality that you're upset about when you first lost your powers. You're not upset about the mortality, you're upset about the loss of your identity.

Some fans just want Malec on an even playing field. But I find it really sad that Alec would have to live and lose like Jace and Izzy—

Matt: Right. Magnus lost people constantly, and he was kind of a shell of a person at one time. Up until meeting Alec, he's filling his life with debauchery, anything to heighten the senses. And, you know, trying to find places where he can take care of people. And he does get involved with helping vampires because they're immortal as well. There is a kind of emptiness to him in the first season.

Harry: No, for sure. And I think then there is the big switch.

Did you get emotional reading the final episode?

Harry: Everyone did at the table read. One of our producers reading off the narration, he couldn't even get through and actually walked out and someone had to take over. And then there was this silence in the end when the last words were spoken. I think that silence spoke volumes.

ON FANDOM

Has the end of Shadowhunters hit home for you yet?

Matt: I think it will hit me when I don't think about it for a week. If one week passes without me thinking about Shadowhunters, I will say, "Shit."

We think about it every day. This is a huge part of our lives. This is three years of this. And this show, it's a hit. People are talking about it, people from around the world. It's hard to deny that.

Will you still engage with Shadowhunters stans, or are you emotionally ready to move on to another world?

Matt: Look, we're done filming Shadowhunters, but the fans of the show are always welcome to ask questions and all that kind of stuff. But eventually, we're going to run out of new answers.

I'm always happy to talk to a Shadowhunters fan because they are enthusiastic, they care about what they're talking about, and many of them have built friendships off of it, so it matters to them, and therefore it matters to me.

Harry: Because you gave a part of your life.

Matt: Your job is to have an effect on people, and therefore you have a certain responsibility to engage with the people who are affected by this. You can choose not to, you could choose to go completely incognito or to ignore it, but to dismiss it is, frankly, insulting and kind of silly and maybe slightly narcissistic.

But I think that you do need to have an understanding that you're not any different or special because of this involvement with culture. And why would you want to be miserable about it? Why wouldn't you embrace it?

Matt, you kept your own wedding a secret until your one-year anniversary. Was it harder to keep the details of the finale secret or your wedding?

Matt: [Laughs] It was definitely easier to keep the wedding secret. I just told everyone no one's allowed to take photos. And people did a pretty good job with that.

Harry: Yeah, sometimes I think it's a nice...regardless of what your profession is, but particularly ours, to have something just for yourself.

Matt: Not to say that people don't deserve to know, but I think that anybody would feel like, hey, I would like this moment just to be mine for a little bit.

People can be a little bit demanding. One time this girl is walking down the street, I'm walking down the street, she's on the phone, it's the middle of the day, she's FaceTiming somebody.

She sees me, she stops me by the touching me on the shoulder and says, "Oh, whoa, wait, look! Look who's here!" and hold the phone up like this and goes, "Crazy!" and then keeps walking. And I'm like, fuck you. Like, what the fuck?! [Laughing] You don't do that to someone.

It just felt so invasive. It just feels a little bit like, you're not a human. You're the thing I see on TV. But I guess it's just excitement, whatever.

IS IT REALLY GOODBYE?

You obviously know about the #SaveShadowhunters campaign. What would you say if suddenly, some other network wanted to pick up the show?

Harry: I think it's a conversation. You know, we love playing these characters. But as time passes, things change. Like introducing a baby into your life, or whatever the next phase is.

But it's also a wonderful group of people. So, of course, instead of saying, "Absolutely not," it's definitely open for conversation for me.

Matt: Honestly, the ending is successful. And, you know, there's a danger now. What if you screw it up? [Laughs]

#SaveShadowhunters #shadowhunters #matthew daddario #harry shum jr #malec #shumdario

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couragehopelovefaith · 5 years

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The last part of my review of the Shadowhunters-finale

I’m not gonna lie, I am tearing up while writing this. I deeply regret that I only started writing these reviews from 3x11 ahead, but it has become such an important part of my life... and the possibility that it is over now… *silent gulp* Thank you for everyone who has read, liked and shared these. It means a lot to me. Okay, but without the further blabbering...Malec.

I saw their sneak peeks beforehand and was super-thrilled - and wow...they did not let me down. The way Alec never stopped searching the way to get Malec back and protect him from Lilith. People always debated about whether Alec should become immortal or not - and I am glad that there were several nods to the both directions, and that it was up to our imagination. Alec’s suggestion about becoming a vampire might have seemed a little rushed and desperate, but it was a really good nod to imply that he might leave his mortal life behind. Sure, he would have had to leave everything familiar somewhat behind and he had really stayed in Edom with Magnus if the situation required it, but his family would have loved and supported him no matter what. There were also many implies about staying forever by each others’ side on their wedding vows. But it is not completely certain, so if you prefer Alec as a shadowhunter, it is possible as well. It’s the same thing with children. From the flashbacks of 3x19, you can clearly see them planning to start a family. There’s a possibility. So you can decide your resolution. I really hope they would’ve adopted Madzie, though. On the other hand, Catarina is a great mother to her as well.

The fact that their way to calm themselves while being apart was to play with their wedding rings... </3 The way Alec’s magic got out of control when he thought he had betrayed the love of his life and his sister... I can’t. (Besides the point, but are these new abilities and allies permanent even if Clary is gone? I would love to think that Lorenzo and Magnus keep teaching him to control his powers every now and then when needed). When Magnus is at his palace and Alec calls him, you can see that he thinks at first that it is only his imagination and the echo of his dreams. But when he hears his voice second time, he is really shocked and relieved, since he really believed that they couldn’t see each other again. Their hug and talk is so genuine and full of passion... even though Magnus must have always known that Alec loves him, all these dangers have shown him how deep his love is. It’s visible in his eyes. How they ended things with Edom was actually very satisfying and not as rushed as I feared it would be.

I love that even though these two are often on their own, Magnus really cares about Clary, Izzy and everyone surrounding Alec and has never stopped his protectiveness. We finally, finally got the hug between Magnus and Biscuit, and I was so happy I actually screamed. It’s clear that he suspects something when Clary asks for him to make a portal, he really knows his “goddaughter”...there’s no words to express how much I love their relationship.

Even though Magnus is known for his dramatic behavior, when the day is done, the simplicity is the keyword for this point of Malec’s relationship. I am not saying they are not passionate, not at all. It’s just so beautiful how they started out as so different personalities, learned to get to know be honest to each other, support each other, and conquered everything together, still keeping their own traits. A lonely, shielded Shadowhunter, whose responsibilities and the wishes of the family binded him. A very powerful warlock who had lived for centuries fighting against his own darkness, but who had been scarred so many times that he hid behind the facade, scared and disbelieving to the chance to find love again. They “unlocked something in each other”. They connect on the special, spiritual level. In this episode, they didn’t even have sex, but you could still witness their love. In the way that Magnus watched Alec sleep and played with his hair there was something so intimate, so loving and wondering, like he couldn’t believe that he got the priviledge to meet and be with this extraordinary man. Despite their different opinions, the way they are planning their wedding shows that they are fully committed to this relationship. In his first wedding, Alec was not clearly as excited about planning them, which really says something. I would have kind of wanted Lydia to be there though, she was badass and so understanding about the whole situation and because of their past.

As much as I would have loved to see Malec getting married somewhere far, I am so proud of Alec for suggesting the Institute as their wedding location. It is a) a middle finger for the all of the doubters b) a huge step for making the Institute more less prejudiced place and c) shows that Alec is not ashamed of himself anymore and wants others like him feel free to express themselves.

Their wedding was… so amazing I can barely begin to tell you - no wonder, because Magnus planned it. The decorations, music - with Ruelle everything just comes in full circle. Magnus walking there with Maryse by his side really made the flashbacks of 1x12 flowing before my eyes: then she was completely the prisoner of her prejudices, calling him “that warlock” and telling him off...and now look at where we are. Her walking his “son” down the isle, kissing him on cheek and smiling through her happy tears in the front-row is everything I ever hoped for. Like I’ve mentioned many times before - there’s some true character developement.

Their vows… wow. So poetic, but yet simple and true for their situation - and like I said, full of the hints about their future. I cried many times during this episode, but at this point I was drowning in my tears. The way they declare each other’s names like they were each other’s everything, the pure happiness and love in their eyes… <3 They are my true OTP. Some people thought that that kiss was too short, but I think it was more like a hint to “you know how we get”. Alec seemed to wake up in the reality and realize that they were still in somewhat formal and festive situation and had to held back a little. ;) And despite his worries, he really learned how to dance. Even though I would have loved to see more of that, the shot were they were dancing in the background was beautifully made.

It’s really pity that we couldn’t see the friendly discussion between Robert and Maryse and Magnus thanking Jace for protecting Alec, like the writers said we would have, if we had got the 42 minute wedding they planned to give us. Like I told you guys before… even though I don’t know how afterlife works in the shadow-world, it would have been great to see Ragnor there in some form, watching his friend getting his happy ending, finally after all these years. But I am really glad that Catarina was there. And this was our little piece of heaven as well.

They really are this gentle power couple and practically ruling the shadow-world from Alicante - and I am all in for that. Magnus had always protected the downworlders so they wouldn’t have to face the dangers’ of this universe by themselves and wanted to gain some respect for them... so seeing him being so thrilled about his work as a high warlock and receiving calls from many people to lower their demon protections really tells something about acceptance and makes me so happy for him. I always thought that Alec would continue being the Head of the Institute, but damn - being an inquisitor is even better! (A little out of subject, but I am sorry no one never mentioned Jace’s grandmother again, she would’ve deserved some kind of admiration as well). And the way their last scene is a reference to 1x06...perfect. Absolutely perfect. The LGTBIAQ-representation of this show is nothing like I’ve ever seen on screen - in the best possible way. Thank you, Matt and Harry, for bringing these characters alive so...magnificently. Malec forever in our hearts.

So... the curtain falls for us for now. And I won’t deny - it's so damn sad and unfair. *still tearing up here* This show would’ve deserved many more seasons. Thousand thanks to every single, amazing human being that was involved in this masterpiece. I hope nothing but good for your careers and future. But I wish that the fans of this amazing series won’t stop trying to get all of that magic back - you never knew what could happen.

Shadowhunters forever. <3

#shadowhunters #malec #alec lightwood #magnus bane #my opinion #shadowhunters forever

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half-bakedboy · 4 years

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MERRY CHRISTMAS @trashforaleclightwood. HERE’S MY HORRIBLE ATTEMPT AT ANGST THAT I HOPE YOU LOVE.

Read Winter Not-So-Wonderland on AO3

Alec hated winter. Winter in New York was colder than it needed to be, busier than anyone wanted it to be, and had treacherous weather that changed people’s lives. As the scalding coffee burned it’s way down Alec’s throat, the memories flooded through him. Bright lights, wide eyes, screeching metal, the burning smell…

Alec shook his head abruptly, shaking off the dread creeping up on him as it always did this time of year. Christmas Eve was always one of Alec’s favorite days of the year. Family tradition dictated each of the Lightwood children would open one present. Jace would open a piece of sports equipment and lock himself in the basement for the rest of the night to try it out. Izzy would open a new makeup product and spend hours putting it on and taking it off. Alec would open a book that he’d spend the night getting lost in. And Max would get the same as whatever sibling he had attached himself to that year.

Last year, Max opened two tickets to a late night screening of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. He had begged Alec to read the book with him a few months prior after Alec’s first boyfriend, Magnus, gifted it to him. Max had immediately became obsessed with the series as every 9-year-old did. When Alec found out a local theater was doing a special Christmas Eve showing, Alec convinced his parents to let the brothers skip the family movie night. Magnus picked them up in front of their house and the three started their adventure as the snow started to fall.

The bell above the front door of Alec’s favorite cafe sounded, breaking Alec from his thoughts once more. Luke’s booming voice and a squeal from Clary had Alec looking away from his Harry Potter book for the first time in hours.

“I thought we had lost you to LA, you son of a bitch,” Luke yelled, pulling the man into a tight hug. Alec couldn’t see his face but a pang of sadness shot through his heart. Clary pushed her father away to throw her arms around the man’s neck.

“You didn’t tell me you were coming by!” Clary practically screamed. Alec couldn’t help but think the whole exchange was less than business like but that wasn’t rare when it came to Clary. He thought maybe the thought was just a bit of anxiety seeping out.

“Biscuit, how could I not see you and your father for this holiday?” At the sound of his smooth voice, Alec’s entire body froze, the book in his hand dropping with a loud thump on the table. Luke seemed to notice, his eyes widening as they shot toward Alec.

“Are you here for Christmas? Please tell me you are!” Clary asked hopefully, her eyes begging her words to be true. The man chuckled and stroked a hand through Clary’s hair. Alec’s heart constricted, his breath quickening. He remembered how those comforting hands felt on him.

“Yes, Biscuit, I am going to be spending Christmas here. In fact, my company is opening a new store in New York so…” The man waved his hands, an extravagant gesture that somehow looked normal coming from him. “As of yesterday, I’m home,” he finished. The squeal from Clary knocked Alec out of his daze and his hand flung out to grab his book for comfort. The motion was too quick, though, and before he knew it his coffee was pouring onto the table. Any other day, he wouldn’t have cared that his book was covered in coffee, but this was Max’s book. The one thing of Max’s that Alec cherished so deeply. He cursed loudly and grabbed the novel, wiping it rapidly with his hand. A pair of manicured hands handed him paper towels and he froze again.

“Alexander…” The man said softly, his hand resting on the small of Alec’s back. Alec jumped at the touch and ignored the hurt look that flashed across the mans face.

“Magnus,” Alec whispered, the panic obvious in his voice. He closed his eyes as memories overtook him again.

“Magnus, do you think there will be other Ravenclaw’s there? I’m wearing the hat you brought me so people can be sure to know I’m a Ravenclaw!” Max yelled excitedly from the back seat. He had taken his seatbelt off so he could lean over the center console to show Magnus the blue and bronze winter beanie he begged Magnus to get him. Magnus chuckled and patted his head gently. Alec looked on, smiling softly and tried to ignore the flutter in his stomach.

“Of course there will be. Ravenclaw’s have a way of finding each other, anyways. It's cleverness that comes with the territory,” Magnus replied smoothly. Alec pushed Max’s head so he was sitting back in his seat.

“Will you please buckle up?! It’s insane how many times I have to ask you,” Alec said, clearly annoyed at his sibling. Magnus chuckled and rolled his eyes dramatically, peaking over at Alec.

“That’s Alec’s Slytherin showing. Always has to take the lead.” Max’s bubbling laughter filled the air as he reached back for his seatbelt. Alec was looking back toward him, shaking his head at the banter between the two people he loved most. He saw the quick flash of terror in Max’s face before…

Alec was brought back by Clary’s soothing hand on his shoulder and Luke’s baritone voice saying his name. When his eyes opened, he saw Magnus with his eyes shining with tears. His own lingered but he had gotten used to keeping them hidden. He brushed off Clary’s hand and pushed himself off of the wall he had slumped on to.

“I’m okay, I’m good…” Alec trailed off as he noticed the subtle tremble of Magnus’ body. They couldn’t take their eyes off of each other and Alec knew that Magnus hadn’t forgotten that night either. He felt Clary squeeze his shoulder even tighter and reached up to place his hand on top of hers. “I’m okay, Clary, really,” he muttered. Clary nodded and moved back behind the counter, busying herself with mindless chores. Luke noticed the intense stares of the two men and followed closely after her.

“Are you okay?” Alec broke the silence, taking an unexpected step forward. Magnus nodded slowly, his hand instinctively reaching out toward Alec. The movement stopped when Alec flinched away. He couldn’t help it. The sight of Magnus had brought the accident to the forefront of his mind. Christmas Eve was already hard enough without the added reminder.

“Alexander, I didn’t… I heard you moved upstate,” Magnus commented, waving his hands again in a familiar way that had Alec’s breath catching in his throat. Alec shrugged, placing the soft cover book in his back pocket and shrugging on his jacket.

“I moved back. Figured it was time to… move on,” Alec said softly. His eyes met Magnus’ once more and he couldn’t help the soft sigh that left his lips. He took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, Magnus had turned toward the door. “Are you free?” Alec said abruptly. Magnus stopped his hasty exit and peeked over his shoulder.

“Yeah, yes, of course I am,” Magnus practically exclaimed. Alec let a soft smile spread across his lips as he left the cafe with Magnus. He could feel the frigid air against his face and see his breath mingling with Magnus’. If he was truthful to himself, he would realize how much he missed this.

“How have you been? I’ve… I’ve really missed you, Magnus,” Alec admitted. The hazy breath in front of them became heavier at Magnus’ relieved sigh. Magnus stopped his stride and turned toward Alec, tears still shining in his eyes.

“I wasn’t sure if I should have come back. Our last conversation…” Magnus shook his head, his eyes wandering to the dusting of snow across the pavement. He shuddered and Alec knew it was his own memories haunting him.

“Our last conversation wasn’t fair. We both bought Max those tickets and neither of us took off his seatbelt. There wasn’t anything you could have done to change things,” Alec said sternly. It had taken months for Alec to believe that. When he’d finally done so, Magnus was gone.

“Guilt was the hardest thing to get over. Max…” Magnus trailed off with a shake of his head and a tear slid down his cheek. Alec moved quick, wrapping his arms around Magnus tightly. He was expecting memories of that night to overwhelm him at Magnus’ tough as they had done before but instead, another memory came

“Alec, help!” Max screamed. Alec went to turn toward the shout but a heavy weight jumped on his back. He crouched down to absorb the impact and his hands flung back to keep the child on his back.

“Max! You can’t just jump on people,” Magnus yelled. Alec was about to agree until Magnus continued. “That is absolutely against the rules!” Alec rolled his eyes before he dropped his hands, Max sliding off his back and landing on the floor with a grunt. He shot up onto his feet and jumped over the back of the couch, effectively providing a barrier between Magnus and himself.

“You’re both children and I have no patience for this tonight,” Alec said. He meant for the bitterness that usually encapsulated his tone to show but he couldn’t help the laughter that shone instead.

“You love us, Alexander,” Magnus teased as he placed a quick peck on Alec’s cheek. Max gagged but quickly regretted the reaction as Magnus pounced over the couch. The two tumbled to the floor, Magnus pinning Max to the ground and messing up his perfectly styled hair.

“Magnus!” A cheery voice squealed. Magnus pulled away from Alec quicker than Alec wanted, but a smile overtook Alec’s face at Magnus’ wide eyes. Alec walked over to the new arrival, his eyebrow raising.

“Max, you know your crutches don’t grip on the pavement when it snows!” Alec chastised. Max rolled his eyes in a familiar way and moved toward Magnus.

“You would think this one would stop being so ‘big brother’ now that I’m double digits but here we are,” Max said, his voice getting louder to make sure Alec could hear him. Alec rolled his own eyes and watched the two. “You disappeared,” Max mumbled, placing himself in front of Magnus.

“I did. I’m… I’m sorry, Max,” Magnus said. He went to look away but Max launched himself into Magnus’ arms, surprising both men.

“Max, Jesus Christ, you can’t do that anymore!” Alec yelled as he grabbed a fallen crutch off the ground. Max held to Magnus tighter, Magnus doing the same.

“Uh-uh, Alec. Dr. Jenny says that I can do everything I did before,” Max teased. He squirmed out of Magnus’ grasp and stole the crutch back from his brother. “Which is why you both are taking me to go see Harry Potter. It starts in 10 minutes and it’s about a 2 minute walk for an abled kid so we’ll be cutting it close.” Max started in the direction of the theater, leaving a shocked Magnus and a chuckling Alec behind him.

“So…” Magnus started, not taking his eyes off of Alec. Alec just chuckled and started after his brother.

“He hated last winter until the last drop of snow melted off of our lawn. He hated Harry Potter until he found his Ravenclaw beanie shoved in the back of his closet. Max spent a lot of time hating what had happened to him. Then one day he didn’t,” Alec said by way of explanation. Magnus looked over at him, his golden eyes shining in just the way Alec remembered.

“And you?” Magnus inquired. Alec nudged his shoulder against Magnus’ and looked up at the sky before meeting Magnus' eyes once more.

“Winter isn’t looking so bad right about now.”

#this is so not great #but its the first thing ive written in months #so take it easy on me #i hope you like it blaire ♥️#malec #magnus bane #alec lightwood #malec fic #my writing

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