#alec is “kids are in bed we can sleep” and magnus is “kids are in bed we can have some real fun”

[tiredandoptimistic]

Okay but this detail is the cutest thing ever? I don't remember if Alec not being a night person ever comes up again, but as a Shadowhunter married to Magnus Bane I imagine he's often kept up late whether he wants to be or not.

[onetimetwotimesthreetimess]

“Baby?”

Magnus raises his head and finds his husband with a soft expression on his face.

“Hey.”

Alec crosses the distance and sits infront of him cross legged on the bed.

“How are you holding up?”

“Fine. You?”

“Okay-ish.” 

Magnus leans closer and kisses his forehead softly, mindful of the bundle between the two of them.

“And, how is my other baby doing?” Alec asks in the gentlest of voices and looks down at his lap, where their daughter sleeps peacefully. 

“She’s strong.” Magnus states and strokes her cheeks. 

Alec bends down to kiss her forehead. “The boys are waiting for you, outside.”

Magnus sighs. “I don’t get it.”

“Magnus, they are kids.”

“They are her brothers, Alexander. Why don’t they like her?” Magnus asks sadly.

Alec grabs his face in his hands and places a soft kiss on his lips. “Baby, it’s not like that.”

“Max wasn’t like this when we got Rafe.” 

“Rafael was older than Max so he didn’t mind much. He had someone to play with. But Max doesn’t know what to do with Ari, she’s a baby.” 

Magnus shifts Arianna closer to his chest, remembering how badly things could have ended today. “And what’s Rafael’s excuse?”

Alec hesitates. “I think he’s scared.”

“We’re not replacing them.” Magnus sighs sadly. He loves Rafael and Max with everything but the two have made things harder for them the past few weeks. 

“They don’t know that. We do spend most of our time with her these days.”

Magnus hates that what Alec just said was true. “You know why that is.” 

Alec pushes himself up from the bed and opens the door so that the boys can enter. The two look so sad and guilty that his heart cracks. Alec bends down and kisses their heads.

He has been mad at the two of them too. But then he saw how pissed Magnus was and had realised that the boys could do with at least one parent on their side. 

“Hi.”

“Is bapak mad?” Rafaela’s voice comes through.

Alec nods his head and the boys deflate. “We are sorry, daddy.” Max bites his lips.

“Come inside.”

The two pad towards the bed with slow movements.

Magnus loves them too much to be mad at them so he pats on the space next to him and the two of them jump, but carefully. 

“Is Ari okay?”

Alec runs a finger through Max’s head and nods. “She is now. But it could have ended badly.”

“We’re sorry. We didn’t mean to hurt her.” The boys apologise and a few tears slips from their eyes.

“You need to apologise to her.” Magnus says to them, without any heat. They have felt enough guilty. 

Max and Rafael leans closer towards Ari. Rafael lets out a careful hand and strokes her cheek. he looks scared. “You wont hurt her, Rafael.”

Max has no such inhibitions and he kisses her forehead then gives Magnus a beaming smile. 

“We are sorry, Ari.” 

The second they do that, Arianna wakes up from her sleep and grabs their hands. Or fingers. Since she is so small.

Fuck. She is so small. Magnus can’t believe it sometimes.

A wide smile appears on Alec’s face and Magnus himself feels his heart full.

“What happened today can never happen again, okay?” Alec says.

The boys nod. 

“Are you going to tell us why you are so bothered by us?”

Max pouts. “You are always with her.”

“You missed nailpaint night twice now.” Rafael says, his voice barely audible.

Magnus looks at Alec and his husband takes Arianna in his arms without any saying anything.

He holds the boys closer to him and kisses their forehead. “I’m sorry. We are sorry for neglecting you two.”

Alec gives him a look and Magnus sighs because he knows what Alec wants.

“Arianna is a little sick, right now. It might take her some time to get better.” Magnus can hear the pain through his husband’s voice.

Rafael and Max looks alarmed. “What’s wrong?”

Magnus takes a deep breath. “It’s her heart. It’s a little weak.”

The two frown at it since they don’t really know what it means.

“But she’ll be okay?”

He gives them a smile. “She will be.”

Rafael holds her hand carefully while Max yells. “I will protect Ari.”

-a little glimpse into the life of Lightwood-Banes sone fifteen years before Magnus’s murder/death(?).

[beclynn-herondale]

Falling like the Stars

Jace was organizing papers: putting them into specific categories. He accidentally cut his finger on the edge of a piece of paper.

Involuntarily, he said, "Ouch." 

His daughter, who had been coloring a picture for Clary, jerked her head up. "Who hurt you?" her sweet little voice asked in a fierce and protective tone.

It took him a moment to answer, he loved his baby so much and when she did things like this it made him want to fall to the floor. "No one, Celery. I just got a paper cut," he said, tears forming in his eyes. "But, you're so protective and I love you."

She smiled like the sun. "Love you, too, dada," she said. "Can I beat up the paper?"

He laughed. "You can't beat up paper."

"I can."

Yes, she has the stubbornness of both him and Clary, both their babies did.

"How about instead we go start dinner," he said, "I'm kinda done with this paperwork."

"Yay!" she was beaming.

Jace always included his children when he did things like cooking or baking or when he took care of the plants in the greenhouse. It allowed them to spend time together but also he wanted to teach them these things, to pass things onto them so they'll remember forever, and to share memories that they'll hold with them forever.

He also taught these things to his nieces and nephews.

"Alright," Jace said, pulling a stool up to the counter and picking his daughter up and placing her on it. "What do we want to have?"

"Mommy said she's been craving the chicken stir fry you make."

"Has she?" Clary had craved that a lot when she was pregnant with the twins, and even after having them still wanted it often. "Well, mommy has been out most of the day. Let's surprise her with dinner."

"I think she will love that."

Cecie had always been pronouncing words very well for her age, there were moments when Jace wondered if Clary and him had made a genius. Though, maybe every parent thought that. And then Archie had the artistic talent of his mother, Clary had included him in painting since it was safe to allow him to do so, and he was already drawing things very well.

They made dinner and by the time they were finished Clary was back and Archie was back from playing soccer with Max and Rafe. Clary tackled their daughter with kisses while Archie ran up and tackled Jace's leg. "Hey, buddy," he said, while ruffling his son's red curls. Archie took after his mom in looks while Cecie took after him, except their eyes, Cecie had her mom's eyes and Archie had Jace's eyes.

"Mom, you gotta hear what happened to dada today."

"What?" asked Clary.

"A paper cut him," Cecie said, "I threatened to beat it up." She sounded so serious it made Jace want to laugh.

Clary stared at their daughter with a look Jace knew well, it was a look of holding yourself back from squeezing one their children into a hug too tightly. "You're so precious," she said. And hugged her with tears of joy in her eyes.

Jace watched them for a moment with adoration. Archie appeared to be trying to decide if he should tackle them both. Jace picked his son up and then went over to take both his daughter and wife into his arms, three of the most important people in his life. They both laughed and kissed him on his cheeks. His little family.

After dinner they put Cecie and Archie to bed.

"Read this one to me, da," said Cecie.

Archie nodded.

Jace was never able to say no to them. "Alright." He'd lost count of how many times he had read this book to them. It also happened to be the same book Max was obsessed with when he was younger, Jace looked at the book, The Very Small Mouse Who Went a Very Long Way.

Alec couldn't look at the book without remembering the many times he himself had read it to Max. Funnily enough, Alec had regifted it to Jace and Clary when Celery and Artichoke came along, Jace believes this gesture had hidden intentions. Aunt Lily also read it to them, though she also threatened to eat them because they were so cute and sweet, Alec told Jace that Lily didn't actually mean that, and he knew that as well.

After reading it to them twice, they both finally fell asleep. Jace gave them both a gentle goodnight kiss on the head and shut out the lights.

He headed to his and Clary's bedroom. Once you became an adult and a parent sleep was very much welcomed.

Clary was in their bathroom combing out her wild red curls. "Are our little Shadowhunters asleep?"

"Yup," he said, "after reading that book two times through."

"I do believe Alec gifted it to us as a way to secretly torture us."

"I think you're on to something, my love," said Jace.

She gave him that smile that was for only him. "How was your day?" she asked.

"Good. Celery really did threaten to beat up a piece of paper."

Clary laughed. "How did we get so lucky?"

"I don't know. But I know I can't imagine our lives without those two."

"Me either," said Clary.

They both got ready for bed and went to sleep.

——

Clary was walking toward her desk to get a pen: she was signing official Clave documents for the Clave in exile.

Sadly she still had clumsy moments and even more sadly she was barefoot, she stubbed her toe on the foot of the desk.

"Ow. Damnit!" she said, then covered her mouth as she remembered her two year old was in the room with her.

"You okay mommy?" Her daughter asked.

She looked down at her daughter, her big green eyes were full of concern. "Mommy is fine," she said, "just hurt my toe on the desk."

"Damnit! Stupid desk," said Cecie.

Fuck! She thought. "Sweety, please don't say that."

"Why not?"

"Well, uh, because it's not a good word."

"But you said it," said Cecie, looking confused.

"Yes. And mommy shouldn't have."

"Okay." Cecie shrugged.

"Hey, mom?"

"What?"

"Do you want a candy to help you feel better?"

Clary teared up. "Yes, I'd like that."

"K, I'll get you one."

She dashed out the door, while Clary clucthed her heart and sat on the floor from how much she loved that little baby.

At that moment Jace peered his head through the doorway and instantly his face changed from amusement to concern.

"Clary, are you okay?" he asked, voice anxious.

She waved a hand at him. "I'm fine. Just lost the ability to stand from the love I have for our daughter."

"Ah," he said, "did she threaten to beat something up for you?"

Clary nodded. "I stubbed my toe and she looked like she was going to fight the desk. Where's Archie?"

"He's getting paper and crayons, he immediately ran to get them when we got back. Saying something about how mama needed a drawing," Jace said. "Our Celery is becoming quite the protecter."

"Yes. And caring, she went to get me a piece of candy to make me feel better. And Archie is becoming quite the artist and kind boy."

At that, Jace looked like he too may start crying from the love for their daughter. "She's such a good Celery," he said. "Archie is a good Artichoke as well."

It was funny how Cecie was like the protecter and Archie was healer, the twins were opposites but loved each other to the moon and back.

Jace had nicknamed their daughter Celery and their son Artichoke after they were born. Clary being exhausted and knowing her husband and that there was no use in arguing with him on these nicknames, gave in and grew to love them for Cecie and Archie as well.

Jace had a thing with giving the kids he felt affection for or loved a nickname, and he of course gave much thought to the nicknames for their children, listing the benefits of them. Clary found it sweet, but also realized Jace was definitely secretly a plant and health nerd. He'd grown a lot from when she had first met him, he was more open with his love now, more open with his gentleness. He still had moments where he fought back reacting the way he used to but he had learned to fight them back, she was extremely proud of how far he's come. Then again, she was always proud of him.

Cecie came running back into the room, dodging Jace's reaching hands. "Hang on, dad," she said, "I gotta give momma this first."

She handed Clary the candy, then kissed her on the cheek. She then ran to Jace's still outstretched arms, and hugged him tight.

A moment later Archie came running into the room with paper and crayons.

"My celery," he said. "How was your day?"

"Good," she said. "Mommy got hurt though." She looked back over to Clary, who was on her feet now, and picked Archie up. walking toward two of the loves of her life.

"Mama's fine," Clary said, ruffling her daughters hair with her empty hand. then kissing Jace's cheek. "Now, we do need to get ready for Magnus' dinner party."

"Ah, yes," said Jace. "That's tonight. He'll be very dramatic if we are late."

"Uncle Magnus is awesome," said Cecie.

"Uncle Alec is awesome too," said Archie. Archie was always following his uncle Alec around, watching him closely. Clary wondered if he wanted to be like Alec. Jace of course thought it was the most amazing thing.

"Yes," Jace agreed. "But, uncle Magnus is also dramatic."

"You're one to talk," Clary teased.

They all laughed.

"Let's go! I want to see Max and Rafe," said Cecie. Who loved her cousins so much, and would tackle them with hugs when she saw them. Max and Rafe were extremely protective of her and Archie, as well. They would always be there when they were first learning to walk to pick them up and kiss their heads. They had always been gentle with them. And when they had first been born, Alec and Magnus brought them to see their new cousins and Max looked at them and said "I'm gonna protect them like little siblings." Clary started crying and Jace lost it too, it had been an emotional couple of days then. Magnus watched this with a kind of loving amusement and Alec patted his parabatai's shoulder.

It was odd and the most amazing thing, Clary thought. How they'd gone from a bunch of misfits who were fighting a lot in the beginning to a family who would do anything for each other and loved each fiercely. To all being married and having kids. She wouldn't trade this for anything.

"Is pop pop and gammy going to be there?" asked Cecie.

"No, but they are coming to take you tomorrow for a sleep over, though," said Clary. Cecie and Archie had started calling Luke pop-pop and Jocelyn gammy. Luke held the title with adoration and now has a mug  that says "best pop-pop in Brooklyn" ( gifted to him by Simon. his and Izzy's son also calls Luke pop-pop)

They went to Magnus' dinner party. They laughed and had fun and ate a lot. Magnus as usual threw a magnificent dinner party. This was their big family and it was home.

Inspired by an ask I sent @khaleesiofalicante last night

Tag list: @chibi-tsukiko @spotsandclawsthings @megs-readstoomuch @magnus-the-maqnificent @replayfootsteps @simply-ellas-stuff @bookfast-at-tiffanys @jazzkaurtheglorious @my-archerboy

[igonecrazy]

Heyyyy 🙈❤️ can I have sth for TFoL pls 🥺

Yesssss yes yes you can <3 <3 <3

soooooooo....the last I left them was at Magnus and Jace recovering from their respective injuries at Magnus's place..under the stern care of one Alec Lightwood.. :P

I have so maaannnyy ideas for this which all currently live rent free in my brain coz i dont know how to charge them..:P

soo...because they cant go anywhere..they're having a movie night at Magnus's..Simon shows up early so he is hanging out with them and they are both sizing him up (their relationship is going to be like Simon is the braincell in this trio :P) aaannd.. Magnus is sitting between Alec and Jace on the couch and Magnus and Jace keep on talking in whispers between the movie and they are talking about how Jace should ask Clary out and Jace is like how can I? i dont think she even likes me and Magnus is like she definitely likes you and they continue this for a while unaware that they are very much audible to everyone in the room and Izzy and Alec are smirking at each other they just love Jace embarrassing himself in front of Clary who is red as tomato and Simon is the one who is finally like would you two stop! we can all hear you! :P

These are a few ideas I had saved in a separate files..these were all supposed to be chapters :) in no particular order..

1

Jace has nightmare, gets into Malec’s bed cuddling Magnus Alec be like huh??

Izzy arrives in the morning and sees them all walk out of Magnus’ bedroom and is like do you boys have some weird arrangement going on that I don’t know about?

2

Magnus’ fashion show, Jace arrives early, they stare at a model named Matt thinking…..doesnt he remind you of someone? They give Matt an eerie wave in the mirror, Raphael is like stop leering at the guy! He looks like Alec, you dumbasses! They go ooooooohh!!

Magnus’ show stopper model Dom hurt, and then Magnus goes wait a min you look like him!!! Jace takes spot as show stopper.

Alec arrives a little late, he is worried about Jace not being there, the show is set to start in 30 minutes, he knows Magnus would be upset a lil if Jace doesn’t show up.

Clary Simon and Izzy arrive, they all get concerned too about Jace, Izzy is like He wont miss this, im more worried about why he isn’t here.

Alec asks Clary if she has seen him, she’s like he texted me an hour and half ago that he was leaving.

Raphael comes over to greet them hears their conversation and goes, “Now I’m more worried that Papa isn’t here either,” he looks at Clary and goes, “are we sure Blondie isn’t cheating on you?”

Clary Raphael!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alec, offended and amused.

Si throws a knowing smirk at Raph, who winks, and Izzy looks at him questioningly.

Then Jace walks out at the end of the show and Alec is relived but also wants to murder him.

Jace and Magnus walk the ramp, Alec is like thank fuck he is my boyfriend or I’d have moved to England.

Magnus pulls Alec up, and they kiss as paps take pictures.

3

Family dinner.

Magnus standing grumpily next to Asmo,

Alec and Izzy are standing on either sides of Maryse, both grumpy.

Maryse and Asmo are annoyed too.

Si, Clary and Jace arrive.

Jace goes and hugs Maryse, gets glared at by Izzy and Alec.

Jace then pulls away from her and grins at Asmodeus, “Papa!” before hugging him too, much to Magnus’ irritation.

Si, chuckles, and Clary who can sense the sour mood on everyone’s face whispers, “What?”

“Raphael said Magnus and Asmodeus had a fight, and Izzy texted me she and Alec had a fight with Maryse, since Jace doesn’t work with either of them and hasn’t fought with them, the kids are a little jealous of the golden boy.”

Clary smiles.

4

Alec cuddles into the warm body as sleep slips away from him. He buries his head in Magnus’ neck and takes a deep inhale as he stretches out his body. Weird! This isn’t what Magnus smells like?

He nuzzles Magnus’ neck and presses a light kiss.

“Mmmm, not Magnus!”

Alec’s eyes snap open and at the sight of blond hair he jumps out of the bed.

“Oh! Fucking hell! Fuck off! You fucking-“

“Stop shouting!” Jace says as he rolls over pulling the covers over his head.

Alec snatches the covers away from him and throws them to the recliner, and proceeds to literally kick his brother off the bed.

“What the hell, Alec!”

“You’re asking me? Me?”

“Do you see anyone else here?”

“You’re not allowed in our bed from now on! I will kick you out if I see you in this fucking bed again!”

“Oh yeah! I didn’t want to wake up to be molested by my brother either! But here we are!”

Alec picks up something off the nightstand, which he would later realize to be his own cell, and threw it at his brother, who ducked just in time.

Magnus entered the room with Chairman in hands just as whatever he had thrown crashed into the wall.

“Dude!”

“Alexander?” Magnus asked, confused, “what’s going on here?”

“He isn’t allowed in our bed anymore, Magnus, that’s final,” he said in lieu of explanation.

Magnus seemed to ponder for a bit before he shrugged, “I can’t say I’m opposed to that, but why the sudden assertiveness?”

“He molested me, that’s why,” Jace said, and this time alec threw a pillow at him.

“What?” Magnus said frowning.

[dontmindmyshadowhunting]

To never being parted - Part 2 Chap 4 - The Birthday Party

This is the Chapter 4 of the mini sequel to my flower cards inspired Kitty Fan Fic “Am I Forgotten?”

AO3 Link here.

****

As it turned out, Jace absolutely loved his surprise. He jumped in the pop-out cake to hug Kit, who pushed him away, and they ended up rolling and wrestling amidst the vanilla buttercream, with a crowd of onlookers cheering. The most enthusiastic was Mina, who shrieked with delight during the entire fight.

They both had to change after that, which was a relief. Tessa had to hastily recover Kit’s dress from Mina, who had undertaken to lick the fabric drenched in vanilla frosting.

The party was as decadent as any party organized by Magnus Bane could be. Dark blue velvet banners hung from the ceiling, stitched with the design of stars which seemed to shine, as if the guests were standing under the night sky. Candles glowed from every surface. Magnus had magicked up a small playground for the kids in one corner of the room, far from the chocolate fountains.

Kit carried Mina around on his shoulders for two solid hours before she finally asked him to put him down. When he did, she whispered in his ear. “When I am older, I am going to marry that tall and handsome Centurion bodyguard who has been following us everywhere… He takes such good care of my big brother.” Kit felt all the blood drain from his face.

****

The dinner table was covered with food from all around the world but Kit settled for a burger. He noticed that Julian had made the same choice although he saw him slip his lettuce to King Kieran, who had decided to make an appearance for Jace’s birthday party. He was seated between Mark and Cristina, and both were trying to get him to taste Mexican food. He shot Julian a grateful look.  

“So, has Ty been sleeping in front of your bedroom, as he used to in Los Angeles? That was so cute!” Cristina asked Kit, in a cheerful voice.

“Of course not”, Kit replied. “He is absolutely welcome to my bed now.”

Everyone around the table froze before turning to look at him. Shit. Did he say that out loud?  

Kit moved his gaze towards the only person whose opinion mattered in the case.

Ty, who was seated next to Dru and Jaime Rosales, was staring at him open-mouthed, his cheeks flushed. Oh well, thought Kit. I am not taking it back anyway. If I said I was joking, Ty would take it literally. And we wouldn’t want that now, would we?

Kit shrugged and went back to eating his burger.

****

After dinner, there was a cluster of girls around Lily Chen, who was seated on a chair flaunting the Hot Shadowhunters calendar, as if it was the best book of the year.

She had decided to publish a first edition, as an experiment, in an attempt to boost the Clave’s revenues. Alec had been reluctant at first, but even he couldn’t deny the incredible success of the calendar after only a few weeks of sales. It had been sold to both Shadowhunters and Downworlders, entire stalls being dedicated to it in several Shadow Markets around the world.

King Kieran himself had bought several to add to his collection which included kitten and mundane firefighters calendars.

“So, of course we have Jace for the month of January. That one - and Mark Blackthorn’s - were the easiest pictures to obtain,” Lily explained as she enthralled her audience by flipping through the pages of the calendar.

On the front page, Jace was almost entirely naked, a well positioned sword covering his most intimate parts. Mark was just as barely dressed, poetically covered in roses and thorns.

“I had to negotiate with Magnus for Alec’s picture but as it turns out, I am quite happy with what he provided.” Magnus winked. In the picture, Alec was half naked, his muscles flexed as he was pulling an arrow to his bow. His skin was covered with black marks which stood in stark contrast with his white skin.

“Here we have Jem. Although he is officially retired from the Clave, we couldn’t do this without him. He is much too popular with the Shadow Markets’ crowd. He is only half naked of course, but compared to what people used to see of him when he was a Silent Brother, this looks like porn.” Most of the girls giggled.

“This is Simon, it was easy enough to obtain a picture of him. I just had to offer him a limited edition of a light-saver…”

“A lightsaber,” Isabelle corrected.

“Whatever. The most difficult one to obtain was Julian Blackthorn’s, of course,” Lily continued. “I had to hire a professional photographer…”

“You mean a paparazzi,” Emma interrupted.

“Emma almost broke his arm…”

“He was lurking behind a rock, taking pictures of Julian while he was surfing…”

“But apparently you both found an arrangement.”

Emma stared off into space. “He does have talent. He took amazing pictures of Julian on his surfboard… I made an album of them. He’s going to be our wedding’s photographer. Free of charge.”

“That’s my girl,” Julian said, raising his hand for a high five, though not moving his gaze from Tavvy.

Lily turned to Kit and Ty, then, pointing two fingers at her eyes and at them. “Now that you have come of age, I have got my eyes on you boys.”

Ty looked terrified but Kit only shrugged.

****

Kit danced with a lot of people. Mina, mostly, but also Clary, Isabelle, Emma, Dru, Aline and even Lily, who kept giving him a variety of nicknames. Mostly food-related. When he waltzed with Tessa, everyone stopped to observe their graceful twirls, and they were given a round of applause. Kit had to admit he was quite smug about it. Not a single dance with Ty though, who had mostly been hiding in a corner with his headphones on, his arms crossed, though a friend of Dru’s kept talking animatedly to him. He didn’t seem to notice.

After a dozen dances, Kit was exhausted and parched. As he moved towards the buffet to get something to drink, Emma and Cristina appeared out of nowhere to stand in his path, their faces alight with excitement. Kit had noticed that when Emma was not glued to Julian’s side, she was always running around with Cristina and Mark, like an iconic trio of besties.

“Welcome to the club,” they said in unison. Had they rehearsed that?

“What club?”

“The club of fearless warriors who decided to take the hazardous path of dating Blackthorn men,” Emma replied with an ominous voice.

“One word of advice,” Cristina said. “Get as much sleep as you can, while you can.”

“What?” Kit was puzzled.

“Hmmm, how to explain…” Emma put one finger on her mouth, her expression thoughtful. “Have you ever wondered why there are so many of them?”

“The Blackthorns you mean? Er- because they like kids?” Kit answered.

“True enough,” Emma replied, winking at him.

“What else is there?” Kit asked, as he had the feeling he was missing something.

Emma and Cristina burst into fits of laughter, clutching each other for support.

Kit shrugged and considered it as his cue to leave. Ty had already left the party an hour ago and Kit was wondering whether he should stop by his room to watch him sleep. Just a little peek. Ok, no, that was creepy.

As he was heading towards the door to leave the party inconspicuously, Kit was stopped mid-flight by a hand grasping his shoulder.

“Not so fast, Kit Herondale.”

Kit turned to meet Julian’s blue-green eyes. He was a different version of the Julian he had known.

The shape of his face was sharper, his features more chiseled and his luscious Blackthorn waves longer. There were no longer circles under his eyes and Kit had noticed that he had stopped biting his fingernails. He seemed happier, more rested. Almost… glowing.

Kit had to admit he was stunning. But I am already head over heels in love with his brother, Kit was reminded.

According to Jace, Julian had been a close and trusted advisor of Alec for the past few years, the Consul relying on him for war strategy and delicate political matters.

During the time he had spent in Los Angeles, Kit had witnessed how dangerous Julian’s sharp mind could be when he decided to use it. How deadly. And that was tired, restless Julian. Glowing Julian… their enemies would never know what had hit them.

Julian’s gaze moved to Kit’s chest, where the Blackthorn locket was resting.

“I see that Ty has given you his and Livvy’s pendant. I trust that you know what this means.”

His blue-green eyes were now boring into Kit’s, and Kit could not help but feel exposed, as if Julian was not looking into his eyes but straight into his head, accessing his mind.

“I do. This is it, for Ty. I am it . First and last. There won’t ever be anyone else for him.”

“What about you?” Julian’s gaze was still burning holes through Kit’s eyes.

Kit sighed. “You know what they say. Herondales love but once.”

“And you just realized that, where you are concerned, this is true?”

“No, Julian. I had already realized that three years ago.”

Kit turned to move, but Julian caught him by the arm.

“You already know what I am going to say next, don’t you?”

“Julian, I have witnessed what you were capable of in order to protect your family. I’d rather be facing the nine Princes of Hell.”

“Good,” was all Julian said, letting him go.

****

Tagging @darkkitai

[anthony-kate]

***Magnus and Alec are husbands. Yes, this needed to be said because CAN YOU BELIEVE? :’) But also, yes, it’s really been that long since the latest Malec fic rec. I’m sorry. It’s... yeah. Although if you also miss Malec every second of every day, reading fanfics at least helps a little. 

I tried to collect a nice mix again so I hope you will enjoy this 9th (!!!) edition of my Malec fanfic rec posts. As usual, I enjoy making them and rec’ing you fics but these posts take a looooot of time so please, please, please reblog, like and spread the word so that I see you enjoy these and these posts are helpful. It motivates to do a new one in the future if y’all are interested. Thank you

And now, have fun discovering, reading, and loving those Malec fics. And leave a kudo and comment for those authors while you’re on it. We all love appreciation and need validation. :)***

previous Malec fic recs:             1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

---

42 NORTH 71 WEST by @lecrit​ [ M | AU | 62.1k | complete ]

Alec sometimes wonders why he ever decided to pursue a career in politics. Magnus sometimes questions whether pursuing his dream of becoming an actor was worth it.

Those two facts are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON by @unrestrainedlyexcessive [ E | AU | 21.3k | complete ]

Alec pulls up to the gold intercom positioned at the enormous front gates. Like everything owned by the obscenely wealthy, they’re proportioned for both for giants and giant egos.

He’d hoped this would be easier, less gut-churning work than protecting diplomats and foreign dignitaries, some guilty of truly terrible things, but being a bodyguard for a coddled popstar who can’t even be bothered with basic safety isn’t his idea of a good time.

---

Magnus is a popstar and Alec is his reluctant bodyguard. The bodyguard au in epistolary form. Image-heavy.

HIGHER THAN THE BIG TREES by @carmenlire​​ [ E | AU | 242k | complete ]

Alec loves his job. He’s been touring since he was sixteen. He’s stayed in dozens of countries over the years, learned enough of their languages to get a beer in his hand and a man in his bed. The road is as much his home as the townhouse on the Upper West Side. He’s as comfortable in cheap hotel rooms with scratchy linens and glaring lights as he is in his penthouse that overlooks Central Park with its silk sheets and the constant hum of the city that never sleeps. Alec works hard and that hard work has paid off. He just finished his latest sold-out world tour and by all rights, he should be on top of the world. But the mental pressure of celebrity is getting to Alec and he doesn't trust his footing. He's stuck where most people would kill to be and he just wants to know what his next move should be. Enter Magnus Bane. A history professor at Columbia University, Magnus is content with his friends, his classes, and the occasional warm body in his bed. But he's been feeling stagnant, looking for the next chapter in his life to begin. If only he knew what Alec would bring his way.

THE SECRET OF THE SECRET SANTA by @notcrypticbutcoy​​ [ T | AU | 12.7k | complete ]

As busy doctors with busy schedules, Magnus and Alec have danced around their feelings for each other for years, much to the chagrin of their friends. This Christmas, Simon decides it’s time for an intervention-in the form of a shamelessly rigged secret santa.

Or: In which Simon rigs the secret santa, Magnus and Alec flirt over nerdy doctor things, and are both a little bit oblivious.

RUMOR HAS IT by @lecrit​​ [ M | AU | 12.9k | complete ]

Magnus widens his eyes at him, silently asking him to just give him this one. Alec simply curves one of his stupidly perfect eyebrows in response, a simple gesture that carries the weight of a call for challenge. “Looks like you’re gonna have to postpone your wedding for now,” Maia giggles next to him. Magnus huffs, flexing his jaw. “Oh, it’s on, Lightwood,” he mouths at him.

.

Or the one where Alec and Magnus are both after the same guy, but end up falling for each other instead.

CIGARETTE by j__writes [ T | AU | 3.1k | complete ]

His relationship with Magnus Bane had been nothing short of frustrating.

Frustrating in the worst of ways. Frustrating in the best of ways.

ABSOLUTELY ABYSMAL by @aemiliafawn​ [ E | 4.8k | complete ]

The first time Alec sees Magnus wearing lipstick he wants to do filthy things to him. Magnus isn't exactly opposed to this.

A ROYAL AFFAIR by j__writes [ M | AU | 38.8k | complete ]

Prince meets professor and it's love at first sight. Lucky (or maybe unlucky) for him, the beautiful professor doesn't know his boyfriend's a prince.

HEAVEN IS A TASTE ON EARTH by @alittlebriton​ [ T | AU | 20.7k | complete ]

Making a birthday cake for the renowned chef Magnus Bane is a hard enough task – made harder still by the fact his girlfriend doesn’t seem to know Magnus’ likes or dislikes at all. Alec Lightwood, maker of some of the finest cakes in Brooklyn, is up to the challenge, even if he can’t take his eyes off the birthday boy. But as Alec and Magnus grow closer, could it be that the missing ingredient is true love?

LOVE & OTHER DRUGS by @la-muerta​ [ E | AU | 2k | complete | Semi-Charmed Kind Of Life #1 ]

Rising rockstar Magnus Bane’s life is all about sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll - it's an old cliché, but sometimes the clichés are true. And Alec Lightwood, a bassist from another band, is a drug Magnus can't get enough of - even if he knows that like any drug, he's sinking deeper with every hit he takes, and that this is killing him slowly and painfully.

Because this is just about sex, and Alexander doesn't love him back.

OUR LOVE IS A HARSH CHORD by @la-muerta​​ [ E | AU | 21.9k | complete | Semi-Charmed Kind Of Life #2 ]

Magnus lives in two worlds: one of blinding stage lights and the thunder of the adoring crowd stomping its feet to the rhythm of his music; and one of the darkness offstage, a blur of lonely hotel rooms, one-night stands, drugs, and the sting of whiskey.

Magnus lives in two worlds, both of them stark, bleak, empty - until Alec Lightwood comes along, and everything falls apart.

MELTING MOLTEN by @raininginadelaide​​ [ E | 4k | complete ]

The training scene in the show was their second attempt. The first time, Alec showed even less restraint.

SUPPORT SYSTEM by @bytheangell​​ [ T | AU | 122.8k | complete | Support System #1 ]

When Alec's favorite show gets cancelled and he takes to messaging customer service repeatedly to show his support, he doesn't expect to connect so well with the support representative he keeps getting paired off with.

PAGING DR. LIGHTWOOD-BANE by @carmenlire​​ [ not rated | AU | 4.4k | complete ]

Alec scowls. “I’m not on rotation this weekend-- I’m not even on call-- and we decided to make the most out of it.”

“We,” Maia asks, brows inching towards her hair line. “Who’s we?”

“My husband and I,” he mutters and he rolls his eyes as it's like a bomb’s been detonated in the middle of the table.

Simon screeches, “What,” and even Jace and Isabelle are looking at him with wide eyes.

“You’re married?”

Or, the one where everybody finds out

TRUTH OR DARE? by @atowncalledmalec​​ [ E | AU | 4.5k | complete ]

Two small-town cops, partners, Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane, have somehow pulled desk duty on the graveyard shift. Bored out of their minds and finding a lie detector machine, the chance of winning a $50 bet and being able to ask the questions they've always wanted to ask is too good of an opportunity to pass up. Alec gets a little more than he bargained for though when the machine betrays him at every turn. And so does Magnus.

EVERYTHING I DIDN’T KNOW I WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS by @la-muerta​​ [ T | AU | 4.5k | complete ]

Alec got his Christmas shopping done months ago - but he should have known that Jace would mess it all up for him. Now he's out braving the crowds on Christmas Eve trying to find a toy that's sold out everywhere for his son, and as it turns out, he's not the only desperate single father out there who will stop at nothing to get his hands on that last toy in the shops.

CERTAIN PERKS by quill_and_ink [ E | 5.5k | complete ]

"You never have to prove yourself to me."

Shadowhunters are being murdered and mutilated. The Clave is getting desperate to find the culprit, but Alec has to believe there's another way. He won't let this end his relationship with Magnus - he refuses to accept that, and he'll do whatever he can to protect them.

Based on the dialogue and actions from "Shadowhunters" Episode 2x13: "Those of Demon Blood"

THE TRUTH UNTOLD by @carmenlire​ [ not rated | 4.4k | complete ]

Magnus closes his eyes and leans into the feelings that wrap around him. They’re two of the most powerful men in the New York shadow world. It makes his chest ache sometimes, the knowledge that they may never be able to take their relationship public, that he won’t ever be able to kiss Alec on a sunny day in the city, that they can’t hold hands as they walk through Central Park, that whenever they do see each other in public it’s always in an official capacity and they’re relegated to formal greetings while their eyes try to say everything they can’t.

He’d still take this over not having Alec, though. That Magnus knows without a doubt.

ANYTHING YOU SAY by @milominderbindered​​ [ M | AU | 117k | complete ]

Detective Alec Lightwood likes his job. He likes the order of it, likes helping people, likes that he gets to work with Jace and that Izzy is always right downstairs in the morgue too. He's wanted to be a cop ever since he was a kid, just like his parents before him, and now he's living that dream. His life should be perfect.

There's just one problem. Their precinct has just gotten a new forensic expert -- Magnus Bane.

And honestly, he's so cute that Alec's kind of losing his mind.

EMISSARY OF SIN by @insiemes​​ [ M | AU | 97.6k | complete ]

Alec Lightwood, the Clave's top protection agent, is called upon to guard the life of his mortal enemy - one of the world's most notorious hitmen, Magnus Bane.

SHOOT TO KISS by @dantes-wombat​​ [ M | 5k | complete ]

As far as dates go, this one's a bit more weapons-centered than Magnus expected - but also a lot sexier.

IF YOU’VE GOT THE MONEY, I’VE GOT THE TIME by j__writes [ T | AU | 73.4k | complete ]

Alec has made plenty of questionable choices, as Izzy likes to so kindly remind him. Asking Magnus to be his fake boyfriend and then offering to pay him? That, right there, he doesn’t know what the fuck he was thinking. And he wasn’t. But Magnus is really nice and really fucking hot, and if Alec gets to pretend to be his boyfriend then… win - win, right?

ANONYMOROUS by @superficialpeasant​​ [ E | AU | 10.6k | complete ]

When one of Clary’s art exhibition performers drops out last minute, Alec steps in to help. Unfortunately that also means he’ll be having sex with a stranger in public.

DATE NIGHT by @unrestrainedlyexcessive [ G | 562 | complete ]

“Look, it’s no big deal,” Alec says. “The angles in pool are just like archery. I have a natural advantage.”

“Pretty sure I beat you the first time we played,” Magnus says, taking a sip of his martini. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so relaxed, so at home in a relationship.

That is, until Alec started winning.

HARDER THAN THE LIQUOR I POUR by @carmenlire​​ [ not rated | AU | 6.5k | complete ]

The bartender considers him for a moment before holding out the hand that was over his just a second before. “I’m Magnus, bartender extraordinaire. While I certainly wouldn’t mind calling you pretty boy for the rest of the evening, I think it only fair that you share your name, too. Don’t you?”

Slowly, Alec reaches out and grasps Magnus’s hand in a poor imitation of a handshake. He meets Magnus’s eyes and knows they both know that this is a mere prelude for what’s to come.

“Alec,” he says slowly and watches as Magnus’s smile deepens.

“Well, Alec, my shift ends in an hour. Wait for me?”

CREAM by @ohfreckle​​ [ E | 3.4k | complete ]

Sometimes Magnus likes to wear panties.

“Are you kidding? You look amazing!” Alec wishes he were more eloquent, that he could miraculously find the words and praise to express how fucking hot Magnus is with his little panties on.

SAY IT by @ilovealeclightwood​​ [ E | 4k | complete ]

“I want you,” Magnus pressed his lips to Alec’s neck, the sensation of his lips against the deflect rune making Alec shudder again.

“To admit,” Magnus continued, pausing to run his tongue over the length of the rune, sending sparks of pleasure through Alec and making him try to jerk his hips up again.

“That I was right.” Magnus pulled away from his neck to look down at him and it took a second for what he meant to click with Alec.

---

Or, Magnus and Alec solve petty arguments in a sensable, responsible manner

ALL NIGHT (OR A HUNDRED YEARS) by @hourglassmermaid​​ [ T | 4.3k | complete ]

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Raphael,” Magnus chastises. “You know I take care of my friends.”

Friends. The word stings more than kuri venom; it lingers far longer than any demon attack ever could. It lingers in Alec’s mind when he’s tossing and turning at night imagining what they could have been if Alec hadn’t been such a coward all those years ago. It lingers in his heart whenever they’re alone, and Alec swears he sees a glimmer of those feelings Magnus must have buried long ago. And it lingers in his soul whenever they work together as allies, as leaders, as partners, because they really are compatible in all the ways that count.

But none of that matters, because they’re just friends.

---

Alec and Magnus are colleagues — maybe even friends. Definitely allies. Alec's content, with his life, his career, and even his (lack of) relationships, but sometimes when Magnus sits beside him, Alec may or may not cease to function. It's okay; he's okay.

I SAW PAPA KISSING SANTA CLAUS by j__writes [ G | AU | 3.3k | complete ]

“I heard a noise and so I snuck out. He didn’t see me but I saw him. I saw Santa and then I saw Papa and he kissed Santa, Raf.”

LIKE NOBODY ELSE by @carmenlire​​ [ not rated | AU | 3.7k | complete ]

Simon’s been Alec’s assistant for the past three years. Alec was a hard ass, no doubt about it. He had exacting standards, a perpetually sardonic expression, and Simon had literally never seen the man smile.

Lightwood had exploded onto the scene ten years ago and in that time, he’s made a name for himself that no one else could rival. He might not be well liked but everyone-- even his enemies-- respected Lightwood.

Or, Simon is Alec's secretary and doesn't realize just how little he knows about his boss until he solves a mystery.

SEXY SNAPSHOTS by @tobythewise​​​ [ E | AU | 2.8k | complete ]

“Anything interesting on there?” Alec asks, a teasing note in his voice as he nods at the camera. “Anything sexy?" “Not at the moment.” Magnus raises his brow. “Wanna change that?” OR The one where Magnus and Alec explore what it's like to have sexy times while snapping sexy pictures of each other.

PUNDAMENTALS OF OFFICE RIVALRY by @bytheangell​​ [ T | AU | 3.8k | complete ]

When Magnus and Alexander get off on the wrong foot at the start of their internship, Magnus takes it upon himself to annoy Alec at every turn.

WORSE THINGS THAN BEING IN LOVE by @aemiliafawn​​ [ E | 4.6k | complete ]

Their wedding was everything they had ever dared to dream of. But perhaps their wedding night was just as special.

CRYPTIDS OF BROOKLYN by @alexanderlightweight​​ [ M | AU | 2.3k | complete ]

For all the rather redundant and overused jokes made about lawyers and sharks, never was such a comparison or joke made concerning Alec Lightwood, as there was one glaring difference between the two ruthless predators.

Sharks smiled, Alec Lightwood didn’t.

ZERO COMPLAINTS by @aemiliafawn​ [ E | 3.3k | complete ]

Usually when someone wakes Magnus up before sunrise they'd have to face his wrath – however since Alec decides to make it actually worthwhile for the exhausted warlock, Magnus finds he doesn't mind making an exception just once.

HAHA JUST KIDDING... UNLESS? by @carmenlire​​ [ not rated | AU | 2.5k | complete ]

"You know Magnus wouldn’t joke about boning his best friend just to do it. You mean too much to him and we all know how gone you’ve been over Magnus since, like, eighth grade.”

Alec sighs and it feels like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. “I can’t get my hopes up, Jace. I’ve been in love with him for years but he doesn’t feel the same way.”

Groaning like they’ve gone around the block about this a thousand times-- because they have-- Jace facepalms. “How many times do I have to tell you-- Magnus feels what you feel but you’re both too stupid to get past your own hang-ups to talk about it.”

TAKE IT EASY by @la-muerta​ [ E | AU | 18.2k | complete ]

Alec signs up for a session with a professional male dominant, just a one-time thing to satisfy his curiosity. It most definitely doesn't end up being just a one-time thing.

THE LONELY HEARTS HOTLINE by @unrestrainedlyexcessive [ E | AU | 40.6k | complete ]

“Hey there,” Alec says in the lowest, sexiest voice he can manage. It sounds vaguely disinterested but some people get off on that.

“Hi,” the voice says.

“Ready to have some fun?”

The voice makes a small, sad noise.

“Or not?” Alec tries hastily. He gets paid regardless of what they're talking about. “We can just chat for a while.”

“What’s your name,” the voice says finally.

“Uh, Chad,” Alec says. He was drunk when he picked his name, just as he was drunk when he answered the job wanted ad. He should have picked something sexy like Tristan, but he’s forever Chad now, the douchiest phone sex operator in history. He balances his bowl of macaroni carefully on his stomach and sneaks a quick bite.

“You don’t sound like a Chad,” the voice says doubtfully.

“Why the hell not?” Alec says before he can stop himself, mouth full of pasta.

“--are you eating?”

“No,” Alec lies and swallows.

---

Alec is a bored phone sex operator. Bafflingly, Magnus just wants to talk about music.

BRIGHT LIGHTS, SMALL TOWN by @lecrit​​ [ E | AU | 104.3k | complete | To Build A Home #1 ]

When Magnus gets to Nashville, Indiana to handle his late mother's will, he doesn't expect to be forced to stay there for six months. Six months away from New York and lost in the wildness of the countryside.

It quickly appears that he is going to go through six months of living hell.

The fact that he hates the local veterinarian on sight isn't helping.

BRIGHT LIGHTS, SMALL TOWN: EXTRAS by @lecrit​​​ [ E | AU | 12.6k | complete | To Build A Home #2 ]

A combination of extras for Bright Lights, Small Town.

EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES by @lecrit​​​ [ M | AU | 141.9k | complete | Avengers Assemble #3 ]

The thing is… Their plans have a history of not going accordingly so when they finally do, maybe they build a confidence a bit too quickly. Breaking Magnus out turns out to be indeed a formality. Selling the ruby, too. So what could possibly go wrong now?

In which our team of misfits has to deal with the consequences of messing with a dangerous man and again, everything goes according to plan. Or not.

COLOR ME BLUE by @carmenlire​​ [ not rated | AU | 18.8k | complete ]

Christmas is his favorite time of the year but Alec has barely had time to buy presents let alone enjoy the holiday season. December seems to have lasted the blink of an eye and Alec's shoulders hunch as he realizes morosely that most of this year is a blur of emergencies and rounds and consultations.

His gaze snags on a bakery display as he walks past. The window is dressed with multicolored lights and garland wrapping around the edges. The display case is full and Alec’s mouth waters just at the sight.

Without conscious thought, Alec is reaching for the door to Bane's Bakery, eager to see if the interior is just as whimsical and welcoming as the outside.

[liron-ao3]

"Are you okay?" Magnus asks as he brushes the warm, wet cloth over Alec's stomach.

"Um, sure. I'm fine."

Magnus knits his brow together. That wasn't exactly the reaction he had expected from his boyfriend who just lost his virginity to him.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Alec chuckles nervously. "You're the one with the 17.000 exes. I doubt that you do sex wrong."

Magnus grabs Alec's chin, tenderly pushing until his boyfriend meets his eyes. "Everyone likes different things. So if you didn't like something we or I did, you need to tell me."

"It's nothing."

Magnus breathes out a sigh. Alec is such a bad liar.

The warlock plays back the time since Alec stood in his hallway, kissing him with clear intent. Magnus had taken the lead tonight, checked in frequently. Alec had reacted beautifully to his ministrations, his whole body so responsive, and the sounds he had made—better than many a porn star.

Magnus' mind gets stuck at that thought. Alec had been giggling in the beginning, giddy with anticipation. The mood had been back after their short cat eyes interruption. Then, when Magnus had started to undress him further and had pressed kisses to his skin, Alec had become quiet. But Magnus had checked in again and met Alec's smiling face.

After that, it was pretty clear that Alec was enjoying himself. Or wasn't he?

Dread spreads in Magnus' chest. This had been the most meaningful sex for him in a very long time and—Fuck!

Magnus' heart is racing, threatening to burst into a thousand pieces. "Alec, didn't you enjoy it?"

Alec looks away again, a blush spreading on his cheeks. His lips, slightly swollen from being kissed in passion, part and close several times before he gives up trying to form words.

"Why didn't you say something?" Magnus' words are soft, not judging. But they only thinly veil the turmoil churning through his chest.

"I—I thought it would come. With time." Alec bites his lip. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to ruin it for you."

"You should never do anything that doesn't feel right, Alec. I'm so sorry that I didn't realise. I'm so sorry. What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You don't look like nothing, Alec."

Alec licks his lip and sits up against the headboard. He pulls one of the crumpled sheets over his lap. He doesn't know what's wrong with him.

This was the next logical step. He loves Magnus even if he hasn't said it out loud yet. He loves kissing and cuddling his boyfriend. For him, Magnus is the most beautiful man alive. He wanted this. That's how it goes, right?

But when they got naked, something shifted. His body reacted to every touch. His cock filled, his hips twitched of their own accord, goosebumps ran over his skin wherever Magnus touched him. But when he should have felt arousal he felt—nothing.

He had never been one to masturbate much. The porn he had watched was arousing, though. Shouldn't he have felt at least the same when Magnus touched him? The man made him come for heaven's sake, with talented fingers and a very skilled mouth. What is wrong with him!?

"It was just different than what I expected. That's all."

Magnus' frown is growing deeper.

"Can we just cuddle and go to sleep? It's been a long day," Alec pleads.

Magnus opens his mouth to protest, but he closes it again. If he knows something about Alec, then, that he sometimes needs time to think and afterwards, talking is way easier.

They shuffle around a little with Magnus' head ending up tucked under Alec's chin. Both lie awake for a long while, pondering what this might mean for their relationship.

***

"What scares you?"

Magnus feels the urge to laugh and cry at the same time. How can Alec ask him that? Doesn't he know?

He has to look up at the ceiling when he rips his chest wide open, handing his heart to Alec on a silver platter.

Magnus looks at their entwined hands on his stomach. "What happened last night, Alec? Where did I go wrong?"

Alec's hand stiffens a little in his hold. "You did nothing wrong."

"But you didn't enjoy it, right?"

Alec's breath gets caught in his throat. The sound makes Magnus' heart clench painfully.

"It wasn't bad."

Magnus bites the inside of his lower lip. "But it wasn't good either?"

"It was—weird. Like an out-of-body experience. My body liked what you did, but it felt—" Alec takes his time to find the right word. "Neutral."

Magnus lets out the breath that got stuck in his airways. At least he did nothing Alec disliked. Thank Lucifer for little mercies.

"Okay. That can happen. Not everyone enjoys sex. That's absolutely fine." Magnus tries to keep his emotions out of his voice. Alec needs him now. His own turmoil can be dealt with later.

Alec's eyes flicker through the room. "How is that fine? Everybody wants sex."

Magnus rolls on his side. "That's not true. Some do experience sexual desire and attraction, some don't, and others only under certain circumstances."

"But I wanted it. I wanted you. I want you." Alec's voice sounds desperate, fear lacing the words.

Magnus studies Alec's features, the frown creasing his beautiful face, the way he bites the inside of his cheek.

"When you pictured us having sex—what did you imagine?"

Alec blushes a deep red. "I–I imagined us kissing. You on top, your weight on me. I imagined how you'd sound, how you'd look when you come."

Magnus hums. "And how did I come? What were we doing?"

Alec's eyes blink several times. "I jerked you off."

"Okay. And what did I do with you?"

Alec looks at him, thinking hard, but he comes back blank. "Nothing."

"Did you come in your fantasy?"

Alec shakes his head.

Magnus licks his lips. "What arouses you?" Alec answers with a frown. "I mean, what do you think of when you masturbate?"

"I don't usually do." The frown grows deeper.

"Is that a religious thing?"

Alec chuckles. "No. I just don't feel like it most of the time."

Magnus smiles at him. "Then you're probably asexual, Alexander."

"I'm gay," he protests.

Magnus squeezes his hand. "One thing doesn't erase the other, darling. You can be a homoromantic man and never want to touch a dick in your lifetime."

Alec bites his lip. "I want to touch yours."

Magnus chuckles. "You can be ace and want to touch your boyfriend's cock."

Alec screws his face. "That doesn't sound right."

"Okay. Close your eyes, Alexander."

"What?"

"Do you trust me?"

Alec gives him a are you kidding me look and closes his eyes.

"Okay. Imagine us in bed, both fully dressed. We're kissing. I'm lying on top of you. Is that okay?"

Alec nods.

"What if I ground down, rubbed my erection against your body? Would that be okay, too?"

"I guess. I liked feeling that you wanted me."

Magnus grins. "I wanted you very much."

A proud smile tugs on Alec's lips. Magnus smirks at his beautiful boyfriend.

"Okay. Now imagine us naked in the same position."

Alec's brow knits together. "I like the touch of your skin, your caresses. But your cock is a bit too much as it slides against me." Alec opens his eyes, cautiously scanning Magnus' face.

"That's alright, Alexander. We just try to find out where your boundaries are. Do you want to continue?"

Alec nods.

"Alright then. What about what I did last night. Did you like my mouth on you?"

Alec's eyes flutter shut, his cheeks burning crimson now. "You're very skilled."

"Why, thank you. But that isn't an answer, is it?"

Alec shakes his head. "I prefer your lips on my mouth." He winces as he says it.

"I suppose my fingers weren't welcome either?"

Alec sighs. "Look, I know this is weird. I'm sure I'll get used to it."

Magnus breathes out a sigh and sits up. "I don't want to do things for you to get used to. If you're not enjoying it, it's useless. I'm doing them for you. Not for me."

"Magnus."

"Alec. If you don't enjoy sex, then this is the end of the discussion."

Alec scrambles up, eyes wide in fear, tears already filling the brim. "No, please, I can learn to enjoy it. Please. I want you."

"Shh," Magnus soothes him. "I'm not breaking up with you. See, that's what I meant when I said I was worried about rushing it. Sex changes things. But relationships are so much more than sex. I want you, in any way, I can have you."

"But you—"

"—screwed around in the past? Yes. But what we have, Alexander, is so much more. The last days were the best of my life. I'd be content if we just stayed that way for eternity. You make me really happy. And I have two healthy hands and even magic if I should need release."

Alec blows out a breath. "That won't be necessary. I mean—I want to." He sighs.

"What do you want?"

"I want to make you feel good—sexually." Alec couldn't explain it if he tried to. But pleasuring Magnus was strangely satisfying, to know that he touched him right, that he made him lose control. That even after so many lovers, his name fell from Magnus' lips when he came all over his stomach.

"You don't have to."

Alec cups Magnus' cheek and runs his thumb over the smooth skin. "You looked so beautiful when you came."

Guilt washes over Magnus' skin. He had been so lost in his own pleasure. He hadn't seen Alec come. Did he even come? He had assumed because his dick had been soft when he came out on the other side of his climax.

"I'm so sorry, Alexander."

Alec rolls his eyes. "I liked it."

"You did?"

"Yes. I want to see you like this again. Wanna make you come."

Magnus' cock twitches at the prospect. "If you really want to, I'm sure we can make this work. But I mean it. We'll never have to do any of that ever again."

Alec cocks an eyebrow. "And you could live with that?"

"Oh, Alexander." He kisses him softly and slips on top of him, mindful to keep the duvet between them. "I have everything I need."

Alec runs his fingers through Magnus' hair. "I'm sorry that I'm broken. You clearly are an incredible lover."

"You're not broken, darling. You're just you. And I'm happy to have you."

[magnus-the-maqnificent]

Lost Book of the White Countdown Event - Emotions

Wistful Future

(Read on Ao3)

The sun was setting over the spires of New York, casting rich orange light onto the city below. Alec sat on the rooftop of the Institute, winding down after a long, heated training session. On the street below, leaves fluttered about as the cool, crisp wind blew around.

“Phew, that was the best training session I’ve had in ages,” Jace said from beside him, stretching his arms above his head. Alec shot him a fond exasperated smile.

“‘Course you’d say that,” he muttered, more tired than anything else.

Jace grinned at him. “I see being a father is taking its toll on you.”

“I slept two hours last night,” Alec admitted with a chaste smile. “It’s difficult but he’s worth it. Max.”

“Must be nice, having a family,” Jace mused, sounding wistful. “I wonder what Clary would think about having kids. I mean, we’ll have to get married first, obviously, otherwise Jocelyn will have my head.”

Jace laughed, but Alec turned his face away at those words. He must’ve noticed, because the laughter died away and he asked,

“Hey, you okay?”

Alec bit his lip consideringly, then blurted out, “I asked Magnus to marry me.”

Jace was silent a moment, then asked, “What did he say?”

A small smile appeared on Alec’s face. “He said yes, of course. But… he wants to wait until the law is changed.”

Jace frowned. “What? What does the law have to do with this?”

“If Magnus and I get married, the Clave won’t recognise the marriage as legal,” Alec explained. “I won’t be allowed to bear the runes. Even if we get married, I’ll still be a bachelor in the eyes of the close.” Alec rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I don’t blame Magnus, of course. He just wants the best. It’s just… changing the law will take a while.”

“You want to be the one to change it, don’t you?” Jace put it forward so simply, as if it were just another mundane task, as if it wasn’t the law they were talking about.

“Of course,” Alec said. “I’ve wanted to change it since our vacation, when I realised that the law wasn’t built to protect people like Magnus. We as Shadowhunters are meant to protect, but if that protection doesn’t extend to everyone in this world, then there’s no point in it.”

Jace clapped him on the back. “I’ll help you whatever way I can.”

Alec smiled at him. “I knew you would.”

“So what’s the plan? Are you going to stage a revolt?” Jace asked, leaning towards Alec.

Alec’s eyes widened. “No! No revolt!”

“Then you‘ll infiltrate the Clave’s ranks and pull the stupid law apart?”

Alec blinked. “Something like that.”

Jace grinned. “Great. You’re next in line for Head of Institute anyway. You can-“

“No,” Alec said. “As a Head, I can only suggest new laws. The ones capable of changing them are the Council, Consul and the Inquisitor. Consul, I could try after Jia’s term is over. Inquisitor is out of the question - they don’t really have a term, and Dad’s doing well so I doubt they’d replace him anytime soon. Until then, I’ll have to focus on getting a seat on the Council.”

Jace blinked, astonished. “You’ve got all this planned out, don’t you?”

Alec smiled and nodded, his face turned up to the open sky. “I just want to get married to him the way he wants, no matter how long it will take. He’s- I just love him so much, you know?”

Jace shot him a smile. “I know. And Alec?”

“What?”

“I better be your suggenes.”

“Of course.” Alec grinned at him. “Can you keep it quiet for now, though? It’s not official yet, and I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea.”

Jace shrugged. “Okay. I’ll be able to tell them someday, though. Right?”

“Right.” Alec nodded, and they settled into a comfortable silence.

“You’re awfully quiet today,” Catarina commented.

She was sitting across from Magnus in the living room, her skin a lighter blue than usual and somewhat blurry around the edge - hardly surprising, considering that she was just a projection in the living room. Physically, Catarina was still at that Godforsaken Academy, where the mundanes, Simon included, were to face Ascension in two weeks.

“Just thinking,” Magnus said, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. His other hand was curled around Max, his and Alec’s newfound baby, who was fast asleep in Magnus’s lap.

Catarina frowned. “Please you’re thinking good things. You have a baby now. You can’t do any crazy stuff now-“

“First of all, I wasn’t planning on doing any crazy stuff,” Magnus protested. “Secondly, I was thinking of something else entirely. It’s just-“ Magnus bit his lip, then blurted out, “Alec asked me to marry him.”

Catarina’s eyes grew very wide and she nearly dropped her teacup. “What did you say?!”

“Yes, obviously, but…” Magnus hesitated, then continued, “I told him I wanted to wait for the law to change. I don’t want the Clave to see him as lesser because he’s married to me, and because their law doesn’t recognise our marriage as real. I just don’t want his life to be difficult because of me.”

Magnus’s voice went very low towards the end, and he heard Catarina sigh.

“Magnus,” she said softly, and he couldn’t help but look at her. Catarina was smiling at him, her teacup dangling between two fingers. “It doesn’t look to me like you’re making his life difficult. It’s the contrary, in fact. Everytime I’ve seen you both together, you looked so happy. Like it was enough just to be at each other’s side.”

“It is,” Magnus said. “It is more than enough. I’d gladly die by his side, if I could. But… I do want to marry him.”

And then, very quietly, he added, “No one’s ever asked me to marry them before.”

“He sure is something, huh?” Catarina said, resting her chin on top of her palm, having discarded her teacup somewhere. “I’m happy for you, Magnus. Really, I am. I hope that damn law gets changed soon.”

Magnus smiled at her. “Me too, Cat. Me too.”

“I’m telling you now,” Catarina said seriously, leaning forward. “I’m your best woman. Don’t let anyone else claim that spot.”

“Don’t you worry,” Magnus said with a grin. “I won’t.”

Catarina smiled, but something must’ve happened on her end because she looked away for a brief moment, then turned back to Magnus and said with a sigh,

“I have to go. Some stupid Shadowhunter decided to hurl a mace into the wall in the middle of the night. They’re calling me for damage repair.”

Magnus frowned at that. “Make the walls fuschia while you’re at it.”

Catarina shot him a wry smile. “Fashionable and makes a Shadowhunter mad. You’re really rubbing off on me.”

Magnus grinned. “I have that effect on people.” He blew her a kiss and waved his fingers at her. “I’ll talk to you later, then.”

Catarina waved back, and in the blink of an eye, faded away.

Magnus opened the main door to the apartment and wasn’t surprised to see Alec standing outside, his hand outstretched halfway towards the doorknob.

“Hey,” Alec said, smiling brightly at the sight of him, his eyes lighting up ever so beautifully.

“You’re here early,” Magnus said, leaning against the open door.

Alec shrugged. “Mom let me off today so I could be with Max. Speaking of which, where is he?”

Alec looked over his shoulder, looking for Max, but Magnus stopped him.

“He’s fast asleep,” he said. “Has been for over an hour. I don’t think he’ll wake up for a while.”

“Oh,” Alec said, and his shoulders relaxed. “Okay then.”

He stepped into the house, walking past Magnus, and dumped his bag of weapons in one corner. Magnus watched as Alec took off his gear jacket, hanging it up on a hook in the wall. He walked to him and put his arms around Alec’s waist, nuzzling his face into Alec’s neck.

“Did you have dinner?” Magnus asked.

“Not yet,” Alec said, turning his head into Magnus’s and giving him a chaste kiss on the lips. “I was thinking we could eat together.”

“Of course,” Magnus said with a wide smile. “Whatever you want.”

After a quick dinner of Italian, during which Magnus insisted on lighting candles as they ate simply because he was in a romantic mood, they curled up on the couch, some random movie playing on TV.

“I told Jace about our unofficial engagement,” Alec said, fiddling with one of the buttons on Magnus’s shirt. Magnus looked at him - he was resting his head against Magnus’s shoulder - and said,

“And I told Catarina.” He grinned. “She was very happy to hear the news.”

“So was Jace,” Alec added with a wistful smile. “I keep thinking about it, you know. What I’ll be like, to get married.”

“So do I,” Magnus admitted. “I personally want a three tiered cake with two mini figurines of us on top.”

Alec laughed. “That sounds nice. Maybe we could have one of those big chocolate fountains, too?”

They went back and forth like this for a while, talking about their plausible marriage in hushed tones, their hands intertwined between them. Magnus couldn’t help but remember a time when his life was much different, when his heart was slowly closing to the world no matter how much he didn’t want it to. Until Alec stepped in and stopped that, sending a flood of emotions into his heart, the good and the bad - happiness, want, love, heartbreak, peace, sorrow, and someday, grief. But for now, Magnus pushed away the thoughts of the inevitable grief that would find him, and focused on Alec - Alec here, Alec now, the warmth of his body against Magnus’s as they talked on the couch, his sweet voice tethering him to the mortal world.

Later, when it was late into the night and they were lying together in bed, Alec with his head on Magnus’s chest and arms around each other, Alec asked,

“Where do you want to get married?”

Even as sleep dragged him down, Magnus knew exactly was his answer was.

“The beach,” he said. “My first home was near one. The sound of waves, no matter where, reminds of that place.” He smiled into the dark. “It would be nice to hear the waves and think of something else for a change.”

[shadowhuntertrash]

Hii congrats on 200 again 🥳🥳 could I request malec for the headcanons?? I already know I’m gonna love them 😻

Thank you!!! 🎉

Okay but hear me out. Magnus hates driving because why take two hours to get somewhere when you can take five minutes? Alec loves car trips but can't drive for shit so mostly they portal but occasionally Magnus will drive Alec around if he's stressed or just needs to get out for a bit.

Well we all know Magnus likes to call Alec 'Alexander' which isn't really a pet name but the way its used throughout the books is better than any other pet name I can think of. I think Alec calls Magnus 'Maggie' ironically to the point of telling people he's dating/married to Maggie and when he realizes people assume he's straight he is so horrified that he now says Magnus Bane and proceeds to inform them that he is a male.

Magnus does both. You cannot convince me that he doesn't rock out around the house in his sparkly af underwear while Alec sits there going who tf even is this idiot and then Magnus makes him join in and Alec is just like ah yes that's right, you’re my idiot.

Magnus has had all types of food and so he has one main food he likes. Alec picked up on it quite quickly and on their second date told the waiter what he wanted and then told the waiter what Magnus wanted too and Magnus was like hOw DiD yOu KnOw? And Alec is like idk I like you so I paid attention and Magnus is like *teary eyed* thank you

Alec is absolutely terrified of spiders but he won't let Magnus kill them so he has Magnus portal them or scoop them up so they aren't harmed but aren't able to attack Alec anymore.

Alec adores his sleep and damn the people that interrupt it. Magnus on the other hand hates sleeping because its pointless and so he just asks Alec questions all night when he gets bored. "But Alexander think about it. If you're born deaf what language do you think in???" "MAGNUS SHUT UP ITS FOUR AM"

We all know how they came out 😍. Alec kissed him in front of everyone which effectively outed him and Magnus was just like Y E S. Alec was scared and his parents weren't supportive but Magnus' friends were all really happy for him.

Magnus is easily bored at meetings and when Alec is in the middle of going over something important he magically whispers inappropriate things in his ear from the end of the table. Most of the time Alec can keep a straight face but there are some occasions where the meeting ends because suddenly Alec can't form a coherent thought.

Alec needs reassurance that Magnus has his back for everything, family events, institute things, he just needs reassurance most of the time in form of support. Magnus needs reassurance about Alec really loving him and not just having a little fun and testing the waters. Alec is absolutely head over hills in love with Magnus but Magnus has been through so much and knows how much people can change that he's always scared.

They both kiss desperately most of the time. Alec has spent his whole life hiding who he was and Magnus has never had anyone who cares as much as Alec so as sweet and cuddly as they can be both of them kiss quite passionately.

Alec is NEVER late. He is always on time as most things he is hosting/running himself. Magnus like to make dramatic entrances but if Alec needs help setting up he will get there early to help him. Alec ever only showed up to something late once and he showed up with his shirt inside out and bed hair but not the kind you wake up with.

Magnus loves photography. He has been into it since it started because he likes the idea of catching everyone that has ever been important to him in photographs. He keeps them in a warded box in a secret place so he can look back and remember all the friends he's lost. (He has pictures of Will, Matthew and James, almost everyone from that era.)

Alec is a tidy person and typically cleans obsessively but sometimes if he's tired from a long day at work and doesn't have the energy to clean up after the kids when he gets home Magnus will just shove him in bed, kiss him on the forehead, and then go clean it up himself before getting in bed with his husband.

Alec doesn't drink much and is a lightweight which makes Magnus laugh hysterically because after 800 (😏) years he has learned how to take his liquor. Its quickly turned into a game to see who can get Alec more smashed but every morning when he wakes up terribly hung over Magnus just laughs and magics it away.

Magnus likes to spring trips on Alec when he gets overwhelmed running the institute. Their favorite places are the Maldives, Paris, and Bora Bora because Magnus is a sucker for the beach and they both have a thing about Paris.

[malecsecretsanta]

Merry Christmas, high-warlock-of-brooklyn!

For @high-warlock-of-brooklyn.

Betas: Accal1a, Myulalie

Read On AO3

*****

Bedtime

“Papa, tell me again please,” Max asked, not willing to go to sleep yet. 

Magnus sighed. Getting his younger son to sleep had been a fight each and every night recently. The eight-year old just didn’t want to go to bed. They all paid dearly for it, starting with Alec and Magnus, who had to tell the same bedtime story over and over again and ending with Rafael, who had to endure the same bedtime story over and over again. It took out a good chunk out of Rafael’s playtime, before he had to go to bed, too.

The latter voiced his displeasure about that rather vocally. “Max, not that again, even I know it by heart now and I want to play with Papa. Stop being such a baby and just go to sleep.”

Magnus could feel the familiar tension behind his temple, signalling an oncoming headache, and rubbed his forehead. He wouldn’t want to give up his kids for the world, but sometimes he wished they were someone else’s problem.

“Prove it, Rafe! If you can tell me the story, like Papa always does, then I’ll never ask for it again!”

“Okay.” Rafael’s answer came promptly, even before Magnus had a chance to interject or calm them down.

Hands were shaken and deals were made.

This was how they all found themselves scattered around Max’s bed, with Max peeking out of the night sky blue sheets already dressed in his fluffy seelie onesie. Rafael was sitting next to him on the mattress with one arm around Max’s shoulders and a face that could’ve curdled milk. Magnus and Alec were sitting on the floor next to the bed.

Alec, who had joined the rest of the family on Max’s insistence so that Alec could “correct the mistakes in Rafael’s story” would act as judge.

Rafael took a deep breath and started to tell the version of the story he’d much prefer to hear every evening. “So, one day Papa was dancing in his club and then he spotted Dad,” Rafael was pointing towards his parents, “and when Dad’s sibling annoyed Papa and he wanted to make a portal home, he couldn’t anymore.” Rafael said dismissively and continued with a very bored tone and an exasperated sigh, “and then boom,” Raphael mimed a very unenthusiastic explosion with his hands, “Dad had Papa’s magic and Papa could suddenly bear runes. Then they fell in love. The end. Can you go to sleep now?”

As expected, Max started to complain. “This is not how the story goes. Papa tells it much better.”

Alec sulked a little bit. “And what about me, Blueberry?”

Max’s cheeks flushed purple before he reached out with his hand and patted Alec’s head with childish clumsiness, tugging on Alec’s hair a bit. “Sorry Daddy, but Papa makes the better sparkles. You have other good qualities.”

Alec chuckled.

“You make better pancakes.” 

Magnus fake-gasped, insulted. “I thought you liked my pancakes!”

Before Max could reply, Rafael cut in, clearly annoyed with the whole situation. “Papa, can you please tell the story already, so that we can play? You promised me!”

“Alright then, little Angel. Let’s see... where do I start?” Magnus wrapped his arm around Alec’s shoulder, who leaned in to the touch instantly, getting comfortable on the hard floor.

“Back when Valentine and his goons still threatened to upset the careful balance in the Shadow World, I used to offer refuge to every stray warlock who needed it.” Magnus made a gesture with his free hand, casting a shimmering, blue picture above the bed of a crowded room, all warlocks with their marks out. Max tried to touch someone’s horns in the projection but was only met with thin air. Like always.

“We were hiding away, but that was never a reason not to enjoy life.” Magnus looked at the projection a bit forlornly, clearly deep in thought. Alec knew Magnus was thinking about the warlocks that died that night and squeezed the hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

“The shadowhunters from the Institute needed our help with the summoning of a demon, so they had to come up with a plan. We were hiding very well and meeting up with me was not easy,” Magnus continued wistfully, playing with his ear cuff.

“Auntie Clary and Uncle Jace, right Papa?” Max interjected, barely louder than a whisper.

Alec hummed in affirmation. “They wanted to lure your Papa out and used something that used to be very precious to him.”

Magnus squinted at Alec. “Oi! I am telling the story. If you don’t stop, I’ll be the only pancake maker in the future.” 

Alec sighed and kissed Magnus’ neck. “Go on then, Mr. Storyteller.”

Magnus pouted a bit before continuing. “Well they contacted me via firemessage, and to be honest, it was more curiosity than anything else that made me go to Pandemonium that night. I had a bit of fun showing two of Valentine’s goons the door; and then Auntie Clary and Uncle Jace approached me. I couldn’t give them what they wanted, so I made a portal home. Unfortunately, I must have missed one of Valentine’s goons and he wanted to attack me.”

Max gasped loudly, clutching the blanket tight to his body.

“Max you know what happens, stop acting so scared.” Rafael grumbled next to him and hit the back of his head against the headboard in frustration, but he still laid his arm around Max.

Magnus cleared his throat pointedly before continuing. “Your Dad was a vision that evening. All black and grumpy and very serious. He shot down the evil man that was about to attack me from what must have been 200 feet.” With a snip of his fingers Magnus let the scene happen on Max’s bed.

“Magnus, it was barely 60 feet.” Alec interjected.

Magnus chose to ignore him. “I could feel the arrow whir past my ear before it hit its mark.” Blue magic coiled together into the shape of said arrow and flew past Max’s ear, making his eyes grow big in awe, when he felt the same drag of air behind Magnus’ magic at his ear that his Papa must’ve felt that night.

“And then I turned around and saw him for the first time, but he didn’t even give me a second glance.” Magnus pouted a bit. “To think that I was so distracted by him, I didn’t even notice that my portal had crumbled to nothingness.”

Another gasp from Max, excited this time. “What happened next?”

Rafe rolled his eyes as his only answer, as if he wanted to say Can you believe this guy? Getting excited over the same old story, that he has heard a thousand times.

“When I tried to step through the non-existent portal, I collided with your Dad instead. I almost fell, because I was so surprised not to be in my loft.”

“But he caught you, right?”

“Yes Max, he caught me,” Magnus mused, “I think that was a good omen since your father has always caught me from there on.”

“You’re such a sap Magnus.”

“Only for you, sayang.”

Rafael had definitely had enough. “You two are so gross. Don’t start kissing please, Max and I really don’t need to see this. Or hear this. Can you please go back to just telling the story?”

Magnus chuckled. “Alright, let’s see where was I? Ahh yes, so your Dad steadied me with his shadowhunter reflexes and the moment he touched me there was this spark, and I knew who he was. Well I didn’t know he was Alexander Lightwood, but I knew he was it for me.”

The magic hovering over Max’s blankets took on a slightly purplish hue as Magnus remembered. “Alexander was really remarkable that evening.”

“First of all, I’m always remarkable,” Alex joked, “and second, that spark that you felt was more like me electrocuting you with your own powers, over which I had no control.”

Magnus stared at him in disbelief. “Alexander, how dare you belittle that moment for me? And this is the second time you’ve interrupted me. I am telling the story and you are making pancakes in the morning, so if I say there was a spark, then there was a spark, so stop telling the children lies about our magical first meeting.”

Completely oblivious to his parent’s banter Max asked another question.

“Why did you have Papa’s magic, Daddy?”

“Oh come on! You know all this already, Max. Why do you need to hear it every evening?” Rafael said, clearly frustrated. He just wanted to play with his father already.

Max shot him a dirty look - as dirty as an eight-year old's look could get. “Just because you don’t like to hear it doesn’t mean I can’t like it either. Why are you even still here if it’s bothering you so much?”

That shut Rafael up, and once the boys had settled comfortably under the blanket again, Magnus resumed manipulating the cloud of magic.

“Alexander got access to my magic because he is my soulmate, Blueberry.” The blue cloud took the shape of a person, almost as tall as the skyscrapers surrounding them. There were even shadows of wings cast against Max’s bedroom wall.

Magnus smiled at Alec happily, showing his teeth. “The angel Castiel, the first soulmate, once had his chance at love ripped away as his true love was silenced by the outer realms.” While Magnus spoke a second, smaller, human shape appeared and dissolved again, leaving the winged shadow alone between skyscrapers, with one arm outstretched. “The angel mourned his loss greatly for a long time until he didn’t anymore.” The magical person’s posture changed, determination clear in the stride of their legs and flutter of their wings.

“You see, Castiel and his siblings loved to rile each other up, and so he decided to try his luck with their children, no matter if it was his heavenly or fallen siblings. He wanted to give the children a chance he never had himself so he created soulbonds.” The picture Magnus was projecting changed again, this time it was a pretty perfect replica of Times Square floating over Max’s bed. There were a lot of faceless people, connected by the blue strings of Magnus’ magic, creating an intricate web made out of bonds.

“He didn’t really create them though,” Rafael interjected. “He just amplified them and made them into something tangible.”

“You too now Rafe? I can’t believe my storytelling is undermined by not one but two smarty-pants.” Magnus growled playfully.

“He’s right Magnus. An angel doesn’t have the power to create something like that, even more so if he doesn’t have his full grace, which we know he didn’t.”

“Well if you know it so much better, why don’t you two continue then?” Magnus retorted, pouting. The magic scene on Max’s bed flickered a bit.

“Alright then.” Alec clapped his hands. “Let’s see, so Castiel strengthened the bonds so much with his leftover grace, that they manifested in many different forms. Some mundanes with the sight can even see the lines and follow them, but that’s incredibly rare.”

“Thomas says he knows some girl who can see the bonds,” Rafael supplied helpfully.

“Maybe she can help him find his soulmate one day.” Alec suggested. “It’s a big advantage to have some help, as to not get surprised by a random stranger stealing your talents, especially as a shadowhunter.”

“Or a warlock.” Max chimed in. “Go on now, Daddy.”

“With your father and I, as with most of the shadow world, our powers got switched. It is said that Castiel wanted to force the mated pairs to spend as much time together as possible in order to learn from each other how to get your power back.”

“Because he didn’t get to spend enough time with his, right?”

“That’s correct Blueberry, though many speculate that he still found a way and they are happy together now. The switching of powers is a great way to ensure a good relationship between the different factions of the shadow world, since the mates are required to work together closely. It’s also the reason why the shadowhunter weapon range is so limited and we mainly use swords. I still remember how mad Mom was at me for picking up the bow. I swear I can still hear it sometimes.” 

Alec chuckled quietly and then spoke in a very high voice, that didn’t resemble Maryse’s at all, “I can’t believe you did this Alexander! What will the Clave think? Your soulmate will have to go through intensive training until you two can go out to missions again or risk being a liability to the whole squad. This is a disaster.”

Alec’s fake tirade was interrupted by Max giggling. “Grandma doesn’t sound like that at all!”

“I think I hit it spot on. Luckily it didn’t matter at all in the end. No amount of shadowhunter training could have prepared me for the strength necessary to keep your Papa’s magic at bay.”

“What is that supposed to mean, Alexander?”

“It means that I am very glad to have you in my life.”

Rafael moaned. “They are doing it again! Stop flirting. It’s disgusting.”

Magnus shot Rafael a dirty glance and then gave Alec a small peck on the lips before sticking his tongue out at his older son.

“How did you get your magic back, Papa?” Max asked completely unfazed.

Magnus started fiddling with his ear cuff and gazed at his children solemnly. “Through hard work, through opening myself up to another person, and through the most exhausting training sessions I’ve ever had to endure.” In a very audible stage whisper he added, “let me tell you one thing Blueberry, those shadowhunters are crazy.” Magnus twirled his index finger next to his temple. “Completely loco.”

“Hey!”

Magnus looked between his indignant husband and son. “What? You two know that I’m right. And Max knows it, too. Right Max?”

“Absolutely Papa!”

Their smug expressions vanished instantly once Alec descended upon Magnus, and Rafael upon Max in order to tickle them.

“You better take that back.” Alec growled and nipped at Magnus’ lips playfully.

“Or what?” Magnus challenged him.

“Or else I’ll zap you.” Alec let blue magic swirl around the tips of his finger, like sparks of electricity. “I might not be as powerful as you but maybe I have to remind you that we share our powers now. I can still electrocute you six ways to Sunday.”

Before Magnus could answer with a witty comeback, a loud shriek from Max made them look up. The little warlock had tears in his eyes from being tickled so harshly by his brother, and his face was so flushed it was almost completely purple. Rafael was leaning over him, his relentless fingers still making Max squirm and wiggle in the hopes of escaping him. 

“Rafael, I think he got the message.” Alec chuckled. “You did, right Blueberry?”

Rafael stopped his attack momentarily and peered down at Max, who gasped for air. “I don’t think shadowhunters are crazy.” And then just a little bit quieter. “Not all the way.”

Before anything else could happen Magnus shooed Rafael and Alec out of the room and tucked Max in. “Do you think you can sleep now?”

Max nodded happily. 

Magnus turned around one last time before turning the lights off when the question came.

“Papa?”

“What is it Max?”

“Do you think I will find my soulmate?” The timid, scared tone almost broke Magnus’ heart and he sat down on the edge of the bed, stroking Max’s hair gently.

“I can’t guarantee you that Max, but I know that if you meet them, they will be very lucky to have you. It may take some years. I mean, I waited four centuries for mine and had almost given up hope, but in the end it was worth it. For now, all you can do is wait for them and in the meantime enjoy your life.”

Max looked at him for a long time. “I hope my soulmate is like Daddy.”

Magnus smiled. “No matter who they will be, they will be it for you.” He pressed a kiss to Max’s hair and stood up.

“Goodnight, Papa.”

“Goodnight, Blueberry.”

---

Later that night, when Rafael had gone to bed as well, Alec and Magnus laid in bed together. Alec caressed Magnus’ pec, where he could see their soulmark over Magnus’ heart from where his head was pillowed on Magnus’ arm. He can still remember the moment it had appeared. The moment he had gotten his bow skills back and had lost a good chunk of Magnus’ magic. The moment it became clear that they would have eternity together. In that very moment it had been so clear and he’d been so full of love.

“What are you thinking about, sayang?”

“How much I love you.”

“You’ll turn a boy’s head with those words Alexander.”

“I don’t need to do that anymore. You’re mine already; and I’m yours.” With those words Alec kissed the arrow flying through a flaming portal on Magnus’ chest.

“Till death do us part.”

[onetimetwotimesthreetimess]

WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE

"I'm a centuries-old warlock darling. I don't get hungover. Or drunk, for that matter". They both knew that wasn't true.

Alec chuckled lightly. "We both know that's not true."

Magnus portaled back the next morning and found the love of his life and his kids sleeping peacefully in their bed.

(This is the morning after that letter from Magnus to Alec in Secrets of Blackthorn Hall). You can find it here

I hope you guys like it.

Special thanks to lovely @khaleesiofalicante for reading this for me and encouraging me to post it. I am love you

I'm tagging a couple of my mutuals too. @sociallyineptbibliophile @elettralightwood @ahanahahaha @anarchistbitch (let me know if anyone wants to be removed or added)

[megs-readstoomuch]

Newest installment in my “Shadowhunters: Parenthood Edition” stories. The rest can be found on AO3 HERE!!!

Happy Birthday Reesa!

Jace woke up earlier than usual. He stretched and immediately turned his head to check on Clary, as he always did when he awakened. She was still asleep, red hair fanned out on her pillow and the quietest of snores coming from her mouth. Jace grinned. She never believed him when he said she snored, but honestly, he found it adorable, so he didn’t complain that much. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, lingering for a moment to breathe her in. He smiled and gave her one more quick, light kiss.

Jace slid quietly from the bed and went about his morning routine of shaving and dressing. As he sat to put his socks and boots on, he heard her. She was humming the lullaby Jace had played her last night before bed, as he did every night. The song his Mom had sang to him and his siblings when they were young. With a smile, Jace went into the nursery and found his daughter standing in her crib, the morning sun slowly turning the room a warm gold. Reesa’s strawberry blond curls were wild from her night’s sleep and stood out like a cloud around her head. She had a thumb in her mouth and was still humming their song, but broke into a smile when she saw Jace.

“Hi Dada!” She waved her hand excitedly as if they were seeing each other again after a long journey. Jace lifted her from the crib, kissing each cheek. She laughed and patted his face.

“How is my girl?” Jace said as he proceeded to change her sleeper. He picked out one of the bright, colorful rompers Magnus and Clary kept her closet filled with and started dressing her. She wiggled as she waited on him to finish the snaps and buttons. “Guess what Reesa?”

The little girl blinked at him in response, as he tried to tame her curls a little with the tiny hair clips Clary bought. “Today is your first birthday. It is a big day. You’ve been here with Mama and Daddy a whole year. You are one.” He surveyed his work. Dang, he was getting good at this hair thing.

“I’m one.” Reesa said, watching as he proceeded to put her shoes on. He let her fasten the Velcro tabs herself. “All done!” She held her hands out.

“Excellent work.” Jace complimented her, lifting her down off the changing table and stood her on the floor.

“Where Mama?” Reesa asked as Jace careful put her favorite old stele of his in the pocket of her romper.

“Mama is sleeping. It’s just you and me this morning.” Jace answered her. “Shall we have breakfast?” He held out his hand. She slipped a tiny soft hand into his callused, scarred one and Jace felt his heart swell again with joy over having this little girl in his life.

“Mama sleeping.” Reesa said. “Ssssh.” She twisted her face into a comical shush and pressed a finger to her lips. Jace grinned at her.

“Exactly.”

———

There were only a handful of people in the dining hall this early, as it was barely 5 o’clock. Jace liked it this way though. Mostly those present were coming in late off of patrol, bleary eyed and exhausted. But despite that, each one perked up a little at the sight of the toddler in her bright pink romper, with the butterfly clips in her hair. She always waved at everyone as she and Jace moved through to find a table to sit at.

Reesa refused a high chair on the grounds she was “nota baby”, instead kneeling in the chair next to Jace, happily eating her bacon. Jace nursed his cup of coffee and just watched her. He couldn’t believe it had been a year since she arrived. He still remembered it, he had never been so scared and happy. And now look at her. One year old.

He pushed away the ever present worry about her “Angel gifts” as the family called them. She was just one, but she functioned more like a 2yo. She was quick and smart, speaking in small sentences already. She could jump and run faster than your average child, quick with all her reflexes and motor skills too. She was also taller than average. Aside from all this and a predilection for being found constantly leaping off of the top of Jace’s baby grand and landing perfectly every time, she had yet to exhibit any other manifestations of her pure Angel blood inheritance. Jace still wondered if she would have any of Clary’s gifts. Tessa often hinted that there would be more to Reesa than she had shown them so far.

“More please.” A tiny voice cut into Jace’s thoughts. Reesa had finished her bacon and eggs and was looking expectantly at Jace. “More bacon.”

“Alright, but just two more, ok?” Jace answered her, raising up from his chair.

“Okey doke,” she said, picking her orange juice up with both hands. He chuckled.

———

Clary found them in the office after she had woken and had her own breakfast. Jace at his desk and Reesa on his lap, as usual. He was flicking through night patrol reports on his tablet and Reesa was concentrating on drawing runes on a notepad, her tiny tongue stuck out in concentration.

“Hi Mama!” Reesa cried, wiggling off of Jace’s knee to run around the desk and into Clary’s arms.

“Hi, my baby,” Clary kissed her on the cheek and then blew a raspberry against the soft skin. Reesa giggled. “Happy Birthday!”

“I’m one!” Reesa held up one finger proudly.

“Yes, you are! And we are going to have a party for you,” Clary kissed the outstretched index finger.

“A party?” Reesa crinkled her forehead in confusion.

“A party?” Jace made the same face.

Clary smiled at the resemblance. “Uncle Magnus is planning a party for your birthday. With cake!”

The one year old’s eye lit up. “CAKE!” She yelled, wiggling to be put down so she could run around her mother in a happy gallop while continuing to yell about cake.

“It will be at 5 this evening,” Clary told Jace over Reesa’s yells. “I already asked Underhill to cover your patrol so the whole family can be there.” Jace frowned a little. He hated to ask favors of the other Shadowhunters, even if he was the Co-Head of the Institute. Clary walked around the desk and sat on the arm of his chair. “It’s for Reesa’s birthday. Underhill was happy to do it. And you can cover his next patrol to make up for it, he said.”

Jace’s brow smoothed out. “Well, that does seems more fair.” Clary kissed his cheek and then leaned against him as they watched their daughter dance happily around the room.

———

“I think Magnus made the apartment bigger to fit everyone,” Alec whispered to Jace as they walked into the living room from the kitchen.

“You think? Because I don’t remember there being two bathrooms in the hallway,” Jace pointed out. “Or that hatrack. Tell me that’s not anyone we know, by the way.”

“Dang it, you’re right,” Alec agreed, ignoring the query about the hatrack and sipping from his plastic cup. He made a face. “What is this?”

“Something called punch,” Jace eyed his own pink drink warily. He didn’t like pink drinks in general . “Jocelyn insisted it is what mundanes drink at birthday parties.”

“By the Angel, why?” Alec muttered, quickly dumping the rest of the drink in the ficus behind him (that he was pretty sure hadn’t been there this morning).

“No idea,” Jace said, tossing back the last dredges in his cup and swallowing.

“You still drank it?”

Jace raised an eyebrow. “Have you ever known me to reject food or drink?”

“Fair enough,” Alec said.

Clary came over with two bottles in hand. “Here. Have some water. That punch is as gosh-awful as it was when I was kid.” The two men gratefully accepted the drinks.

A crash came from the kids’ room. The parents all turned, waiting for any cries of distress.

“Everything’s fine!”shouted Rafe. Alec raised an eyebrow.

“I think I’ll check anyway,” he shook his head and went down the now extra long hall to his sons’ room where Rafe and Max were “fighting demins”, according to Max.

Clary slid her arms around Jace’s waist and he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. They looked around the room.

Jocelyn, Kadir, and Maryse were chatting in the corner, the every present dried paint visible on the back of Jocelyn’s hand and around her nails as she made a gesture in the air. Maryse nodded to whatever was being said and politely sipped from her cup, making no face but Jace knew his mother enough to see in her eyes what she thought of “punch”. He bit his lip to keep from smiling. Kadir was very focused on Jocelyn’s story, his own hands suspiciously empty.

Luke and Simon bookended the sofa, a 4-month pregnant Isabelle with the start of a baby bump sitting between them. All three were discussing a new weapon the Iron Sisters had sent to the Institute this week. Simon was particularly excited, waving his hands about. Isabelle rubbed her bump and watched him in amusement.

Tess and Jem were sitting on the loveseat, Reesa sitting on Tessa’s lap and talking with them. She was making some of the same gestures with her hands that Jocelyn was making and Tessa nodded encouragingly at her. Mina was sitting in the floor, leaning against her father’s legs with a surprisingly content Chairman Meow on her lap, bedazzling his fur with sparks of magic from her fingers.

Magnus was busily waltzing around the dining room, flashes of magic visible as he finished placing copious amounts of purple, pink, and blue streamers and balloons around a banner that said, “Happy Birthday Baby Biscuit”. Alec had gently pointed out no one else called Reesa that but Magnus had merely kissed him firmly and said, “I make the party rules.” Alec had said nothing more and left him to his decorating.

“You know,” Jace mused. “I never had family around for birthdays until I my 11th. And that wasn’t even my birthday, as we now know. And really by the time you get your first rune, it’s downplayed. Shadowhunters don’t do parties much. Just a cake if everyone is around. But the Institute was always empty. And of course I didn’t have anyone else...before. I got a gift or a wish as you know, but it wasn’t the same as this. I like this. Except maybe the punch.”

“I do too. I like birthdays. I had my first kiss on my 16th birthday, you know,” Clary gave him a saucy grin. Jace shot her a look that made her stomach flip. He leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“You better stop, Mrs. Herondale. I’m not a well-behaved man.” Clary giggled.

“Alright you two, stop it,” Alec rolled his eyes at them, coming down the hall with his son’s following behind him like baby ducks, each carrying a fake weapon of some sort, the two boys in their miniature gear jackets that they played in. Both their cheeks were red from their “battle” but they looked pleased with themselves.

“And the crash?” Clary asked.

“Bookshelf. Magnus will have to sort it,” Alec shook his head. Rafe and Max looked properly contrite, although Clary knew them enough to know they weren’t really. She winked at them.

“Time for cake!” Magnus announced and everyone gathered in the dining room. Reesa was given the seat of honor and a rounding chorus of “Happy Birthday” was sang. She sang along, much to everyone’s amusement.

She carefully blew out her candle, and Max relit it so he could blow it out too. Reesa found this hilarious, so Max and Mina kept relighting it until everyone had blown out the candle and Magnus finally had to remove the stub from the cake before a second round of candle blowing was started.

The cake was, of course, delicious. Magnus hinted strongly that it had came from France.

“I left money in the till,” He hastened to add before anyone said anything. “But our babies have to have the best cake.”

Clary watched as Reesa picked up her plate and licked the frosting off. “I think you chose well,” she said. Jocelyn shook her head in amusement and cleaned the chocolate off of Reesa’s nose and eyebrows.

“Bapak! Present time! Present time!” Max was bouncing in excitement as Rafe carried in the gift.

Magnus placed the brightly wrapped present in front of a wide-eyes Reesa who looked at him expectantly. “Magic?” She asked.

With a smile, Magnus snapped his fingers and the paper and ribbon unfurled to reveal a tiny gear jacket of her own. Reesa squealed. “On! Now!” She demanded.

Clary complied, slipping it over her bright pink romper and zipping it up. Reesa rubbed her hands over the jacket in amazement. Jace squatted next to her chair and adjusted the collar.

“Can you say thank you to everyone?” He prompted her gently.

“Thank you Unca Alec and Unca Magnus,” she whispered, still in awe. “And Nana and Papa and Gran’ma and Kad and Unca Simon and Ant Izzy and Max and Rafe and Jem and Nonna Tessa and Mina.” The adult all smiled as the little girl listed her whole family.

Alec smiled and knelt next to Jace. “Look,” he showed the little girl the pocket for her stele, tucking it in for her.

“You’re ready to fight now, Baby Biscuit,” Magnus said.

Max and Rafe bounced around her. “Yeah, we are all ready now!”

“Me too,” Mina cried, sending golden sparks through the air as she jumped down to dance with the boys.

“Well then, how about you all go train outside,” Magnus directed, snapping his fingers to cover every surface of the spacious balcony with large soft training mats, a low balance beam, and wooden swords. Reesa gave a suspiciously high jump off her chair and landed next to Rafe. He grabbed her hand and the four children ran outside.

———

The grownups sat down to enjoy decent, less sugary food (courtesy of Simon’s sister Rebecca’s restaurant, which Magnus used as often as he could) and watch the kids through the large windows. The punch had mysteriously disappeared (Jace wasn’t going to point fingers, but he suspected his mother had instigated a punch-removal directive to Kadir), so Magnus produced “adult drinks”.

Jace stood next to the window, watching the children play. Reesa was observing Rafe, who was showing Mina how to balance on the balance beam while holding her hand. When they were done, Reesa tried too, but refused assistance. She managed to walk it as easily as if she were on the ground and even did a large jump at the end.

“She’s good.” Jem had come up beside him, his eyes on his daughter who was comparing magic colors with Max. They were shooting little sparks in the air, and Reesa was laughing as they landed on her hair and arms.

“She is,” Jace said, a mix of pride and worry in his voice.

“Having a child with a gift you can’t exactly understand, it’s not easy,” Jem admitted. Jace looked at him, realizing Jem was a former Shadowhunter, with a half shadowhunter-half warlock wife and a child with an odd mix of warlock and shadowhunter blood.

“I don’t care about her gifts so much anymore, I just want her to be happy,” Jace said quietly. “I wasn’t, as a child. I want her to be more than just her gifts.”

“I remember you,” Jem mused. “You were the quietest, most composed, well-trained, and polite 10 year old I had ever met.”

“The ship. The attack by the werewolves on that ship the night I came to live with the Lightwoods.” Jace looked surprised. “I had forgotten, that was the first time we met, wasn’t it? I used your staff. The one with WH carved on it.”

“Yes. Your gifts were very visible that day, I just didn’t see them clearly. I’m sorry you weren’t happy, though.”

“I was later. I found part of my happiness with the Lightwoods. And the rest,” Jace’s eyes searched out Clary, laughing with Tessa and her mother near the fireplace. “The rest with Clary. And now with Reesa.”

“I understand,” Jem replied. And he did. He knew the fulfillment of happiness that came with love. With Will, with Tessa, with Mina and Kit. He saw that same completion in Jace now, what had been missing all those years ago when he had been the solemn and determined child with those golden eyes and that Herondale recklessness that had reminded Jem of Will even then.

The two men watched as Mina and Reesa joined hands to run away from Max and for a moment, it seemed like Reesa’s eyes glimmered and Mina’s fingers sparked a brighter gold and they seemed to be moving faster than they should have been. He blinked and it was gone. Jace’s brow was slightly furrowed , as if he had seen something as well.

“I think...those two may be trouble together,” Jem said.

“A Herondale and a Carstairs? Definitely. I’ve heard the stories from Tessa.” Jace laughed and Jem joined him.

“Oh yes. Will and I.” Jem smiled at the memories. “Will and Tessa’s daughter Lucie, her parabatai was also a Carstairs. Their son’s was a Fairchild.”

“Herondales, Carstairs, Lightwoods, and Fairchilds. Chaos and mayhem since the beginning, is what you’re saying?” Jace queried.

“Yes,” Jem confirmed. The two men stood in silence for a moment, watching the children play.

“Mundanes have gifted children too, you know.” Jem murmured. “But I think it means they are better at things like math and reading.” Jace looked bemused at this. Reesa turned and saw him watching her. She waved. He waved back.

“I can’t wait to see what they do,” Jace said softly. Jem nodded in agreement.

“I think,” Jem paused as Reesa and Mina joined hands again, their black and golden-red heads bent together to listen to Rafe and Max. “I think they’ll change the world.”

[beclynn-herondale]

Clace Christmas headcanons

Clary and Jace made mint tea and cookies, and they just enjoyed the company of each other and their family

Kit, Jem and Tessa, and Mina all visited for an early Christmas to say hi and Jace taught kit how to make Christmas cookies *Kit is happy about it but will never let Jace see this*

Jace learned how to make Christmas cookies just to make some for his nephews and kit anf mina

Clary mastered a special hot chocolate for the kids *she makes her and Jace some with coffee in it but no one needs to know*

For Christmas Jace and Clary decided instead of buying something for each other they would make something, Jace wrote Clary a special song on the piano and Clary made Jace a painting of colors that remind her of him *Jace loved it*

They had Max and Rafe sleepover at the institute one night in December to spend time with them and so Magnus and Alec could have a date night, they played games and sang songs, as well as read stories

On the cold December nights Clary and Jace snuggle and just enjoy each other's company, Jace will read a story to Clary to put her to sleep, and Jace will just enjoy the peace of having her asleep in his arms

When they had Kit and Mina over, Mina called Jace, uncle Jace and he loves it but technically she's his great something aunt or whatever and he doesn't know how to process this, but he is uncle Jace to many and it makes him emotions

Clary is aunt Clary to many as well and she never knew how much being called aunt Clary would mean to her, she now says she will protect these kids no matter what, she knows Jace already will as well, he happens to be very protective of kids and doesn't let people be mean to them

Clary and Jace also gifted each matching daggers for an early Christmas present, they love them and they will not take criticism for it

Max, Rafe and Mina tackle Jace to the floor and Jace pretends they beat him and then they roll over in laughter, Max yells "WE DEFEATED UNCLE JACE, BUT WE LOVE YOU STILL"

When Jace and Clary started having serious conversations about kids, Jace told Clary all the possible nicknames they could use "well there's Celery, and chickpea, and pineapples, and carrot, and pumpkin, and daisy, and strawberry, and Mangoes, and peaches, and cashew," and Clary said "so we are nicknaming our kids after plants and food?" , "Of course!" Jace replied

Clary and Jace both love sweaters and jackets, so they love it when it's cold outside and they can wear them whenever

Once Christmas day has ended, they both will go snuggle in bed together and talk about their favorite moments of the day, and they would both be at peace and feel so loved, they both give kisses on the forehead before bed and a kiss on the lips

After Christmas is over Clary is sad that they have to take down the Christmas lights, Max and Rafe are both sad about it as well

[fedyorivans-moved]

"When I look at you, I see my world and that scares the s*** out of me."

For @chibi-tsukiko

Your malec request, my dear

Enjoy!!! 💙

MASTERLIST

The first thing Alec noticed as he drifted into consciousness were fingers lightly tracing a path along his arm. 

"Good morning," he hummed. 

"Good morning, yourself," Magnus said, pressing a kiss to Alec's lips. "How did you sleep?"

"Better now that you're here." He turned to face Magnus fully. "I missed you while you were in Madrid." 

Magnus smiled. "I missed you too. I was worried you were going to run yourself ragged with the kids and all," he teased. 

Alec flipped onto his back, staring at the ceiling. For a few minutes he was silent, then, "What are you scared of?" 

Magnus sounded startled. "Where did that come from? Besides, I think you know what I'm afraid of." 

"Don't say-"

"Acid washed jeans," he shuddered.

"Magnus! I'm being serious!" Alec protested. "It's different from when we first started dating. I'm the Consul. We have kids now. We're married." He said the word with awe. "What're you scared of? Really." 

"Okay. Aside from worrying about the kids and those deadly shadowhunting missions..." Magnus paused for a moment. "You." 

Alec started. "What? Me?" 

"When I look at you, I see my world and that scares the s*** out of me." He said the words simply, as if they hadn't just made Alec's heart stop in his chest. 

Alec stared, open-mouthed, for about a minute before covering his face with his hands and making a sound akin to a groan mixed with a muffled screech.

Magnus laughed out loud. 

"Don't laugh at me!" He moaned. "You professed your love for me and I gaped at you like a fish." 

That just made Magnus laugh harder. "Oh, my Alec," he said, wiping away tears. "Come here." 

Though grumbling, Alec accepted his invitation and snuggled against Magnus' chest. 

"You know I think it's adorable that I can still turn you into a blushing mess." 

"Shut up," he whined. 

Magnus gasped dramatically. "It's not my fault! Making you flustered is easier than making myself look gorgeous every morning." 

"You always look gorgeous," Alec muttered. 

"My point exactly!"

Alec chucked and they eased into a comfortable silence, wrapped in each other's arms. The morning sun cast a light glow over the bed.

After several moments, Alec spoke in a muffled voice. "You're my world too, Magnus." 

He sighed contentedly. "I know Alexander, I know." 

They laid there together, basking in the pure, crystalline love of the moment. A love the world could never take from them. 

[lovemalecforever]

Chapter 9

A Little bit of Happiness and Little bit of Chaos

The warmth of the afternoon sun fell on Magnus' face breaking his beauty sleep. He stirred then woke up and sat on his bed. He looked around and saw the time on his ancient yet still working alarm clock, it was around 12 in the afternoon. 'Shit! How did I... ' then he remembered his morning patch up session with Alec and falling asleep in his arms. He sighed then looked down at his wedding ring, played with it a little, going deep in thoughts for some time. He was about to get out of the bed when his eyes fell upon a note kept under the alarm clock. He picked it up and quickly opened it, it was Alec's handwriting.

Morning sleepyhead, I hope you didn't wake up with the stupid nightmare again, if you did, remember I'm just a phone call away, you can portal me home whenever you want. I made breakfast for you before leaving, I know you didn't have dinner last night. Eat and inform me that you did. I'll be waiting for your call. I love you, Magnus Lightwood Bane.

Husband♡

Magnus looked at the note, his fingers gently stroking over the words written on them, feeling the texture of the paper. A tiny smile formed on his lips. He kept the note in the drawer of the side table and went to the bathroom to get freshen up.

After taking a quick shower and getting freshen up, he went to the kitchen. When he reached there, he saw a plate which had scrambled eggs, two sliced bacon, butter toast, a bowl of few diced fruits and a glass of orange juice placed near it. He sighed softly, his heart melted over this small gesture. Just as he was about to eat it, his phone buzzed loudly. He saw the caller ID, it was Alec, he picked it up quickly.

"Hey Alexander, I saw what you did. I appreciate it, but it wasn't needed!"

Alec sighed in relief, which Magnus clearly heard, confused as to why he was stressed.

"I swear Magnus Lightwood Bane, you scared the hell out of me! I thought you had the nightmare again and wasn't telling me, I was about to head back home! Why didn't you call me when I asked you to!?"

Magnus was confused at first but then he remembered the note. He sighed.

"Oh! I.. just woke up and saw the note and the breakfast. I.. didn't eat it yet!" He confessed, then continued. "But.. what got you so scared? I'm completely fine. Relax!"

"Are you kidding me! Magnus, check your damn phone!"

Magnus checked his phone, he had 5 missed calls from Alec and some texts asking if he had breakfast or if he was fine, or if he needed him home. He gulped nervously.

"I'm sorry for scaring you, Alexander. I just woke up and I'm fine, don't worry."

"Don't worry? Mags, it's afternoon. You slept for that long when you hate oversleeping! Are you okay? did you-"

"Hey, calm down, Alexander! I'm fine. On the contrary, I slept peacefully as I didn't do much sleeping last nig-" He regretted immediately what he just said, mentally cursing himself.

Alec wasn't shocked or surprised by this as he himself didn't. He was worried about him the whole time. He knew that this needed to be fixed and he knew exactly how.

"Meet me in my office immediately!" He said in his all authoritative tone.

"A.. Alexander!?" Magnus was now nervous and guilty that he has him all worried and upset while he's working.

"In my office! Now! And I'm not saying it again!" With that, he hung up the call.

Magnus gulped, he quickly stored all the breakfast in the fridge with the help of his magic, then went to the bedroom.

___________________________________

When Alec hung up the call, he quickly cleared his table which was covered with books related to Kasper Windermere he was researching about, and shoved them into the lower compartment of his desk, aware that Magnus can come at any moment.

Within a minute a portal opened up in the center of his office and Magnus stepped out of it, looking all scared and guilty. Alec stood from his chair, walked towards his husband, and looked at him sternly.

"Alexander! Hey, I didn't mean to scare you, look I'm completely fine, you don't have to be worr-" he was cut by Alec's soft lips around his own. He was surprised at first, but then kissed him back making it more passionate.

Alec broke the kiss after some time. "Shut up!"

"You already made me!"

Alec glared at him. Magnus gulped, then looked away.

"W..Why did you call? Something important?"

"Yes, it is. I want you to go on a lunch date with me!" He said in a flat tone.

Magnus looked at him jaw-dropped, unable to say anything.

Alec suppressed his smile, wanting to play it for a longer time but then decided against it.

"Magnus, I'm free for an hour so I thought we could have lunch together, I know a good restaurant which Izzy told me about and I'm aware you're all stressed up, and to be honest so am I. With what happened yesterday... I think we both need to spend some time together." He looked at him with a soft smile.

Magnus sighed. "You had me scared Alexander!"

"Payback for scaring me like that!" Alec smirked.

Magnus shook his head at him. "I have no words... "

Alec then offered his hands to him. "I'm free for an hour only, so shall we?"

Magnus took his hands and kissed him softly. "Okay!"

________________________________

They reached the restaurant within a few minutes. The restaurant was constructed beautifully; it had themed interiors and was cold and cozy.

"It's beautiful!" Magnus confessed.

"Wait till you eat the food!" Alec said with an excited tone.

Magnus looked at him with a soft smile. They then walked towards the corner end of the restaurant away from all the crowd, took their seat, and ordered their lunch. Within ten minutes their food arrived.

"The food is really good!" Magnus said with a mouthful of his food.

"I knew you'd like it!"

Magnus looked at him then moved his hand towards his and intertwined their fingers, Alec rubbed his thumb over the back of his hand gently. They sat in comfortable silence eating their food when Magnus decided to speak up.

"Alexander, I'm really sorry about yesterday, I shouldn't have-"

"Magnus! It's not about what happened, it's about you, seeing you like that.. it reminded me of when you lost your magic and it concerns me. If there's something bothering you, please talk to me. I'm not forcing you to, but please, know that I'm here for you, I'm here to listen, whenever you want."

Magnus looked at him teary-eyed. 'I don't think I can Alexander. With what I was going to do, breaking our marriage, the thought coming to my mind, again and again, I don't think I can ever tell you about it and it's better that I keep it to myself.' he thought to himself, then nodded at him.

"I know Alexander, but I'm fine. Please, don't worry about me. I.. I know those nightmares are getting the best of me, but I'm trying not to get affected by them and-"

"And failing! Right?"

Magnus sighed and looked away.

"Hey, look at me!" Alec said softly.

Magnus looked at him, tears pooling on the edge of his eyes. Alec squeezed his hand gently.

"Magnus, I know what happened had scared you, it left bitter memories for me as well but know that I'm not planning on leaving you anytime soon. I'm here with you and I'm going to be. I love you, Magnus."

"I love you too, Alexander. And thank you, I know you're saying it to comfort me and well, it worked a little but I know I need to be prepared, my husband is a Shadowhunter and I'm immortal. It's never going to.." he trailed off.

Alec squeezed his hands gently and rubbed his thumb over the back of his hand. 'That's where you're wrong, Mags. I can see the pain in your eyes right now, just a few more days then we can be together forever.' he thought to himself.

"Then let's make the most of it instead of fighting or.." he cleared his throat. Magnus understood what he meant.

"I agree, and I'm trying. It's just.."

"You don't need to stress on it, Magnus. Just remember that I'm there for you."

Magnus sighed, then nodded. "Alexander?"

"Yeah!"

"I.. I don't feel like working today, can.. can't you take your day off and we can spend the day together!" Magnus looked at him pleadingly.

Alec was about to respond when his phone buzzed. He quickly checked it.

• Found the spell. But it's complicated. Are you sure about it, Alec? -Cat •

• With Magnus. Will be at your apartment at 4. -Alec •

"Alexander!? What is it?"

Alec sighed. He was happy about the fact that they finally found the complete spell but he couldn't show it when Magnus was sitting right in front of him.

"Work!" He said trying to sound disappointed.

"Oh!" Magnus said flatly. The look of disappointment clearly visible in his eyes.

"Mags, you know I would love to spend the day with you but this can't be avoided, it's important."

"I understand, go do your work." He said in a sad tone.

"Hey, I'm sorry but I'll try to come home early."

Magnus just nodded at him.

"Let's finish our lunch then, I still have some free time left." He said trying to lighten the mood.

They finished their food, paid the bill, and left the restaurant. They walked their way towards the Institute. When they finally reached there, Magnus created a portal to head back home.

"Hey, Mags!"

"Yeah!"

Alec walked towards him and kissed him passionately. "No drinking behind my back, if I see you like that ever again, I swear it won't be good for you!"

Magnus gulped. "Noted! Now go do work, I'll wait for you at home."

With that Magnus left for home and Alec went to the institute, waiting for the time to pass sooner so he can reach Catarina's apartment and know the findings.

_________________________________

Catarina was standing next to her coffee table, the book kept open on the table waiting for Alec to come when the doorbell ranged. She waved her hands and opened the door with her magic.

Alec walked in and went towards the coffee table where Catarina was standing.

"Hey Cat!" He gave her a side hug.

"Hey! What's with you? You don't look good."

"It's not me, it's Magnus! He's.. " he trailed off, then looked at her.

She looked at him wide-eyed. "Magnus? Now, what is it?"

Alec sighed then told her about everything that happened since last night till their lunch date of the present day.

"He's not doing well and I can clearly see it, I just want the days to pass by sooner so I can tell him everything and see happiness in those eyes again."

"I can't believe this! He's not even telling me anything. Once everything will be out in the open, I'm gonna kick Bane's ass badly and you're not stopping me from doing it!" She said in a warning tone.

Alec laughed slightly at her remark. "I won't, don't worry, instead I'll enjoy it, he deserves that much! So, what did you find?"

Catarina looked at him then sighed and shook her head. "Look for yourself."

She waved her hands towards the open book kept on the table. Alec turned the book towards him then started reading.

The spell that turned Kasper into a literal angel is known as an immortality spell; the rarest spell ever known but it's not easy to find that spell as it's provided by an angel her/himself.

"You're kidding me! Right!? There has to be a way to find that spell!" Alec said in an irritated voice.

Catarina looked at him with disbelief. "You're really stubborn Alec Lightwood Bane! Well, no and yes both. As I've already told you, it's really complicated."

She turned a few pages of the book searching for something when she finally found it, she turned the book towards Alec. "Read for yourself!"

Alec gave her a confusing look then started reading.

*The means to get immortality spell-

To obtain the immortality spell the person needs to go under a procedure.

"A procedure?" Alec asked, confused.

"Alec! First, read it completely, then ask your questions!" She said with an annoyed voice.

"Okay! Okay! Sorry."

First, they need to find someone who has a direct connection to an angel meaning a person who has pure angel blood running in their veins. Once they find the person they have to tell them about their wish to become an angel/immortal, and request them to communicate with the angel and let the angel know his/her intentions for becoming immortal. Once the angel is convinced that the person is pure and can handle being an immortal, the angel will provide the immortality spell to the person who has their blood running in their veins.

Once this procedure is completed go to the extract where the next procedure is mentioned.

"Where is the further procedure?" Alec said, turning the pages.

"Woah! Hey, slow down! How are you going to find a person who has pu-"

"Clary!" He said in a rushed tone.

"What!? Clarissa Fairchild? She has-"

"Yes, of Angel Ithuriel's!"

[A/N: for this story pretend that angel Ithuriel never died, instead, he just got hurt badly but healed afterward.]

Catarina sighed and looked at him with utter disbelief.

"Cat! Please help me with this!" Alec waved his hand towards the book.

She waved her fingers and opened the page where the next procedure was written. "Go ahead!"

Alec looked at the book where the next procedure was written.

Once the immortality spell is provided by the angel, the angel will provide another spell which will be needed to be performed on his blood, meaning the blood of the person who has his blood in their veins. The person having the angel blood has to pour their blood in a pure copper glass, then the spell provided by the angel has to be performed on it and it should be kept under the moonlight until it turns golden white. The person who wishes to turn immortal has to drink this blood at an early stage of dawn and has to be in-between nature. The immortality spell has to be performed simultaneously when the person is drinking the blood, and an immortality rune is engraved right above the heart of the person. The warlock performing the spell has to be trustworthy to the person, powerful, and of the opposite gender to the person becoming immortal. Once the person becomes immortal there are few precautions which have to be taken. >After performing the spell, the person has to stay away from everyone; at least for a day and be around nature until their powers are completely awakened. > The person can't get physical/intimate with anyone till the full moon; especially with a downworlder.

Alec sighed with relief, a wide smile on his face but also of slight disappointment. "So, I can't get intimate with Magnus! Really!"

Cat shot a look at him. "Is that all you're concerned about? Really Alec!? Can you do everything that's mentioned here? Plus-"

"Cat! I already told you I want this, not just for Magnus but for myself as well; and I don't find any obstacle with the procedure. It's Clary who can help me with this, I know I have to drink her blood, but that's fine, I'll do it. And the warlock is standing right in front of me! Please Cat!" He looked at her pleadingly.

Cat sighed. She was so awestruck by the man's determination standing in front of her.

"Fine! But we need to leave for New York then if you wish to do it."

Alec nodded. "I'll inform Izzy then and.. " he trailed off, something dawned over him, changing his expressions completely.

"Now what happened?"

Alec looked at her. "Magnus! We will both be gone for a few days. If something.. " he closed his eyes. The thought of leaving Magnus in the condition he is right now scaring him to his core.

Catarina understood what he meant. "Alec! He'll be fine, don't worry. When we have everything we need for the spell I don't think it's gonna be more than two days. He's Magnus, he'll be fine."

Alec looked at her with slight relief and nodded. "Then let's head to New York tomorrow morning itself!"

[thechangeling]

The Fall

This is a one shot I wrote about my OC Gianna Blackthorn-Rosales, one of Kierarktina's kids. Full disclosure, I don't have bipolar, but I do suffer from depression and I did some research to fill in the blanks. Thank you to Halima and Ellie from helping me with the Spanish.

Tw for Depression and suicidal thoughts.

When Gianna woke up, she felt as though she was under water. Her limbs were heavy as if they were weighted down with led. Her alarm was blaring from her phone with zero sympathy. Gianna groaned and fumbled around for her phone to turn it off.

Shit. She felt like absolute garbage. Everything hurt. Everything felt hallow and empty like a great big hole had been carved out of her chest. Mornings were never fun, but today especially sucked. The idea of moving to get up, or even keeping her eyes open felt like absolute torture.

Gigi had recently come down from a manic episode and now she was sinking, unable to stay afloat. Not that she even really wanted to. Not right now at least.

That's when she remembered. Today was test day. Of fucking course. Testing day was when every shadowhunter under 18 had to undergo a series of skill tests, with weapons and also hand to hand combat. They were given scores based on how well they did and then those scores then were sent back to the Clave.

Of course it had to be today of all days. That was the problem with mental illness. It didn't care if you had a schedule to keep or things you needed to do. It just bulldozed it's way through your life, screwing everything up and then leaving you to clean up the mess.

Gianna grabbed her phone and typed out a quick message to her brother Nico.

I'm sick today, tell mama I can't do it.

Her therapist would tell her that avoidance wasn't healthy, but she would argue that sleeping right now was definitely the best thing for her. Unfortunately in fights such as these, the professionals usually won.

Gianna felt guilt and shame start to trickle in, greeting her like old friends. You're pathetic. You're a pitiful excuse for a shadowhunter. That's what everyone else is thinking and they're right. You're worthless. Everyone would be better of if you were gone.

Her phone vibrated next to her with a text from Nico. Gianna picked it up, already knowing what it would say.

Shadowhunters don't get sick. No one will buy it. Come on Gigi you need to try. He wrote.

Gianna fought the urge to scream. Try? Like she wasn't trying? Did they all think she was pulling this crap on purpose for shits and giggles? She was really getting sick of most people.

She was sick of her parents, sick of her siblings, sick of her cousins Ellie and Anthony even though they didn't get to see each other very often.

She was even sick of Anabla. Which made Gianna very scared. She loved her girlfriend but sometimes everything just became too overwhelming. Her father was always busy running his kingdom and whenever she went to Unseelie, many people always made it very clear that she was not welcome. Her father didn't even really understand how mental illness worked, but then again neither did her mama and papa.

Shadowhunters weren't supposed to be sick and neither were faeries.

Suddenly there was a banging on her door. "Gianna!" She heard her mother's voice on the other side of the door "¿Qué esta pasando?"

Gianna shut her eyes. Maybe if she pretended to be asleep her mama would leave her alone. It was unlikely but still. Her mother pounded on the door again. "Alleya!" She shouted angrily.

Well fuck. That was never good. As soon as her mother used Gianna's fae name, it meant that she was in big trouble.

"Ok yeah I'm coming!" She yelled back. Gianna took a deep breath and pulled herself to her feet.

I can do this. She thought to herself. It's gonna be ok. Just get though this then you can go back to bed.

She put on her gear and began to braid her hair into a faerie style. It was a personal tradition of Gianna's, to braid her hair like a faerie and pull it back so that her pointy ears were exposed whenever she had an offical shadowhunter event of some kind.

Outside she could hear the sounds of Shadowhunters arriving at The New York Institute by portal. Gianna and her family had slept over at the institute so they wouldn't have to travel. She could instantly hear the cheerful loud voices of her cousins, as well as her aunts and uncles greeting each other.

One big happy family.

Gianna could feel the aches in her muscles as if she was sore from a good work out. Getting through testing would be absolute hell.

But she would do it. She grabbed her bow from it's hook on her bedroom wall as well as her quiver of arrows, and marched outside to meet her fate.

The wave of liveliness hit Gianna like a truck. There were older shadowhunters gossiping and catching up with one another, while teenagers and kids of all ages darted excitedly around each other gathering their weapons and gear. She noticed her mama and papa talking with her tías, Helen and Aline. Nico was being bombarded by hugs from their tìo Jules and tìa Emma. Even though they were all on her papa's side of the family, her mama had no siblings. In fact she didnt have any family she was in constant contact with since they were all in Mexico. So at her mama's request, Gianna called all of her papa's siblings tía or tío as a way to keep her connected to her culture.

As for her father's side of the family, it was basically just a long string of "these people want me dead", so nobody was getting any names of any kind.

Then there was Kit and Ty, who Gianna called by their first names because they were so close. She had always felt better connected to them for some reason.

Speaking of.

She spotted them over by the corner if the room. Ty had his headphones on and Kit was hugging-

Oh great.

She was here.

Mina freaking Carstairs.

Wonderful.

Which begged the question, what was she doing here exactly? She was 18. She was supposed to be done with these sorts of tests.

Gianna watched as perfect Mina rushed over to great a screaming Ellie, who was her Parabatai, and Anthony and that was when it dawned on her. Right. Of course.

Mina had come to watch them.

The perfect supportive friend and Parabatai. Always smiling. Always ever so sweet and polite.

Yeah Gianna really wasn't a fan.

Nico would tell her that she was being irrational, and she probably was. But Mina Carstairs had always looked down on her with that familiar expression of pity and disgust.

It might have had something to do with the time Gianna had tried to steal Church during one of her manic episodes. Or the time when she woke Mina and Ellie up by blasting heavy metal at three in the morning while making brownies at the LA institute.

In her defense, she couldn't sleep.

Gianna knew lots of people always assumed she was doing these things on purpose. Like she was purposefully trying to sabotage everything in her life. That was probably one of the most irritating things about having a mental illness, being blamed for the things that you had no control over.

Being held to neurotypical standards was also shitty.

"You look like you're about keel over and die on us" said a voice at her shoulder.

Gianna whipped around and breathed a sigh of relief.

Magnus.

Gianna couldn't quite managed a smile, but she instantly flung her arms around him in a hug which he returned.

"Hey there little shadowfae" he cooed. It was the nickname he had for her ever since she was a kid. "Are you taking your meds?" He asked her with his head still resting on her shoulder.

Gianna groaned, lightly pushing him away. "Why can't you just greet me like a normal person? What ever happened to, "How are you?" Or, "What great weather we've been having lately!" She rolled her eyes.

Magnus looked sympathetic as he placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "I'm sorry Gigi. I'm just worried about you." He said softly.

Magnys was essentially the one who had jumpstarted her treatment, the same way he did with Thaís. He contacted Caterina, who contacted a doctor with the sight to get Gianna diagnosed, on medication and into counseling.

Her therapist was actually half Unseelie, half mundane. She was fairly sweet, and she and Gianna got along pretty well. It could have been a lot worse.

Gianna nodded, "Yeah I know. I am." She protested.

That was mostly true, although there was one week when she had gone to Unseelie to visit Anabla and forgotten to bring her meds with her. She was paying for that now.

"Everyone! Could I have your attention please!" They were interrupted by the voice of the consul. Alec Lightwood-Bane was standing in the middle of the room. Several members of the council were standing with him. "We will begin testing in five minutes! If all of the perticipents could please make their way down to the institute's training room. Thank you."

Magnus caught Alec's eye and smiled at him from across the room. He then sighed and squeezed Gianna's shoulder again. "Well. I should go join my husband" he said matter of factly. "Good luck little one."

Gianna managed a small smile. "Thanks Mags."

Gianna stood in place for awhile, willing herself to move. People passed by around her like waves moving around a bolder. No one played her a second glance, not her cousins, and certainly not Mina Carstairs. Her parents were probably busy with Nico.

The living room filtered out and then she was alone. Standing in the middle of the room with a bow in her hand.

See. The voice told her. You're all alone. You're always alone. No one really cares about you.

She tried to protest, tried to fight it but she was just too tired. And there was that old familiar feeling again. A feeling beyond exhaustion, beyond despair, and beyond hopelessness.

Inevitability.

The feeling that at the end of the day this is all that you are, and all you ever will be.

And there's nothing that can change that.