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“Sorry,” Alec said, fumbling slightly as he grabbed at the martini glass that Magnus was offering him with a soft smile, “You want to-”
“Invite everyone over for a party,” Magnus repeated, smiling fondly at him, “A simple get together, really.”
“Get together.” Alec repeated, trying not to sound revolted by the entire idea, “Jace, Clary, Simon, and Izzy? In our home? All at once?”
Magnus sipped at his martini innocently, but Alec was happy to recognize when his husband was being particularly coy with him. “Yes, Alexander. All at once.”
Alec blinked, thinking about it. It certainly wasn’t a horrible idea. After all, in a week’s time, he would be the Inquisitor – or, as Izzy had taken to calling the new title – the ‘Big Boss.’ Though Izzy was teasing him, he could tell that she was using her usual wit to take away the pain of him being so far away from New York.
Jace had also taken the news of his new position with a grain a salt – six months into moving in with Magnus and just a bit further away from his parabatai. They had just found a system. Now they both had to navigate a way to be even further away from each other but still see each other.
Magnus had, in his usual roundabout way, been proud of him – excited for him, even. It was a big step for the entire Shadow World in bringing together Downworlders and Shadowhunters. Alec, this time easily catching Magnus’s deflection, had reassured his husband that he would be home at the loft every night, no matter what occurred.
That still left them all dealing with the new change in dynamic. Alec was going to miss the New York Institute and miss the people in it even more.
“Okay.” Alec agreed, taking a sip of his drink. He had finally gotten used to the burn of it and actually enjoyed it.
“Come now, Alexander,” Magnus told him, swirling his drink, “A party would – did you just agree?”
Alec laughed, delighted by Magnus’s shocked expression. Feeling warmth in his chest, he grabbed at Magnus’s hand and squeezed gently, relishing in the fact that he could always be with Magnus without questions.
“You’re right,” Alec continued, “I’m going to miss them. Maybe a party wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all.”
“Alright then!” Magnus said, giving Alec a quick peck on the lips. Magnus looked far too excited about the idea of having their friends and family over, “I’ll send a quick text to the group chat. I’ll need to figure out food and drinks – oh, and decorations!”
“Magnus,” Alec said, smiling at his husband’s excitement – he loved this man more than he thought possible, “It’s nearly one in the morning. Text them tomorrow. And our friends and family doesn’t care how our house looks.”
Magnus hummed, obviously ignoring him. With a snap of his fingers, the room around him was washed in a beautiful shower of blue sparks. The glass in Alec’s hand was replaced with something just a bit heavier, causing Alec to spill some of it on the table.
Cursing lightly, Alec grabbed at a napkin and quickly wiped the mess up. When he looked up once again, the loft was a different color all together – navy-blue walls perfectly matched the new black, modern furniture. It was all so very Magnus.
Magnus was typing away on his phone, still waving his hand and summing small things that had accents of gold.
“Or maybe just a movie night?” Magnus asked, reading the screen, “Please – someone will get bored and I can’t have that. We’ll have a little music, maybe some dancing-”
“Woah-woah!” Alec said, thinking about dancing in front of his family again was enough to give him hives. Without a thought, Alec got behind his muttering husband and wrapped his arms around him stomach, leaning his head on his shoulder and sneaking a glance at the texts, “No dancing.”
Sherman: Can’t we just watch a movie?
Isabelle: No Sci-fi
Biscuit: Comedy night!
Blondie: Free after 7 tomorrow
Magnus hummed contently, leaning his body into Alec’s hold. “But I love it when you dance.”
“Liar.” Alec replied, but there was no heat behind it. Alec had no shame in admitting that he couldn’t dance if his life depended on it.
“You caught me,” Magnus said, teasing him, “I am a horrible, lying husband. Whatever will you do with me?”
Alec, using just a bit of his training, easily flipped Magnus around in his arms, wanting to see his face. Magnus’s eyes were shinning – it was the most beautiful thing Alec had ever seen. “Kiss you, probably.” Alec said breathlessly, doing just that.
Kissing Magnus was like walking through fire – the longer Alec stayed, the fiercer it became. A trail of sparks went down his arm at Magnus’s nails racked lightly down his bare limb. In retaliation, Alec placed his hand on Magnus’s face, delighted when Magnus let out a small groan.
They pulled apart, leaning their foreheads together. This was what Alec had fought for all those years ago – the feeling in his chest was indescribable; a warmth that sent Alec’s entire being into a peaceful haze. The only word for it was love.
“I love you, Alexander Lightwood-Bane.”
Alec would never stop loving this man.
Words weren’t needed. In a flash of movement, both of them crashed together once again, this time ferociously and hot, easily leading each other to their bedroom in a crazy dance of both graceful and not so graceful moments, clothes being deposited wherever.
Alec fell asleep wrapped in his husband’s arms.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
Seven came faster than Alec was mentally prepared for. Though Alec’s day was pretty tame (training Izzy on how to handle the paperwork that the Head of an Institute had to deal with was easy compared to a horde of demons, though slightly boring) had the day flying by.
With a quick nod to his father, who would be taking over as Head of the Institute until late afternoon tomorrow - Alec was out of the Institute's doors, taking a leisure stroll to his home.
He would usually portal home, but he told Magnus that he needed the walk to mentally prepare himself for having everyone he loved in the same room. Magnus had laughed, but shrugged fondly when he realized that Alec was completely serious.
Alec loved everyone that was going to be at his home tonight, but boy were they a lot to handle one at a time – Alec didn’t think they ever had a chance to deal with each other without it being an emergency.
Alec arrived back home around five at Magnus’s request. It was his job to handle the food. Though it had taken a lot of convincing, (“Do not think I have forgotten your attempt at stew, Alexander”) Magnus was letting him cook his famous homemade pizza.
“Magnus!” Alec called, shaking his head slightly at the golden confetti that littered their home, “Where do you find all of this glitter?”
“It’s magic!” His husband called, walking out from his office, holding a vial of potion that was probably meant for a client. With a snap, it vanished.
“Magic,” Alec muttered, shrugging off his jacket and placing it on his hook, “Right. As long as it didn’t make its way to the kitchen.”
“I take offense to that,” Magnus finally greeted him, kissing him quickly and walking away, twirling his arms and changing small things around the loft, “I know the kitchen is sacred ground.”
Which was only because the last time Magnus had put glitter in their kitchen, they had been eating it for months, no matter how many times Magnus had banished it.
Alec smiled, walking towards ‘sacred ground’. “Learned your lesson, have you?”
“Stupid, cocky, Shadowhunters,” Magnus grumbled, mixing them a drink, “so arrogant.”
“I can hear you,” Alec told him, but nevertheless getting all the ingredients he needed ready. “Are you free?” Alec asked him, grabbing at the large pot and getting his tomato sauce ready. “I’m going to need a sous chef.”
“For you?” Magnus told him, coming up next to him, “Always.”
Alec blushed, stammering out a quick “I love you too” before focusing on the task at hand: not poisoning anyone.
They fell into an easily routine of leaning on each other as they did their tasks. It was so disgustingly domestic, and Alec relished every minute of it. When it came time to stretch the dough, Alec couldn’t help himself.
“Don’t you dare!” Magnus told him sternly, hands at the ready as Alec grabbed just a little bit of flour. “Alexander, if a single speck of flour touches my jacket-”
Alec smiled mischievously. Without another word, he tossed the flour at his husband, nearly chocking on his laughter at Magnus’s disgruntled face. Not only did the flour land on Magnus – what Alec now realized – velvet jacket – it was in his hair.
Unable to stop himself, Alec ran his clean hand through his husband hair, trying in vain to get some of it out.
Magnus crossed his arms, still covered in the white specks. “You will not win me over with hair petting.”
This only made Alec laugh harder, nearly wheezing. Realizing his fetal mistake in teasing him, Alec backed away, nearly jumping over the kitchen counter.
“Oh no you don’t!”
Gold specs filled Alec’s vision. Yelling, Alec ducked behind the couch, feeling accomplished at missing the onslaught of golden glitter that Alec would have been covered in.
“You missed-”
Magnus did not miss. In another second, his husband had him cornered. Smiling wickedly, Magnus summed what had to be a whole bottle of glitter in one hand and blew lightly on it.
Blue smoke twisted victoriously from Magnus’s exhaled breath and strongly blasted the glitter – the simple action had, somehow, produced even more glitter than before and it spread quickly over to Alec’s trapped form.
The glitter went everywhere – he could taste it in his mouth, blink it out of his eyes, wonder if he lost a part of his hearing. Alec forgot what color the sweater he was wearing was.
Magnus stood tall in front of him, arms crossed. He looked pleased.
“I win.”
Alec blinked. Blinked again. There was a strong temptation to grab the entire thing of flour from the kitchen counter and pour it on his husband’s head. But Alec, realizing that this was not a war he was going to win, shook his head and watched as more golden specs littered the ground.
Magnus chuckled. He tried to hold it in, but it escaped. Soon, a snort made its way out of Magnus’s mouth. It was like a dam broke - Magnus laughed loudly, nearly chocking, as he continued to stare at him. Soon, tears were rolling down his face. “Al-Alec!” He cried, laughing hysterically.
But Alec wasn’t completely done yet. “Come here,” Alec said, holding out his arms, “I really want to hug my husband.”
Magnus stopped laughing almost immediately. Magnus was powerful in his own way, but he wasn’t fast enough to escape a Shadowhunter. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Oh, no,” Alec told him, taking a large step towards his Warlock, causing the man to stumble into the coffee table, “You can’t get out of this.”
Just as Alec almost had his arms around him, there was a loud knock on the door.
Magnus’s relief was almost ridiculous. Alec, distracted by it, could only watch as Magnus danced away from him. “I’ll get the door, shall I?”
Before Alec could protest, Magnus ripped open the door, smiling widely at the people behind it.
“Magnus!” Alec heard his sister cry. Izzy came into the room, hugging his husband tightly. Simon trailed in next, looking like his awkward self as he took in the rest of the room.
“Hiya, Mag-”
Simon’s eyes had finally landed on a furiously blushing Alec. Feeling self-conscious, Alec slapped at the sleeves of his sweater, trying in vain to get some of the glitter off.
“Holy shit,” Izzy commented, eyes wide, “How did you even manage to get so much glitter stuck to you? No – no, better question: What did you do to deserve it?”
Alec huffed, just daring the slacked jawed vampire to comment. “Not a word.”
This seemed to snap the room back to reality. Simon’s lips twitched, Izzy outright laughed, and Magnus smiled proudly at the still falling glitter that littered their floor.
“I’m s-sorry,” Simon said, trying to stop his laughter but failing miserably, “I’ve never seen you so – and for it to be literally everywhere. I mean, I’ve seen pranks done before on this TV show that I assume by now none of you watched but this is too a new level. Just-”
“Another word,” Alec told him, nearly serious, “And I will toss you over the balcony.”
Izzy snapped a picture of him with her phone.
Alec, unable to do anything else, glared at all three of them.
“Okay, okay.” Magnus said, still smiling. With a snap of his fingers, most of the golden specs disappear. Some were persistent telling by the look on Izzy’s face, but it was better than being covered in it.
Magnus, finally, pulled him into a quick hug. Even after utter humiliation, Alec couldn’t help returning it. Muttering half hearted curses at his husband, Alec released him and moved onto his sister, who hugged him with all of her might.
“Delete the picture,” Alec told her as she pulled away from him, looking pointedly at her phone, “or I’ll tell Simon about that time near Lake Lyn.”
“You wouldn’t.” Izzy replied instantly, sneaking a glance at her boyfriend. It was just enough for Alec to confirm that she was taking the threat seriously, “You swore.”
Alec shrugged, “Blackmail is blackmail. I’ve been saving this one for years.”
Simon popped up behind Izzy in an instant, looking hopefully. He raised his hand, as if asking a question in school. “I would love to hear about this. In fact, any childhood memory of you guys would be appreciated. I literally can’t see you guys as kids. Didn’t you guys come out carrying swords?”
Magnus snorted and took a seat on the living room couch, “I have very much wondered the same thing.”
Both Izzy and Alec rolled their eyes at the both of them.
“The picture,” Alec repeated, “Now.”
“I-”
There was a knock at the door.
Alec swore that his luck was nonexistent – in fact, it was beyond nonexistent and onto just plain old bad.
“I’ll get it!” Izzy was like lightning as she ripped open the door. To no one’s surprise, it was Jace and Clary.
“Hey, Iz.” Jace greeted but was immediately interrupted. Izzy nearly shoved her phone in front of his face, no doubt showing him the infamous pictured.
It took Jace a second, but soon enough he was smiling wildly. Alec, not allowing her to show it to Clary, rushed over to them and grabbed the phone from Izzy’s hand, nearly ramming his shoulder into the doorframe in his haste.
“I swear to the Angel, Jace,” Alec said, using his ‘Institution Head’ voice, “If I hear one teasing word out of your mouth, I’ll put an arrow in your leg.”
Jace nodded at him, thin lipped. His eyes were filled with mirth. “Y-yup. Won’t say a word.”
“What did I miss?” Clary cried, looking lost, “What was on that phone?”
“The third greatest moment of my life,” Simon told her, giving her a quick hug, “The first and second greatest moments were meeting my two favorite ladies.” Simon pointed to both Clary and Izzy. Well, more like did some…Gesture.
“That was surprisingly smooth,” Izzy complimented, “But next time, you don’t mention both of them at the same time when they’re in the same room.”
Simon nodded, blushing. Alec rolled his eyes. While he had finally accepted that Izzy and Simon did honestly make a good couple, the awkwardness was still something that Alec didn’t know how to deal with.
“Alexander and I had a small…Fight,” Magnus explained, getting up from his spot on the couch and giving Clary a hug, “Alec threw flour at me- I had some glitter lying around somewhere.”
“Lying around,” Alec muttered, “Sure.”
“It is safe to say that I won,” Magnus continued, completely ignoring him, “Isabelle managed to acquire a picture.”
“I would pay money to see that.” There was a familiar fire in Clary’s eyes – the same one Alec had seen when Alec had first meet her. This was not something he was going to win.
The seemed to be happening way too much lately.
Alec groaned loudly, resisting the urge to bang his head on the doorframe. “Fine.” He growled, throwing the phone back to Izzy, who caught it gracefully and immediately showed Clary. “You would have bugged me for the rest of your life, Fray.”
“She would’ve,” Simon said, nodding solemnly, “Don’t ever underestimate her determination.”
Alec turned his back to all of them and moved to the kitchen, determined to forget the whole incident. He contained his wince when Jace finally lost it – his laughter boomed around the room, absolutely hysterical.
“Assholes!” Alec called to them, finally picking up where he started on making his pizza. He continued rolling the dough as they all moved to the kitchen, mingling around him as Magnus poured them wine. Jace was still letting out small laughs.
“Note to self,” Clary declared, chuckling, “Don’t throw flour on one Magnus Bane: ever.”
“Right you are, biscuit.” Magnus said, winking at her. Smiling at him, Magnus handed him his own wine glass just has Alec finished rolling at the first pie.
They all held up their glasses. There was an awkward pause, but Alec, for once, knew just the thing to fill it.
“To family,” He said, looking at Magnus. “To us.”
“To us!” They echoed, happily toasting to that. Magnus wrapped an arm around his waist, humming contently when Alec did the same to him.
“Uh,” Simon said, “I would still very much like to hear about Izzy and Lake…Something. Lake Line? Lyn?”
Jace, always the reckless one, lite up immediately. Izzy beat him to the punch, literally. She gave him a solid punch to his arm, making him stumble.
“Don’t even think about it,” Izzy warned, “I have way more stories about you than me. I’ll also kick your ass.”
“Noted,” Jace told her, holding up his arms in the universal sign of peace. “But you have to admit that it’s a good story.”
Alec snorted, remembering the rather eventful day when they were twelve. “Nothing about that day was good, and you know it.”
Alec had finished his second pizza. He easily slid it into the oven, glad to take off the oven mitts and sit down with the rest of the them. It was also nice to lean against Magnus as the rest of his family continued their mercifulness teasing.
“It was the day we chose our weapons,” Alec started,
“-Alec!” Izzy cried, throwing a pillow at him, “Don’t you dare!”
Alec threw the pillow back at her without a second thought, “And Izzy and Jace had already chosen theirs’s two days ago.”
Izzy sighed, leaning back onto the couch. “Ugh, fine. I guess it’s fair.”
“Of course,” Jace said, smiling, “Both Izzy and I only took five minutes to choose.”
“Wait, wait,” Simon interrupted, “I thought you guys were just good at anything that could be mildly dangerous.”
“Shadowhunter’s have a signature weapon,” Alec explained, “When we turn ten, the Silent Brothers will take the class that is deemed ready to the weapons room. That’s when you’ll chose your best fitted weapon.”
Magnus hummed, “I didn’t know that. It’s not surprising, but I assumed that you simply chose a weapon at whatever time you desired.”
“Wait,” Clary said, turning to Izzy, “So when I chose my weapons…?”
“We probably should have done the whole ‘Silent Brothers’ thing for you, yeah,” Izzy told her, “but honestly? They creep me out. They don’t exactly need to be there.”
“Yeah,” Jace added, “I’m pretty sure it’s more of a rite of passage slash tradition thing anyway. I mean, they shove you into the room by yourself, a Silent Brother just stares at you for a second, you look around the room for the weapon that calls to you, and then you leave. It wasn’t exactly exciting.”
“Maybe not for you,” Alec grumbled, “I had to go back two more times.”
“What?” Clary asked, confused, “Why?”
Because Shadowhunters didn’t believe in long range weapons. Because Alec thought he was freak when he didn’t feel anything in that weapon’s room. Because someone didn’t think to have such an old fashion weapon.
Alec was about to answer when Izzy interrupted him, “They didn’t have a bow and quiver.”
Alec huffed, “What did you feel when those blades called to you?” Alec asked Clary.
“I don’t know,” Clary said, brows furrowed, “They…Felt right when I picked them up. Like they belonged in my hands.”
“That’s basically the textbook definition,” Alec said, slipping his hand into Magnus’s just because he could, “I didn’t feel that when I went into the room. I touched every single weapon in there, taking up at least twenty minutes, but didn’t find a single thing that ‘called’ to me.”
“So,” Jace said, “In typically Alec fashion, he stormed out of the room and disappeared.”
Alec took a sip of his wine, “I was ten. I was allowed to be upset for thinking that I wasn’t going to be a Shadowhunter.”
“Why would not finding this special weapon not make you a Shadowhunter?” Simon asked, “I mean, I’ve seen you fight with one of those sword, blade thingies. Dude, I wouldn’t wanna fight you.”
“It’s called a Seraph blade,” Izzy told lightly, saving Alec from dealing with such a compliment, “and picking a weapon is done before the rune ceremony for a reason. If you can’t feel a weapon, it usually means that you can’t handle runes.”
“Well,” Magnus commented, “That’s certainly doesn’t have trauma inducing written all over it.”
“Anyway,” Jace said, “Izzy and I finally found him at the edge of Lake Lyn.”
“And while the three of us were sitting there,” Alec continued, remembering it like it was yesterday, “the kid that Izzy had a crush on found us.”
“We’ll figure it out.” Jace said, looking out at the lake again, “You’re just overthinking it.”
Alec said nothing, trying in vain to hold in his tears. “What if I can’t-”
“You will,” Izzy chimed in, looking at him like he was insane. She was twirling the newly acquired whip between her fingers, “You’re a Lightwood. They just don’t have the right weapon for you in there. And you’re being stupid.”
That’s when Alec spotted Thomas Graves.
“Oh,” Simon said, smiling wildly, “I totally see where this is going.”
Jace chucked, “You have no idea.”
“Poor Thomas,” Izzy said, playing with the metal snake bracelet around her wrist, “I mean, poor me honestly, but he didn’t deserve what he got too.”
“Izzy wanted to impress him,” Alec said, also laughing along with Jace, “So she started playing with her new weapon.”
“S-So,” Jace said, barely able to contain his giggles, “She was aiming for the water and-”
“-I somehow managed to wrap a part of the back of my shirt around the tail of my whip.” Izzy said, failing to hide her blush, “So when I released it, my shirt came right off.”
There was silence in the room. In fact, it seemed like that bit of information was just a bit too much to process.
“Holy shit.” Clary whispered, smiling wide. It was just enough to break the tension. The whole room burst into laughter, minus Izzy.
Jace howled. “Thomas was so flustered that he lost his footing.”
“Oh my god.” Simon added, clutching his sides.
Magnus was laughing as well, obviously enjoying the story. Alec was nearly snorting out his wine. “So when Thomas lost his footing… He went right into Lake Lyn.”
“It’s like one of those bad high school movies about the prom queen falling into the pool, but better.”
“Izzy, unable to function, was hiding behind a bush.” Alec continued, “Jace was losing his mind. So… I dove in after him. Both of us ended up in the infirmary and four ten-year olds had to explain to a Silent Brother and our parents the reason why our sister was half naked in a secluded section of Lake Lyn.”
It was the happiest that Alec had every felt, watching his family laughing until tears were coming out of their eyes. Alec was wrapped up in Magnus’s arms as he continued to chuckle away. He contently watched as Jace and Clary did the same. Simon was comforting a very red Izzy, assuring her that she was still the badass Shadowhunter he had ever known.
Alec wanted to live in this moment forever.
“That was,” Simon said finally, “Probably the best story I ever heard. But I do wanna find out how you figured out your weapon was a bow, Alec.”
Alec was interrupted by the kitchen timer, “Saved by the bell.” Magnus said for him. Both of them got up, getting the table ready.
To everyone’s surprise, the homemade pizza was good. The mood for the rest of the night didn’t change in the slightest. Instead, Alec contently listened to the other’s stories, wishing he could keep the night going forever.
But, even when everyone was ushered out of the door, smiles on their faces, Alec was happy to fall asleep in the arms of the person he loved the most in the world.
“To family.” Alec whispered, tightening his arms around Magnus.
“To family.” Magnus echoed, kissing his cheek.
They slept better than they had in months.