#alec likes magnus' shampoo

[darkangel1791]

MALEC

is

Matthew Daddario as Alec Lightwood

Harry Shum Jr as Magnus Bane

Crazy Chemistry

and

All of their fans, 50% of which only watched Shadowhunters for them

[lurafita]

I am very sorry for disappropriating this post (and please contact me if you want me to take it down OP), but this made me think of Mundane Farm AU Malec:

Like with farmer Alec and city boy Magnus and Magnus shampooing all the cows one day and Alec just: 🤨🤷‍♂️

Magnus: "The smell is a definite improvement, don't you think Dar- Moolan! Step away from that mud puddle! Don't you dare!" Magnus also braids flowers into the horses manes. At least one of the horses grows weirdly attatched to those, and snaps at anyone who attempts to remove them.

The pigs get little bows around their curly tails.

He also finds some animal friendly and organic dye and turns the ducks into little rainbows

I’m currently very obsessed with cows and this is definitely my new favourite thing

[alexanderlightweight]

Congrats on the move being over!! I just did that in the fall and it is so miserable. Hopefully y'all are safe and sound and can get to the fun stuff like decorating. For prompts, what about Magnus noticing that Alec clearly has a competence kink and is always trying to jump him after he does anything that Alec deems impressive, a lot of which are things Magnus rarely gets complimented for. Everything from little things like making some basic (for Magnus) potions, or pulling off a complicated ritual, or putting someone in their place.

Thank you!! ooof yeah it really is. it's been a bit f a mess too cause i'm unpacking for multiple people (they physically cant) and so it's slow going lol and my focus is just being done tbh. but we are all safe and honestly it was good timing with how bad the heat got around here. we wuld have been really screwed at the last place.

i hope you enjoy this!

<3 lumine

-

It’s impossible for Magnus not to notice Alexander interest. He gives himself away so easily, never truly trying to hide his curiosity or the delight that watching Magnus inspires in him.

Alexander acts as if even the simplest of tasks are impressive.

He’s full of delighted pleasure when Magnus explains making his own shampoo and the next morning when they slip into bed, he murmurs his awe against Magnus’ jaw. Such a simple thing, and yet it impresses Magnus’ darling so very much.

Alexander’s pleasure sends thrills down Magnus’ spine and it coils in his gut and his magic.

Sometimes when Magnus is studying and dissecting a ritual — cannibalizing it for ease of use or just because he can — Alexander will press fervent kisses to his jaw when checking in on him. They are never distracting, but they do linger with heat and Alexander always murmurs such delightful things before he leaves Magnus to his work. It’s enough that Magnus is nearly always tempted to follow — and sometimes through no fault of his own, Alexander sways him — before he gets a hold of himself.

Alexander will watch Magnus create a star and then kiss the dust and ash of it off of Magnus’ fingers with eyes more luminous than an aurora. He never seems to grow bored of Magnus’ more flippant experiments, instead equally curious no matter if it gets set aside or not.

The first few times Alexander happily accompanied him to Pandemonium, Magnus hadn’t understand what his boy got out of it.

Beyond the pleasure of Magnus’ company of course, which Magnus knew was the main draw.

However, while he didn’t hate it, Alexander wasn’t known for his love of Pandemonium of any of the other clubs he sometimes joined Magnus at.

It typically depended on how his night had gone and if he — if he worked — had the energy or even left the Institute early enough to join Magnus. Or if he didn’t work, if he’d gotten enough rest where going out and dealing with Pandemonium wouldn’t defeat the point of taking a night off.

Sometimes however, Alexander will manage to stop by for no reason at all.

He’ll cut himself a few hours of time in patrols where instead of returning to the Institute he instead meets Magnus at Pandemonium. He stays for a bit and then meets the next patrol he is due to lead or train.

It had never quite made sense to Magnus, until he realized how often Alexander came while Magnus held court.

Too often holding an open court will turn to complaints or even fights. While Magnus is hardly ever directly involved, he typically does shut down and end the conflicts before they can get out of hand. It took a few weeks — where Magnus was admittedly busy with other things — before he realized that Alexander liked seeing Magnus put others in there place.

It lit something in Magnus’ boy, a spark that would turn into an ember that Alexander carefully hoards until they can meet again. It explains the passion that Alexander so often meets Magnus with the mornings when they reunite after such evenings.

It's been a very long time since Magnus has been so wholly appreciated.

Such simple things and yet by Alexander’s delight and awe alone, it brings them both pleasure.

[lazinesswrites]

Hi! Happy Friday! And Happy Year! (almost) Today, I am bringing you a fic from over a year ago, which is based an a tumblr post that I believe was originally from reddit or somewhere - there's a link to it in the author's note.

First though, a service announcement: There seems to be a fake-Ao3 out there, archiveofour(.)net, which might show up as the first result when you search for Ao3, depending on your browser and search engine. I'm not sure what the fake-site does, but I'd still advice you all to stay clear of it.

With that said, have a little sneak-peek at And I Can Be With You (If You Need Me) - with probably more opinions on tubs that someone who hasn't even been in one in like. a decade should probably have:

When Magnus settles on his stool, Alec has his eyes closed, head tipped back against the tub’s headrest (What would be the point of a relaxing bath if you would only end up with bruises from the porcelain and a crick in your neck from bending it uncomfortably?). He doesn’t open his eyes but hums quietly to acknowledge Magnus’ presence behind him. Magnus strokes a hand through his hair, slightly damp from the steam, and asks softly, “Will you let me bathe you?”

Alec does open his eyes then, looks at Magnus without answering, and Magnus holds up the bottle of shampoo in clarification. It’s homebrew: Clear glass bottle, no label, the liquid transparent and golden, looking nothing at all like typical modern shampoo, so it might not actually clarify anything for Alec. But he nods after a moment, shifting a little in the water as if unsure of what he’s supposed to do with himself now.

Pulling his stool a little closer, Magnus guides Alec to sit up and move forward, but keep his head tipped back. He picks up the pitcher he fetched earlier and fills it with water from the tub, pouring it gently over Alec’s hair, running his other hand through the soft strands to loosen the grime built up from a long day hunting demons in the tunnels of New York.

[onetimetwotimesthreetimess]

Lrhwy Alec after Magnus leaves for work and Chairman smells like sandalwood shampoo…

LRHWY MAGNUS IN HIS YEARNING ERAAAAA

[carelessflower]

jace hearing all the shit maryse said about alec not being competent enough to manage the institute and in his next breath he need to go and disobey alec order and put alec position as the leader at risk immediately. and jace also have to repeat and say to alec face maryse was right about his incompetence, like any parabatai would

seeing @cityofdownwardspirals reblog that photoset makes me randomly remember in season one simon accused jace of treating alec like a lap dog and jace, and I shit you not, this is what he said "takes one to know one". excuse me???? what the fuck?!?!?? isnt alec supposed to be your parabatai you dyed blond asshole. sh writers really said what parabatai bond i dont know it why do i have to write it

[solarisrasa]

All I Could Bring Myself to Want is You pt 3

A Malec fic canon divergent from the moment Alec hands the Family Ring back to Maryse Lightwood.

Read it here on Ao3

Part two

Alec didn’t know what he was doing here. Objectively, obviously, he understood how he had gotten here and that he was currently showering with Jace.

He had no idea if Asmodeus’ deal was still in effect or what might happen now that he and Magnus were in the same radius.

Jace wordlessly passed him shampoo and Alec automatically squeezed some into his hand. He stiffened as the soothing smell reached him and heard Jace inhale sharply.

“ Alec.”

He forced himself to move, bringing the shampoo up and starting to wash his hair. He was a Shadowhunter, one of the best, and he would not be brought low by something so ridiculous.

“Alec. You can’t keep doing this.”

Jace was turned away from him again, hands working over his own body to clean up quickly in Magnus’ large shower. Alec closed his eyes.

“What, showering?”

“You’ve been pushing forward, full-tilt, like you can outrun how you feel. We both know you can’t. Believe me, I wish we could just cut through demons until we didn’t feel this way, but we can’t. He’s back, Alec. He’s back and if you don’t  really talk to him, tell him what happened, I think-”

Jace nudged him and Alec blindly took the cue to trade him and start rinsing his hair.

“We’re not going to make it, man. Not...Clary’s never gonna-” Jace took a shuddering breath in and Alec could feel their bond roll and tighten with a fresh wave of grief. He pushed water quickly over his face and opened his eyes.

“She will. I don’t know how long it takes, she’ll remember, Jace. If the angel’s don’t see then I’ll, I’ll summon one. I’ll do what I have to, but I promise you, we’ll get her back.”

He couldn’t sit by forever, he had told himself he would give Clary two years and then he was going to do his damndest to help her. He couldn’t help himself most days, but he could still be there for Jace, Izzy, and anybody else who needed him.

“I know you’ll do everything you can but,” Jace was working shampoo into his own hair, eyes closed, “there’s no guarantee. You have a real chance now, tonight, to start working things out with Magnus. You have to take it Alec. We’re burning ourselves up.”

Alec swallowed and traded places again, “He’s not going to want-”

“Angel help me if you tell me he won’t want you.”

“He lost everything and I left him. I said things to him, so he wouldn’t try to make me stay, that were awful.”

Jace finished rinsing his hair and his hand fell on Alec’s shoulder, “You were in an impossible situation. He doesn’t know about the deal and yeah, maybe he’s gonna be pissed but he’s going to understand what happened. Even if you’re crazy and trying to tell yourself he won’t want to try again, he deserves to know.”

Alec started to protest and Jace glared, “I deserve it.”

“What?”

Jace’s face pinched like he felt bad about saying it and their bond was filled with warring emotions, guilt and anger and a desperation that was not Alec’s own.

“I’m not saying this to be cruel but I think you need to hear it. I felt what you felt when you smelled the shampoo, fucking  shampoo. It was like the smell ripped out your intestines. Which, I also know the feeling of, thanks to you.”

Alec flinched, it was true that even the little things hurt and he was trying so hard to ignore being in the loft at all but too also remind him of how close to dying his own carelessness had brought Jace.

“I deserve to not have your misery so thick inside me I can hardly feel my own. I love you, Alec, I do and I’m not...I’m glad you’ve kept our bond so open, we both need it, but there’s a shot for you to  fix it and if you don’t take it, you have to know how much worse it’s going to get.” Jace’s face was heartbreakingly soft and Alec felt the burn of tears.

  “Jace.”

“I know Alec. I’ll be right next to you, all the way.”

Talking to Magnus was going to be...Alec didn’t know but certainly not easy.

“I’ll try but what if he doesn’t...doesn’t want to hear it?”

Jace breathed out and Alec could feel a settling in their bond, “He will. I think, even if it doesn’t come out how you hope, it’s the best thing for you.”

Alec let out a strangled laugh, “When did you get so  good at this? Used to be you were to wreck and I was the one with the braincell.”

His parabatai shrugged, “Oh, probably when I realized if I didn’t start using my words you were gonna do something  really stupid.”

His tone was lighter but Alec could feel the brief flash of fear, old and repressed. He frowned harder, Jace had legitimately started assuming that if he left Alec to his own thoughts too much he was going to kill himself. Alec couldn’t say for sure he was wrong and that thought solidified it.

“Let’s finish cleaning up. I have to talk to Magnus.”

-

Magnus wasn’t used to feeling out of place in his own home. He had made a drink, set it down, picked it up, remade it, sat in every chair in the living room and changed his outfit twice. He couldn’t settle himself.

He’d finally decided on a simple shirt and silk pants, just a single necklace, all of his rings and eyeliner with no color in his spiked hair. Alexander would know it was a more relaxed offering but that Magnus still had his armor.

Alexander was  here.  

He hoped they’d have a chance to talk but he wasn’t terribly hopeful. Alexander was very good at avoiding things if he wanted to and though he was a good man and usually forced himself to face those things instead...well. Magnus had no delusions about what had transpired between them before he’d gotten his magic back.

The way Jace, Cat, and Maia had spoken about it made him wonder though. They all seemed to think that Magnus was the crux of Alexander’s apparent struggle. He wasn’t so sure but he would do what he could to help. The  betrayer mark, at least, he could talk to Alexander about letting Cat remove.

Contemplating his cranberry juice (and it was only cranberry juice) he nearly missed the soft shuffle of feet nearing him.

He looked up and his breath caught. Jace and Alexander were both dressed in oversized sweaters and while Jace was wearing a pair of too long jeans Alexander was in a pair of Magnus’ lounge pants that he’d made longer magically ages ago for the Shadowhunter.

Alexander looked like he was the one who had spent the last year in a hell realm and the circles under his eyes nearly blending with the top lines of the runes on his cheeks.

They were both damp from their shower and he forced himself to play at nonchalant with a raised eyebrow.

“That’s new.”

“What?” Jace glanced around in confusion.

“Is showering together a new parabatai thing?” Magnus couldn’t help his tone and the way Alexander’s shoulders pulled in made him regret it.

“Nah. It’s faster and Alec might be gay as hell but since you left he hasn’t even touched hi-”

“Jace.”

  Oh.  

It’s just one word again but Alexander’s voice touched him somewhere deep again. So did the words Jace was mid-speaking. Alexander hasn’t sought any sort of relationships. It eases a tightness in his chest for a moment before he recalled his own recent dalliance and he prayed Alexander didn't know.

“I’m sorry.” Magnus said with a heavy sigh, “I wasn’t trying to be-” he made a gesture that he hoped indicated his lack of desire to hurt either of the miserable Nephilim in his home.

Jace shrugged like it was nothing and Alexander finally looked at him, hazel eyes searching. Magnus licked his lips, holding his breath as he waited.

“We need to talk.”

Alexander’s voice was even but quiet and Magnus nodded.

Jace led his brother to sit down across from Magnus on the black couch.

“I’m going to stay out here unless Alec wants me to leave.” Jace’s tone brokered no argument and Magnus was grateful that he stood with Alexander. Jace leaned back then, ready to observe unless needed.

“I don’t know how to start.” Alexander admitted, his hands clasped as he leaned forward.

Magnus’ lips tugged into a wane smile, “That makes the both of us.” He only just stopped himself from tacking a “darling” at the end.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Alexander starts, “I didn’t know you were in Edom. We only found out a couple days ago. Meredith was talking about meeting you and Izzy started looking into when you got back and we found out. I’m so sorry, if I knew I would’ve tried to help. I’m sorry.”

“No one knew. I had no time to tell anyone before I went. I’m just grateful that you are alright. I feared the worst when I saw Alicante was under attack. There’s no reason to be sorry for not knowing Alexander.”

Alexander’s eyes closed for a moment. Magnus couldn’t place one thing though.

“Who is Meredith?”

Alexander went rigid and Jace answered, still leaned back but with a glare now, “She’s a new placement from Idris. Pretty girl, tan skin, dark hair, likes dancing.”

Fuck. He looked at Alexander but the Shadowhunter was closed off to him.

“That doesn’t matter. I’m still sorry we left you in Edom for so long. I need you to know that we, I, never would’ve if I’d known.”

“I know. I would not have expected you to try to save me though. I know that things were over between us and you had enough to deal with here. I know you still would have tried, but it was never on your shoulders Alexander.”

Alexander drew himself up, he looked strong. Magnus might have believed that but he couldn’t forget the sight of his skin, more rune than empty space.

“It was.”

Jace breathed deep and Magnus knew there was something he wasn’t going to like coming.

“It was because I made the deal that left Edom vulnerable. Lilith was weakened and she wanted hell to break loose, but Asmodeus,” Magnus can’t breath, “from what my research has shown, would've tried to stop the rift. He didn’t want the edomai so free, he needed them to take over the demonic plane.”

“You made a deal with my father before I sent him to limbo.” Magnus can see the chain of events linking together. Something drove Alexander to summoning his father, pulling him out of Edom, Asmodeus had come to Magnus and Magnus had banished him to limbo, leaving no power on the throne in Edom to affect the outcome of Jonathon wielding the Morningstar sword.

“Yes. I had to get your magic back.”

Magnus’ heart clenches, “Was it really so impossible to love me without it?”

Alexander’s eyebrows pull together and his nostrils flare, “No. I love you when you have magic and when you didn’t. I told you, I fell in love with you for so many reasons. I couldn’t bear watching your misery destroy you. I couldn’t stand by and do nothing to help you. I had to explore all the options and...Asmodeus offered me a deal for it.”

Magnus couldn’t speak. This man, who might still love him (he didn’t miss the present tense), went to such lengths for him.

When Magnus didn’t speak Alexander rushed on, “I contacted him through medium, I thought it was enough to keep him contained. I, uh, I know better now. We spoke and he-” Alexander hesitated, “We came to a deal. I had to end our relationship, I couldn’t tell you anything about it and he would give your magic back. I didn’t know until now, just now, that you had sent him where he couldn’t reach us.”

The hot feeling of his glamour dropping washed through Magnus and he blinked cat eyes at Alexander.

  Stupid, hopeless Nephilim.

“You broke my heart.” It’s not what he wanted to say but it’s still true and Alexander nods once, his eyes are bright with tears.

“I know.”

“He broke his own too.” Jace added as he looked sincerely at Magnus.

“What a fool thing to do.” Magnus whispered, “Did you think I would be able to stop loving you?”

Alexander shuddered and looked away and Magnus automatically looked at Jace.

“He told Izzy it was going to hurt but it was a hurt you could come back from. He never even tried to say if he thought he could.”

Magnus looked at Alexander for a long moment, hope was swelling in him and yet, his heart was splintering further, this time not for himself.

“You did all of that and then I disappeared. Catarina marked you, and...your mother.”

Alexander looked at him again and Magnus couldn’t stay so far away any longer. There were tears streaking down his cheeks and Magnus finally recognized the runes on his face. They were twin  mourning runes.

He went to Alexander and pulled him into a tight embrace. He tensed at first but then slumped into Magnus’ arms, head pressed to his ribs, and sobbed.

Magnus ran fingers through his hair slowly and felt tears drip from his own cheeks onto the back of his hand.

“It’s going to be okay darling. It’s all so much now, I know, but if you’ll just, stay with me-”

“Yes.” Alexander cut him off, the word reedy and desperate, “Yes.” He pulled back enough to look at Magnus, sniffing, “I’ll stay with you. I swear.”

Magnus’ eyes widened as he realized he inadvertently repeated his words when Alexander had tried to leave him.

“If you will, we can work on this. We can try to put ourselves back together.”

“By the Angel, Magnus, I want that. We’ll find our way back to each other?”

Alexander’s eyes shone hope and Magnus smiled down at him softly, “I believe we will.”

Jace pushed himself up, speaking gently, “Thank you. I’m going to call Izzy, tell her that Alec and I are going to be off rotation for...a while.”

Magnus nodded and slowly moved so he was sitting next to Alexander on the couch, holding him curled close. There were more questions and more struggles but Magnus was willing to wait until morning to handle anything else.

“I’m sorry, again. I shouldn’t have made those choices without you and I researched everything I could about Asmodeus for months but-I couldn’t find a way out of the deal. I will  never take your choice away like that again.”

“I won’t say it’s okay. It’s not, but I won’t let my father’s manipulation force us apart more than it already has. You understand what you did was wrong but I understand that it was for the right reasons. I...having my magic back is something I’m grateful for because I was able to protect so many people when I closed the rift. I can’t say if the price paid was worth it but I am grateful because I was able to protect  you.”

Alexander shrugged and Magnus’ eyes narrowed.

“I’m not dead.”

Magnus looked even less impressed and Alexander sighed, “Everything was so fresh. I was with Izzy, just the two of us and so many demons descending on us...I thought it wouldn’t be a bad way to go, fighting to protect my sister, my people. I was pretty hurt by the time the city was clear and someone forced me into medical. I made it, but it was close. You did save me, without you I would’ve fought those demons until I couldn’t stand.”

His grip on Alexander tightened and he pressed their foreheads together, “When we have everything straightened out you are going to tell me how many times in the last year I almost lost you to thoughts like that and I am going to remind you why it is of the utmost importance you walk away from your battles tenfold for each one.”

“For now can we just go to bed?”

Magnus smiled, “Of course. Do you want to share the guest room with Jace?”

Alexander thought for a moment and then took a deep breath, “Can we all sleep in your room? Jace and I haven’t been dealing well being apart for things like sleeping and I want to be near you.”

Magnus waved his hand so his bed would be big enough and gave Alexander a playful smirk, “ Two lovely Shadowhunters in my bed?”

Alexander tried for a returning joke but it fell flat, “Wouldn’t Jace make a total of three?”

Magnus vowed never to take any stranger to bed again, “No. Alexander, no. I brought that girl home but I couldn’t...not in the bed we shared so often. She was a mistake. I will have to find a way to apologize to her as well. I am sorry.”

“Magnus, it’s alright. I know,” he took another breath, “I know we weren’t together. You had no way of knowing I would even find out and from what Izzy gathered, you weren’t doing very well. I don’t blame you. I know you Magnus, I know how you hide when you hurt and I won’t hold it against you as long as it doesn’t happen again now that we’re-” Alexander faltered and Magnus picked up the thread.

“Now that we’re back together? Never.”

Alexander smiled and Magnus gently kissed his cheek, “Now let’s get your parabatai and get to bed. The rest can wait for sunlight.”

Part four

[hiddeningrid]

OK as i’m coming to the end of my shadowhunters-kinda-binge here are my Real Thoughts:

shadowhunters is a bunch of good-looking people with tats running around on stupid missions. no, i really mean Stupid. this entire television series is trapped in the Dumbojet with no way out. and believe me, the flight takes forever to land. the entire big baddie storyline for seasons 1 and 2 is Valentine trying to collect items in order to raise an angel to like, come kill em all. boo, scary!

then he does raise the angel, at last, after 120 long and ardeous episodes, during which i finish five sewing projects and clean the house. and the angel is like LOL NO THX. and that’s it.

?????????? LMAO. what a great culmination to the storyline. not to mention the incest-or-no-incest love-triangle mess which, just, um, No.

i mean, i get it. the show is trashy and stupid, but it has good-looking people. it’s not all-white. it has several central female characters. it has an LGBT couple that sometimes do stand close to each other (though in this episode i’m watching from season 3, they are once again having conversations from the opposite ends of the room LMFAO none of the hetero couples shout at each other from opposite ends of the room but OK)

the feeling i can’t shake though, as i think about the next sewing project i’m gonna do while looking in the general direction of the show, is that i’m watching bad fanfiction. bad fanfiction that anyone would Nope out of after the third epithet followed by four adjectives in a row. bad fanfiction, which has been scripted, cast, filmed, post-produced, and aired. so to sum up my feelings: LOL.

[i-have-not-slept]

Malectober Day 5: Sandalwood

Alec knew the smell of sandalwood like he knew his own body. It was the smell that lingered in his home, that clung to the pillows of their bed, that he associated with comfort, with love, with safety, with desire. It was the scent of Magnus.

Alec remembered the first time he’d had a name for the rich, sharp scent of Magnus’s hair and skin, in a hotel room in Rome. Why do you always smell amazing? he’d asked, and Magnus had replied, It’s sandalwood.

When they were in bed together, with Magnus underneath him or on top of him or beside him, Alec would press his face into his husband’s neck and inhale deeply, breathing him in. At the end of a long day, when Alec came home stiff and sore and tired, Magnus would sometimes run him a hot bath and, kneeling by the tub, wash him all over. He would work sandalwood shampoo into Alec’s hair, rub sandalwood soap into his skin, until Magnus’s hands and Alec’s body and the entire room smelled nice.

Isabelle and Jace teased him for it, but Alec didn’t care. Privately he thought that it was nice to have almost a signature scent, something that he and Magnus shared. Sandalwood was their thing. And nothing ever felt better than waking up with Magnus in his arms and burying his face in his hair, the familiar smell reminding Alec that he was home, that he was safe, that he was loved.

[therealnuclearplatypus]

MALECTOBER 2022 DAY 5—SANDALWOOD

@malectober

"Good God, Alec," Izzy cried, exasperated, "why do you guys only ever have sandalwood soap, sandalwood shampoo, sandalwood—"

Alec looked at his sister sulkily from where he stood outside the bathroom door while Isabelle riffled around the drawers and shelves. "I told you. We like sandalwood."

"Everything is sandalwood!" Izzy said with a sigh. She shut all the bathroom cupboards and turned to face her brother. "Also, 'we' like sandalwood. Again."

"What? We do!"

"Yeah, and we like a change of pace sometimes. Screw sandalwood, I'm buying y'all some lavender."

"Don't you even."

"I shall even. I dare."

"Lavender smells like—"

"Like lavender, Alec! You need a woman's touch around here and I am a woman and I say, lavender fuckin' soap!"

Magnus's voice floated from the kitchen: "A woman's touch is a myth, my darling, denoting that only women can have a feminine style. Alexander, darling, don't I give this house a so-called woman's touch?"

"Oh, you do," Alec said darkly. Isabelle laughed.

About a week later, Magnus was about to shower while Alec was lounging on the sofa when there was a cry of, "Dammit, Isabelle!"

Alec slowly raised himself off the couch and walked to the bathroom, warily calling out, "Mags? What is it?"

"Your damnable sister replaced all our soap and shampoo with lavender-scented shit!"

Alec put his face in his hands.

Magnus went on: "You know I love my sandalwood—"

"So do I. It reminds me of Venice, and the road to Rome, when I'd first paid enough attention to ask what it was that made you smell so—"

"—delicious? I know! Sandalwood is our thing! Go call her! I'm gonna kill her and the least we could do is give her a warning of her impending death!"

Alec laughed at that. He actually did wind up calling Izzy, just for the hell of it.

"Hey, Alec!" she chirped when she picked up.

"Hey, Iz," he replied, smiling, "listen, I've gotta tell you something. It's about lavender."

[liron-ao3]

Happy birthday, Alexander

A Malec Oneshot 🔞

Having your birthday on a Sunday has its perks. You can sleep in, have a relaxed breakfast in bed, can cuddle with your partner for hours. Okay, you might have to interrupt it for all the birthday calls, but really, no one can drag you out of bed if you don't want to.

And Alec definitely doesn't.

The bed is empty beside him, but he can hear Magnus puttering about in the kitchen. He probably has bought Alec's favourite chocolate cake from the Parisian patisserie they had their first overseas date at. Or maybe he conjures up a French toast feast or Belgian waffles. Alec scents the air, but the bedroom is too far away from the kitchen to smell what Magnus might be up to.

It doesn't matter anyway. Alec is already in high spirits. This is their day, painstakingly shovelled out of their busy schedules. It's one of many things that Magnus has taught him. It's important to take time for the things you care about. And caring about their husband, both of them do.

There are footsteps and the sound of quietly clacking dishes coming through the open bedroom door, and it doesn't take long for Magnus to appear in it, a delicately filled breakfast tray in hand, red rose and all. He wears the maroon dressing gown that Alec loves so much on him and the warmest smile that still elicits tiny butterflies in Alec's stomach. This man is his, and Alec is the luckiest guy in the world.

"Good morning, Alexander."

Alec smiles back at him. "Good morning, love."

Magnus puts the tray on the bedside table and leans in for a languid kiss that makes Alec's blood rush south. By the Angels! Magnus is such a good kisser.

Alec pulls Magnus on top of him, and then they make out for long minutes, only shortly interrupted by a snap of Magnus' fingers to keep their coffees and oven-fresh pains au chocolat warm.

Alec's hands run over the smooth fabric of Magnus' clothes. He loves the feel of Magnus' muscles under his hands, the knowledge of how wonderful the skin itself would feel if he'd pull the gown away from his husband's perfect body.

Alec knows every millimetre of skin, every edge and curve of Magnus' body. He mapped it out a thousand times with his hands and lips. He loves his scent, especially in the morning when the remnants of his shampoo and shower gel have dissipated and Magnus only smells of himself.

Alec rolls Magnus on his back and kisses him fiercely. Magnus lets him, moans quietly into his mouth. It's a heated slide of lips and tongues, teeth joining now and then. It's perfect, familiar and still full of surprises. Kissing Magnus never gets dull. And judging by the way the warlock returns it with enthusiasm, Magnus would agree with his husband on this.

Alec pulls back after a while, catching his breath. He sends a questioning look down to chocolate coloured eyes. They perfected these silent conversations over the last two years, the wordless 'Can I?' hanging in the air between them.

Magnus smiles at him softly as he usually does, his lips red and slightly swollen. Alec gets rid of his boxers, opens the belt of Magnus' bathrobe and pulls his satin shorts down, just enough to settle his throbbing erection in the crease right above Magnus' hip bone. To his surprise, Magnus lets out a discontent sound. Alec furrows his brow in confusion.

"It's your birthday, Alexander."

Alec huffs a laugh. "Yes, and?"

"You can have me."

It takes Alec embarrassingly long until he understands. His cock gets the message immediately after, though, and a shiver works itself through Alec's body.

"You don't have to," he replies nonetheless when the spike of arousal subsides. It's nice that Magnus is willing to sleep with him from time to time, even though he doesn't derive any pleasure from it. At least not in the traditional sense of sexual satisfaction. But Alec would never expect this from him, much less over the fact that it's his birthday. He wants Magnus to be in the mood for this kind of intimacy.

Magnus cards his fingers through Alec's hair, just the way the shadowhunter loves it. "I want to," he simply states.

And it is that simple. Honesty, that's what they promised each other. No pretending to be fine, no important words postponed to later, no doing things out of a misguided sense of duty.

Alec dives in for another kiss. He'll never get enough of these lips, of this man, of holding his heart and Magnus his in return.

He brushes the fabric to the side and kisses a long trail from the spot behind Magnus' ear to the place where he should have a belly button. Alec grins and enjoys the goosebumps that he can conjure on Magnus' skin when he does things like this. His husband is so responsive, and Alec loves it. Loves him so much.

When Alec pulls down Magnus' shorts, his dick is lying there, not even semi-erect. Alec ignores it. He learnt that Magnus' arousal is unpredictable and says nothing about how much he loves him, of how beautiful Alec is in his eyes, of how much he likes to feel and taste him.

Alec's eyes roam over Magnus' caramel skin up to his beautiful cat eyes. They smile at each other for a long moment as if frozen in time. Alec could bathe in the glow of their love for all eternity.

Magnus breaks the moment with a snap of his fingers, and Alec chuckles in surprise when he feels his fingers slick with warm lube.

"Impatient, are we?" Alec smirks.

"For you? Always, darling." Magnus grins up at him and spreads his legs invitingly. Alec's eyes fix on the inviting hole. He gives his own cock a few strokes before he touches the rim, a heady feeling overwhelming him.

It's not that they never have sex. No, far from it. Alec enjoys Magnus' body, his hands and mouth ever so often. But this here? This is special. This is something they haven't done since their wedding anniversary.

Alec loves being inside Magnus. It's not that he loves it more than all the other sexual things they share, but it's different. Very good different. Nothing compares to the tightness of Magnus' ass, the way he clenches around him, the feeling of being so utterly connected that they become one.

It's stupid, Alec thinks, as if we weren't one at all times and especially in bed. But tell that to his cock that springs excitedly at the mere thought of burying himself in Magnus' narrow heat.

Alec pushes a finger slowly inside. It always fills him with wonder how easily Magnus lets him in. It's trust in its purest form, and it doesn't cease to amaze him, doesn't cease to flood his body with all-encompassing want. Magnus does this for him out of love because he wants to give him what Alec could live without but is happy that he doesn't have to. They always do this on Magnus' terms, and knowing that his husband wants it, too, makes the sex for Alec only better.

"I love you so damn much," Alec breathes, looking up in his husband's eyes, and Magnus clenches around him as he laughs.

"I love you too, Alexander." It's spoken with such joy and sincerity, it takes Alec's breath away. How is this not a fairy tale?

"I can take more," Magnus states, and Alec chuckles. He complies, feels Magnus stretching around his fingers.

Briefly, Alec wonders if he is the only gay man with a cis partner who has no clue where his lover's prostate is. He only knows that he will stimulate it by mistake when he adds a third finger. But Magnus takes it. Alec hates it when he makes him bolt up the bed, the touch too intense and arrow sharp, nothing like the pleasure Alec experiences when Magnus does the same to him.

"Sorry," he mumbles.

"It's quite alright, Alexander," Magnus breathes. "I think I'm ready."

Alec furrows his brow in concern, but Magnus is already moving. He cleans Alec's hand with a snap of his fingers and pushes him on his back. Alec can't help but think that he's one lucky bastard as he watches his husband getting ready to ride him. He loves the sight of Magnus hovering over him, lining himself up with his dick. He looks so good like this, all sexy muscles framed by maroon silk, a masterpiece of art.

But it's nothing compared to the feeling of Magnus sinking down on him. Alec closes his eyes for a moment, tries to keep in the lewd moan threatening to fall from his lips.

Magnus clicks his tongue in disapproval. "Let me hear you, Alexander. Your passion is my greatest reward."

And so, Alec lets it out, moans Magnus' name and praises him as he starts moving. The drag of Magnus' walls over his cock, the quiet moans falling from his husband's lips—Alec can't help but think that Magnus enjoys himself.

It's not exactly true, he knows that. But Alec learnt to relish it nonetheless. Magnus wants to make him feel good, and who is he to deny his beloved anything? Magnus is in charge, can control the intensity of what he feels. And Alec is in for the ride, can enjoy the pressure of Magnus' hand on his chest and the slide of his ass over his cock.

Magnus moves his hips exactly how Alec likes it, pulls himself up just to slam down again, a constant assault on Alec's nerve endings. It feels like ages and seconds, an eternal tide. Alec gets lost in it, lost in Magnus' loving ministrations.

Alec hums when the telltale sign of concentred heat pooling in his stomach announces his near climax. He doesn't warn Magnus, well-knowing he might stop and prolong their love-making. But this is enough, will always be more than enough for Alec. The fact that Magnus allows him to have him like this—glistening with a sheen of sweat, eyes closed in concentration, his body moving in ways Alec's blood-drained brain can't properly process but that he enjoys to the fullest—is the greatest gift of all, birthday or not.

But something must have given him away. Magnus surely knows how to read his body, or maybe his mind even. He opens his unglamoured eyes, looks at him with so much adoration and love, it pushes Alec only closer to the edge.

"Come for me, darling," Magnus huffs out, strain clear in his voice, as he keeps on slamming their bodies together with clear intent. And Alec does. His body spasms, his sight is replaced with darkness and fireworks. He moans Magnus' name as he fills him as if there were a way to get even closer than this.

When he opens his eyes afterwards, his brain still far from being back online again, they are already magically cleaned, and Magnus lies in Alec's boneless arms.

"Happy birthday, Alexander," he chuckles against his shoulder.

Happy birthday, indeed.

[khaleesiofalicante]

MALEC WEEK - THE ORIGINS

“I once read that vampires who got bit by werewolves have male pattern baldness,” Jace shared matter of factly.

Simon gave a whimper from the couch.

“Jace, stop it!” Clary warned.

“Enough with the chatting!” Magnus scolded. “Get over here and be useful!”

Clary gave Simon’s hand a squeeze and walked up to him, with Jace right behind her.

“I’m working on a different potion,” Magnus informed them. “You see, I’m responsible for all of New York - not just you people! So, you will have to assist me with the antidote for the bite.”

“How can we help, Magnus?” Clary asked, the only one who seemed to be interested in helping.

“Watch over the antidote,” he told her. “It should remain liquid. Don’t let it thicken. You need to keep stirring.”

The red head nodded and got to working. 

“You!” He passed a bowl of flowers to the blonde one. “Pluck the petals.”

“Uh, can’t you do that with your magic?” The blonde boy asked.

“I can,” Magnus replied. “But you seem to have two perfectly capable hands.”

Jonathan – or Jace as they called him – muttered something and started plucking at the flower.

Magnus technically didn’t need the flowers for this particular potion, but he figured the boy would get all agitated if he didn’t have anything to do. And he didn’t want any agitated Nephilim in his apartment. 

Isabelle Lightwood was standing near the window, keeping guard. The vampire was sprawled on the couch – playing with Magnus’ cat.

“Why isn’t he doing anything?” Jace demanded, pointing his chin at the vampire.

“Because I’m injured,” Simon replied incredulously.

“But you’re already dead!” Jace pointed out.

“And we are trying to keep me from getting any dead-er!”

“You’re not going to die from a scra-”

“Enough squabbling!” Magnus scolded them again. “I need to focus here. Clary, how is the potion coming?”

“There are bubbles,” Clary said nervously. “Are there supposed to be bubbles?”

“That’s good. Keep stirring,” Magnus encouraged her. “It will be ready in another couple of minutes.”

“I’ll just hang out here till then,” Simon waved from the couch, getting paler by the second.

The vampire had been scratched by a werewolf earlier while trying to aid the Nephilim. It wasn’t lethal, but Magnus knew from experience that it would get ugly if not treated immediately.  

Luckily, there was a potion to treat werewolves bites on vampires.

Magnus didn’t know how he had gotten himself tangled into this mess to be honest.

But when the shadowhunters had turned up at his doorstep asking for his help, he didn’t have the heart to turn them away.

Magnus wondered if there was a potion to cure his pathological need to help shadowhunters.

“Gross! what is that smell?” Isabelle groaned from the window.

“It’s a love potion I’m working on,” Magnus replied, trying not to take it personally.

“How is that supposed to make anyone fall in love?” Jace asked, scrunching up his nose.

“It will go away in a moment,” Magnus rolled his eyes. “And then it will smell very, very different.”

“How different?” Clary asked curiously.

“Well, it’s supposed to smell of something you associate with the person you love the most,” Magnus answered.

“Really?” Simon asked from the couch. “Like in Harry Potter?”

“Something like that,” Magnus winked. “It could smell like a place or a person or even food. For Jace, it might smell like himself.”

“You would think I’d be offended by that,” Jace grinned. “But honestly, who wouldn’t love all of this?”

They all rolled their eyes then.

“What is it for?” Isabelle asked suspiciously. “Or rather – who is it for?”

“For a client,” Magnus replied. “I do need to pay rent, my dear.”

“I thought you own the entire building,” Clary frowned.

“Fine, but I do have other expenses,” Magnus conceded. “As you can see, I’ve grown accustomed to a specific lifestyle.”

Isabelle abandoned her post at the window and moved towards Magnus. “Does it really work?”

“I don’t sell counterfeit goods,” Magnus said indignantly. “But the potion does have limits. You see, the smell can change. People don’t always love the same thing all the time. It only smells like what you love in the present. What’s most important to you right now.”

Isabelle moved closer cautiously and sniffed the cauldron. “It smells like…popcorn?”

Jace laughed. “Is that what you love the most right now? Popcorn?”

Isabelle glared at him. “It’s some weird smell. Like popcorn – but I’m also get a hint of cheese and paprika and-”

“Oh my god, that’s the popcorn they make at the cinema!” Simon pointed out loudly, practically salivating. “It’s so good. The secret is extra cheese!”

Isabelle looked from Simon to the potion and to Simon again.

“Your potion is broken,” she hissed at Magnus and settled down next to Simon on the couch.

Magnus grinned to himself.

“I want to try,” Jace was next to him in a moment. “Maybe I’ll smell bubblegum or pepperoni pizz-”

His expressed shifted immediately. “It smells like coal.”

Magnus glanced at Clary, who was focusing on stirring the antidote.

“You mean the kind of thing people use for sketching?” Magnus asked suggestively.

“Not a word, Bane,” Jace said threateningly, but Magnus heard the softness in his voice.

He simply shrugged and kept on working on the potion. He felt a shift in the wards and the door opened a moment later.

Magnus hoped the others couldn’t hear the way his heart started beating loudly. Not because he wanted to hide his feelings – but it was a little embarrassing to be honest.

Magnus had never fallen this hard this fast.

He had always hoped it would happen for him someday. But he had also hoped that it would be with someone who loved him back.

The boy scanned the loft to make sure everyone was there – and everyone was okay. His eyes passed Isabelle and Jace with a breath of relief and then onto Simon and Clary with fond exasperation.

Then they landed on Magnus – and he immediately looked away.

Alec Lightwood looked away – and not for the first time.

Magnus was used to people looking away.

Most people looked at Magnus as he were a sin.

But this one, this one was different.

Alec Lightwood looked at him as if the mere act of looking at Magnus was a sin itself.

Either way, Magnus couldn’t look away.

“Did you get the final ingredient?” Clary asked, breaking Magnus’ depressive inner monologue.

Alec silently passed her a vial, his eyes still avoiding Magnus.

The worst part was that Magnus didn’t know. He didn’t know whether Alec didn’t want to look or just couldn’t.

He knew that it might never happen for them. It wasn’t like they could be together or get married or live happily ever after.

Magnus wasn’t destined to have that with anyone – let alone a shadowhunter whose last name was Lightwood.

But just knowing…just knowing the fact that Alec felt something for him would be enough.

Or so he told himself.

“Magnus?” Clary called, her voice worried.

“Yes?” Magnus asked, putting on a smile.

“Do I put this in?” she asked, pointing at the vial.

“Yes!” Magnus came back to reality. “Put it in and give it to Simon. Now! Watch over him. Make sure he doesn’t throw up.”

Clary didn’t waste another second. She did as she was told – which was rare for Clary and even rarer for a Shadowhunter.

She ran towards Simon, who seemed to be passed out on Isabelle’s lap. Jace followed the girl, and they carefully helped the vampire drink the potion.

“What are you doing?”

Magnus looked up at the voice and swallowed.

“Just making a potion,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

“I thought you were making shampoo or something,” Alec replied. “It smells like sandalwood.”

Magnus dropped the ladle.  

He grabbed Alec’s wrist and dragged him to the bedroom.

“Magnus, what are yo-”

“You like me.”

It almost sounded like an accusation. Almost.

Alec looked startled and but when back to his usual stoic self immediately. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“That was a love potion,” Magnus explained. “It’s supposed to smell like something you associate with the thing you love the most.”

Alec looked flabbergasted. “Your potion is lying.”

“Potions don’t lie,” Magnus said calmly. “Only people do.”

“Alright, so what?” Alec demanded. “Maybe my mom uses sandalwood shampoo. Am I not allowed to love my mother?”

“Then what about what I smelled?” Magnus demanded. “You can do it all you want. But I’m not going to lie to myself.”

Alec looked briefly startled but then shrugged. “Maybe there is something wrong with the potion. You must have messed up an ingredient.”

Magnus pinched his nose in frustration. “Why? Why do you keep hiding?”

A look of incredulity passed Alec’s face. “Do you really have to ask?”

Magnus knew this was the closest he would get to an admission. He didn’t want to push it.

“Fine,” he replied, turning around. “Leave.”

He didn’t hear footsteps. But then again Nephilim were extremely quiet on their feet – not so much with their mouths though.

Magnus turned around. But Alec was still standing there.

Awkward and unsure.

But he was still standing there. That counted for something, right?

Sometimes Magnus hated himself when his heart did this. When his heart held on to hope his body couldn’t handle.

“What did you smell?”

Alec’s voice was quiet, almost a whisper.

It was extremely rare to hear fear in a Shadowhunter’s voice. Maybe it was a good thing because Magnus didn’t like the sound of it.

“You should go,” Magnus said. “Be with your friends.”

“What did you smell?”

The awkwardness and uncertainly had disappeared like the morning mist. He was standing there in front of him – stubborn and strong willed.

“I didn’t smell anything,” Magnus lied.

Alec moved closer, his body inches away from Magnus’ own.

“What did you smell?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Magnus replied. “It’s not going to change anything.”

“Magnus.”

He looked up at the sound – his own name sounded alien to his ears.

Alec didn’t say his name like it was just another word. He said it like it was a prayer.

“What did you smell?”

“Gardenia.”

Alec back away in shock. “I…I have one next to the windo…How do you know what’s in my room?”

“I don’t know what’s in your room,” Magnus said. “I only what’s in my heart. And that’s you.”

Alec took a shuddering breath.

“I thought it was just me,” Magnus confessed quietly. “I thought you didn’t care and then the poti-”

“You thought I didn’t care?” Alec sounded offended – even angry.

“I di-”

“Do you even know why I have a stupid gardenia plant in my room?” Alec was definitely angry.

“Because they smell good?” Magnus asked dryly.

Alec grabbed his wrist and yanked him towards the window.

And there it was. Gardenia.

Magnus had completely forgotten the fact that there were gardenia bushes in his balcony. They looked lovely. They smelled beautiful.

“I know this is what you see when you wake up,” Alec said, his voice quiet. “I thought if I had some in my room…It might be like we were in the same room. I could pretend like you were next to me. That we were next to each other. That we woke up together. Went to sleep together.”

Magnus wanted to reach out. But the fear of Alec pulling back was bigger than the need to hold him and tell him it was okay.  

“All I have is a stupid plant,” Alec confessed. “It’s all I can afford to have.”

“Alec-”

“I know it’s stupid,” Alec interrupted.

“It’s not stupid,” Magnus said softly. “It’s sweet. But don’t you want more?”

“What I want and what I can have are two different things, Magnus” Alec replied.

“Then what about what you deserve?” Magnus challenged him.

Alec looked up at that – his eyes wandering. “I don’t even know what I deserve.”

And then it made sense.

Alec wasn’t fighting because Alec didn’t know what he was fighting for.

It was hard to want something when you don’t know why you want it in the first place.

Magnus loved the man in front of him with all his heart. But that wasn’t enough, was it?

But Alec had to do that too.

Alec had to love himself. Alec had to choose himself.

Alec needed to realize he deserved better.

There was nothing Magnus could do about that. He just had to wait like any other person – holding onto nothing but hope.

“Figure out,” Magnus said now and left the room. “Come back to me when you figure it out.”

[alexanderlightweight]

Hiiiiiiii, (tries to look at you with the biggest puppy eyes) is there a chance for more in the cider verse? What happens post wedding? Relationship reveal with a bang? The terrible trio crashing and burning? „Surprise, the cup is safe!“? #wednesdayprompt

Cider verse tho I don’t have a name for the sequel yet!

Haha not much happens just yet. Magnus and Alec are waiting for the right time and Alec finding out his siblings stole his stele and committed treason is not great for those honeymoon vibes.

Alec needs to figure out how much damage he has to salvage before he blows up the ground under him and everywhere else

Hehe the cup is a problem ^_^ but it’s not Alec’s problem (not yet at least)

I hope you enjoy

💜 lumine

—

Alec wants nothing more than to bask in the glory of a warm afternoon sun and the gorgeous, relaxed body of his husband.

Alec can’t help his grin, the way he moves closer so he can press his lips adoringly against Magnus' chest.

Magnus grumbles, a sleepy protest at Alec’s stubble against his bare skin and Alec just nuzzles closer still.

Magnus arms come up, solid and strong and keeping Alec close in a way that has Alec aching to shut away the world for just a little longer.

Despite the fact that he knows he can’t, he shuts his eyes and tries to let sleep steal him back under.

“Alexander—“ he hears what feels like an instant and a lifetime later, all at once. Alec shakes his head, a stubborn refusal as he inhales the scent of Magnus and his shampoo and them.

It’s addicting and Alec whines, shaking his head when Magnus insistently pets his back.

“The world will not wait for us, darling.” Magnus reminds him gently, “we’ve stolen away all that we can risk already, Alexander.”

Alec knows that.

He does.

But he selfishly loathes the thought of once again, fighting for every chance to see Magnus. And not only that, but fighting a war on all sides when it comes to his siblings, parents and the clave.

“I can’t be kept from you.” Magnus reminds him gently — the strength of his grip giving away his own concerns.

Alec knows that.

It’s why they did what they did.

Magnus and he are tied together in every possible way that can protect them.

Knowing all of that doesn’t make it any easier though.

—

When Alec had made the choices he did, he hadn’t realized his siblings would be stupid enough to commit outright treason.

The sheer gall of it has him pacing the deck as he pulls every active-duty shadowhunter in his Institute and puts them on alert.

Alec had barely given himself and Magnus thirty hours to just be with each other, and now he finds himself forming teams to search.

As he’d already reported the theft of his stele to Lydia, Alec can’t be incriminated. He’d purposefully taken himself out of the equation for Lydia to take charge for a few days and while it’s kept him from trouble, he’s in no position to help his siblings.

It means that Alec has to be cold, nearly voiceless as the power he gave to Lydia to be used against his parents is now used against Jace and Izzy.

Alec still isn’t sure exactly what anyone was thinking throughout the entire debacle — Lydia ordering Meliorn interrogated is a step far beyond the power he allowed her — but regardless, it’s happened.

Alec can’t even deal with the fallout just yet, not when he needs to let Lydia see this through.

“I did warn you to secure them and to not act overly hasty.” Alec hears Mirai murmur to Lydia, his second is less than impressed with the clave’s envoy and he doesn’t blame her. Alec and Mirai had finally been making progress and Lydia… well Alec’s not sure her purpose or plans but they no longer mesh with his own.

“I couldn’t risk that he had information we needed.” Lydia replies and then she winces when Mirai gives her a dark look.

“It wasn’t your risk to take, Branwell. But it is your mess to clean up. Alec extended a hand of trust, to both the clave and you through his actions. His trust was poorly received.”

Mirai isn’t wrong, and Alec is relieved to find his professional trust not completely betrayed. That she is watching his back without knowing he can hear her is a boon and one Alec needs.

Especially after his parabatai and sister who committed treason — Alec is refusing to think about Max’s role — it was under the clave’s watch that it happened.

After all, the last thing Alec needs is a charge of treason on the night he married the love of his life.

—

Magnus: darling… not to play devils advocate for your siblings but he is one of my favorite uncles and you need a distraction. Did you not do something similarly risky and Ill-advised recently?

Alec: babe the difference is I didn’t get caught. It would be one thing if they ONLY got caught. But they didn’t just get caught. They announced that they were breaking the rules loudly and happily and almost gave the cup to Valentine while also letting him know exactly where it is… allegedly

Magnus: true, you’re much careful with your attempts at sedition

Alec grumbling as he gets ready for bed: they’re not attempts if they’re successful

[carelessflower]

things alec borrow from his husband

sandalwood shampoo

t-shirts to sleep in when magnus is away

charmain meow (alec and charmain had private cuddle sections okay it’s very important for team bonding)

tight fitted clothes when alec feel like teasing *cough* *cough*

books

that one sheer robe that cause the incident. for his husband’s safety the incident should not not happen again

the World’s best dad mug courtesy from Rafael

Magnus’s last name

Magnus’s heart

tag list: @magnus-the-maqnificent @ahanahahaha @ukisteria @wtf-is-reality @sleepy-magnus @i-am-a-really-good-lawyer @sociallyineptbibliophile @queenlilith43 

[rosileeduckie]

Sending Sensation

There’s nothing quite like the rain.

When it’s literally raining somewhere else. Magnus and Alec have creative ways of dealing with being apart.

SFW. Potential warnings: none. Mortal Instruments/Shadowhunters/Malec tickle fic

Word count: 4,337

~*~

Just because Magnus had cat eyes didn’t mean he was averse to water. He’d always rather liked water, actually. Especially rain. He hadn’t been young in centuries, but something about rain always lit a fire in him, made him feel energetic and playful like few things (really good liquor, a really good date, and both those things together, preferably) could. It was something he and his partner could agree on. They both loved the rain, though Magnus found it invigorating where Alec found it soothing. Magnus loved a day spent furiously cleaning or mixing powerful potions or dancing in the living room that lightning lit up like a disco ball to a beat like thunder. Alec preferred the rain as a softer soundtrack, echoing the ringing of Izzy and Jace’s weapons striking his or mimicking the featherlight kisses Magnus would plant upon the shadowhunter’s face and neck and chest to wake him. Swept up as he could get by the excitement of a rainy day, Magnus could admit that they were incomplete without sweet, slow starts.

Alec would be waking soon, alone in their Idris home save for their two cats (Chairman Meow, the rambunctious kitten from Magnus’ Brooklyn flat, and Church, the grumpy old long-hair from the New York Institute, much to Alec’s dismay). In the shadowhunter home country, the sun would have just risen, turning the sky from night-black into a hazy grey-green as its week’s worth of storms rumbled onward. Magnus longed for the sight. That of Idris, an oil painting of peaceful thunder sometimes featuring the distant high towers of Alicante when the rain lightened before doubling again, but, more so, of the man in the foreground of that painting. Alec, his dark hair mussed from sleep and his eyes heavy above the rim of his coffee mug. He’d be standing on the porch, under the shelter of the eaves with mere inches between him and the downpour. He’d watch the rain, and Magnus would watch him, eventually stepping forward to bridge the inches between them. The warlock’s arms would slip easily around Alec’s waist, his head bowed to kiss up from between Alec’s shoulder blades to the nape of his neck to the soft spot behind his ear. “Come back to bed with me,” Magnus would whisper, breathing in deeply the smell of wet earth and black coffee and Alec’s shampoo from their shower the night before. Alec would put up little of a fight, and they’d go back inside, falling back into their still-warm bed into a warmer embrace, to be broken only if Alec could muster enough energy to make his meetings in Alicante’s Institute. He sometimes did, but, so blissfully often, the stretching on of the beautiful rainy moment with his partner was just too good to resist.

“I wish you were here.”

Magnus smiled sadly. In New York, it was past midnight. He wasn’t waking softly beside his favorite person to the sound of quiet snores or insistent meows to be fed. He was sitting in his chair in his apartment in Brooklyn, exhausted from a day of meeting with shadowhunter and downworlder alike for a new annual tradition of peace. Magnus hadn’t found peace until all the small talk and not-quite-sincere smiles had ceased, when he could sit down and unbutton his shirt and call his partner. It had taken quite the resources to acquire communication rings for he and Alec, but they had been worth every magic molecule, as it meant that Magnus could now see his partner seated beside him, however incorporeally. In Idris, Alec would be seeing the opposite, Magnus’ image seated beside him by the fireplace. “I wish I was there, too,” said the warlock. “It is so dreadfully boring without you. Magnus yawned, both to emphasize his point and because he couldn’t help it. Tired as he was, though, he wouldn’t sleep yet. Besides, silly as it was, it made him happy that he and Alec were sharing the same “day,” even if only technically. The warlock shifted in his seat, crossing one leg over the other (as opposed to how they’d been crossed already) and resting his elbow on the armrest and his temple on his hand with a grin. “I assume the boys are keeping you entertained?”

With a chuckle, Alec nodded. His projection showed him and anything touching him within a few inches, so Magnus could plainly see his question answered. One hand, Alec was using to hold his coffee mug, and, the other, he had reserved for petting Church, whose perpetually scowling face could only look so sour when he was purring so loudly. Evidently summoned by the mention, Chairman Meow appeared as well, hopping from his usual perch on the mantel to nestle between the back of Alec’s neck and the plush back of his chair. “Just like you asked them to,” Alec replied, reaching back to give the Chairman a scritch before returning his hand to Church’s head when the older cat’s purring dipped toward a grumble.

“Very good,” said Magnus, heart warm at the sight. Early on, Alec had joked, in his dry way from back then, that cats were incessantly underfoot and in the way—at least, the Institute’s cat always had been. Despite his supposed dislike for them, Alec was very loving toward Magnus’ felines. Even if, deep down, he confessed he’d always wanted a dog. One day, maybe. When Church “finally died or grew so old that he didn’t notice things enough to get annoyed and hissy” at them. The Chairman, and most other cats, Alec would never wish poorly upon. But he was vocally certain Church was older than he was and, quite possibly, immortal, or, at least, on one of his last lives. According to Alec, that cat had been terrorizing the Institute halls and libraries for as long as Alec could remember. Church’s disappearance had been both confusing and relieving for all Institute occupants. His reappearance at Magnus’ house had been, perhaps, ironic. His moving with the couple to Idris had been a hard sell, but Alec had sighed and reasoned he’d already spent most of his teenage and adult life being woken up by Church batting his face, and he could hardly break tradition when Magnus was so enamored with the crotchety old thing.

“You should sleep,” Alec said, not unkindly, when Magnus yawned again.

The warlock shook his head, holding up a hand both to cover the yawn and wag a finger. “This dreadful summit had been boring me to sleep all day,” he joked with a roll of his eyes. “And I’ve been looking forward to your company all day; sleep will wait for me.”

Alec ducked his head with a smile, bashful at the sentiment. He was always more openly smiley or shy or receptive when he was on the edge of sleep or past the edge of tipsy, and Magnus adored every such moment. “It’s raining today,” Alec offered, trying futilely to hide his smile in the sip he took of his coffee.

“Is it?” Magnus asked, as though he hadn’t spent the particularly boring parts of his meetings glancing at his phone to just see the weather around Idris to entertain himself even a little by imagining what Alec would be doing during the day. Of course, weather reports surrounding a country that couldn’t be detected were only so accurate, and the magic rings didn’t allow Magnus to hear what Alec could—surely the beautiful sound of the rain tapping the windows and the cats purring around him—so it was nice to hear it confirmed. It was nice to know Alec would still get to have one of his favorite kinds of days even while Magnus was away. “The garden will appreciate that. I thought the moonflowers and wolfsbane looked a little sour when I left.” Even as he spoke, Magnus’ mind was dwelling on the image of his arms around Alec as the rain poured down on their little house. He sighed, letting his head fall back against his chair with a faraway smile. “I should file a complaint with the council for making me miss a rainy day with you. That’s downright criminal.”

The shadowhunter chuckled, his fingers tapping thoughtfully against his mug. For a moment, he was quiet, his eyes drifting to one side, toward, what Magnus inferred from where Alec was presumably sitting, the door. Before Magnus’ brow could furrow, Alec was smiling, his eyes bright, and he carefully set both his mug and the cat on his lap aside before he stood up. The rings offered a line of conversation over most any distance, albeit with the requirement that whoever was being contacted by the wearer remain projected within about five feet of them, so Magnus had to press his lips together on a laugh as Alec’s image moved in place, almost like he was on an invisible treadmill.

“Where are you going?” Magnus said with a chuckle of his own and a raised eyebrow. “You know cats take great offense when their throne is displaced.”

“Dance with me,” said Alec, glancing back at Magnus with a grin as he bent down to tug on his boots. “In the rain. Do you remember?”

Magnus was suddenly biting down on a smile that wanted to grow until his cheeks ached. “I remember,” he said, though the crease didn’t leave his brow. “But what—?”

“The sharing spell you worked on with Clary,” Alec explained, already backing toward the door once he’d laced his boots up. “And modified. Do you remember?”

The ache in Magnus’ cheeks turned to a flush. Clary had helped him with conception of but not the modifications to the spell; that had been more of a solo project. That had become a two-person experiment. Regardless, Magnus had had only good experiences with that spell, so he could only smile at what Alec was inferring. “Yes, I remember.”

Alec stepped back and, as Magnus watched, his emerald-green sleep shirt and sweatpants grew suddenly dark, his hair flattening to his head and down his forehead under dripping rivulets, like he’d suffered a sudden baptism via a bucket on the door. His already big smile only grew when Magnus laughed into his hand; Alec could hear the lovely sound even as his stepping out from under the eaves subjected him to the loud patter of the rain. “Dance in the rain with me,” said Alec, arms spread as wide as his smile.

Magnus almost declined, offering some flimsy excuse about it being late or the fact that Alec would almost certainly get sick being out in the rain with no coat, but his partner wore a smile so big and bright and happy that he simply didn’t have the heart to resist. Standing, Magnus began the incantation, smiling even as he closed his eyes. He sent his fingers into their usual dance, summoning blue, wispy magic before touching his rings and inner wrist, tying himself all the closer to Alec. Though he’d known what to expect after seeing Alec so suddenly drenched, Magnus still gasped as the spell activated and the sensation of a freezing deluge poured down on his body. Of course, his hair and makeup were still pristine; he just felt as cold as Alec did standing in the rain. The change in temperature was so sudden and so absolute—Magnus would have sworn he could feel his socks getting soggy—that it actually knocked the wind out of the warlock. For a moment, all he felt was chill and wet and the hairs on his neck standing up, and then the freezing feeling in his chest snapped, and he was laughing. And he could feel Alec’s arms, warm around him. When Magnus looked up, he couldn’t help but laugh more when he saw Alec standing with his own arms wrapped around himself in as tight a self-hug as he could manage, wrapping Magnus up in the feeling as well. Magnus held him, too, holding his own arms behind his back to make Alec feel just as happy and warm.

Of course, it was silly. Anyone who walked in on the Institute Head of Alicante and the High Warlock of Idris dancing together despite the thousands of miles between them would have thought so. But there was no one to impede or look down on the couple holding themselves and holding each other. Nothing to get in the way of the fun and tenderness that came with the rain, that fell from the sky and splashed between Alec and Magnus’ chests, that thundered within them. Magnus lifted his hand to kiss Alec’s palm, and Alec’s arms rose to bury themselves in Magnus’ hair. Alec held onto Magnus’ waist, and they both were spinning, laughing themselves sillier when the usually graceful shadowhunter nearly slipped on the wet grass, only to catch himself within seconds of them both sprawling. Alec’s hands touched his own neck to cradle Magnus’ jaw, and Magnus covered every inch of Alec’s face with fingertip kisses hopscotching over his own skin. How could the warlock sleep now, elated and elevated as he felt now? How could he not already be dreaming, sweet as this was?

A shiver shook Magnus’ chest, and he sighed in contentment and resignation. “You’re going to catch your death, Alexander,” he said, though he was still beaming, head tipped back blissfully as Alec’s thumbs rubbed the base of his scalp. He didn’t sound near as stern as he’d intended to.

Alec hummed, the image of the man across from him flickering in beautiful concert with the thunder bubbling overhead. “It would take more than this good of a day to kill me,” he smiled. “Though it would be the best death a shadowhunter could hope for.”

“Anyone could hope for,” Magnus breathed in reply. He tried to snap back to himself, to resist somehow against Alec’s familiar touch. “But not today. Come inside?”

The shadowhunter’s smile softened fondly, then sharpened mischievously. “Get over here and make me?” he teased.

That woke Magnus up. His eyes narrowed, and his hands slid down, coming to rest on Alec’s ribs with twitching fingers. “Oh, I will, as soon as I get back,” he promised, his voice low. He wished he had enough energy to portal to Alec right then and there, but he knew the pros of anticipation. “For now, though, I must insist you come in now.”

“Mags—” The exaggerated sigh Alec had just begun to loose was stolen from his lips as Magnus’ fingers curled between his ribs, making his breath hitch with an eager smile. “Okay, okay, I’m going!”

“Thank you,” Magnus grinned, giving the sensitive spot a departing pinch that made Alec jump as he hastened back to the porch. The throw blanket Magnus grabbed from his parlor couch to drape around his shoulders was half to rid the phantom sensation of cold from his body and half to make sure Alec felt warm, too.

“I’m sorry, your eminences,” said Alec, presumably returning to the living room and shutting the door behind him. Magnus couldn’t see either of the cats, but he could perfectly picture their offended pouts at their throne not only moving but also getting wet, thus being an unsuitable throne for the time being. “I’ll be back to your optimal perch shortly.”

“Preferably after changing into warm clothes and sitting by the fire,” Magnus said, reclaiming his earlier seat and crossing his legs comfortably once more. A smile crept across his face. “Well,” he teased, “not changing too fast, though.”

The flush Alec’s cheeks had developed from the cold rain paled in comparison to their dark heat at that comment. “Magnus Lightwood-Bane,” he shook his head.

“Mm?” Magnus hummed, unabashedly grinning as he tipped his head to one side.

Alec’s jaw flapped soundlessly for a few seconds, and his gaze was turned stubbornly away from Magnus, as though that would keep his partner from seeing the smile he was trying to bite back. He sat by the fire and set his eyes on the laces that suddenly required all his focus to undo. “That’s hardly professional.”

Magnus chuckled. “Our relationship hasn’t moved past ‘professional’ in the years we’ve known each other? I was sure marriage would tip us over the edge.”

“Not if I demote you,” Alec said, standing and going to the bedroom to change at whatever speed he liked, undeterred by (or, perhaps, just ‘used to’) Magnus’ presence, however incorporeal, behind him.  

“All that ‘Head of the Institute’ power is going to your head,” Magnus shook his head, obligingly examining his nails rather than ogle. The point was putting on new clothes for warmth, not taking them off for pleasure. There was a necessary hierarchy. “Is this demotion based on my performance or for the fact that I’m too far away to do more than tease at the moment?”

Pants sorted, Alec pulled a dry shirt over his head and sat down on the bed to replace his socks. “Definitely performance.”

“Really?” Magnus said, pursing his lips. “Well, that’s something of a relief. I’d hate for you to miss me too much while I’m away, but if my overall performance could be better, I can work on that while we’re apart.” His fingers drifted to his sleeve, rolling it up his arm until it was cuffed above his elbow. He traced his thumb lightly along the thin skin there, watching with a smile as Alec’s poorly hidden smile twitched wider as the sensation traveled to his own arm. “How about now? Has my score improved any?”

A minute ago, both parties had been lamenting how distance prevented them from actually touching one another. At present, one party was very interested in how flustered he could get his partner without touching him. The other… would not have been opposed to such a test. Still, said other had just woken up; he wouldn’t give in so easily. “I’m still demoting you, and to a phone call instead of a ring call so that this,” he clapped a hand over his tingling inner elbow, “doesn’t… isn’t…” He nodded, letting the threat hang like he’d said anything to dissuade Magnus from teasing with words or magic. He’d only gotten one sock on, the poor thing.

Magnus only smiled, his fingers crawling upward. The touch on his own arm reflexively didn’t tickle, but he could see Alec squirming, which only made him smile more. “Do you remember our last day in the rain?” Alec nodded, pretending to ignore the touch ascending closer to his armpit like Magnus was pretending not to notice Alec’s breath getting shallow and his grin getting bigger. His arms were even clenched to his sides, as though that would protect him from the ghostly sensations. “I love that day. The rain in Idris was so cold, but you held me, and you were so warm. Half for the fact that you’re always pleasantly warm, and half for the fact that your cheeks were still red from me catching you trying to steal my rings.”

“I wasn’t stealing—” Alec said, stifling a gasp as Magnus’ fingers traipsed from his shoulder to his collarbone, scratching there lightly with one of his aforementioned rings, the jointed silver one with the clawed tip. A beautiful piece of jewelry, and one that made Alec go a beautiful shade of red when it was pointed at him with any sort of mischievous intent.

“And you wouldn’t be. “What’s mine is yours.” I should have left this one with you, though; I know how much you like it,” said Magnus, genuinely curious if Alec could have even looked at the ring without feeling butterflies, let alone wear it. Another test for another day. “Let’s circle back, Alexander. Negotiate. Just a phone call? Not even a video call?”

Alec’s hands were white-knuckling the fabric of his pants, his eyes shut tight and his chest heaving as he tried not to so much as giggle. He kept trying to gather his breath to reply only to falter and retreat, knowing, as Magnus was counting on, that Alec opening his mouth for more than a second would have allowed an escape for the laughter bubbling in his chest, and, after that, there would be no holding it back. Magnus’ claw traced a winding, slow, featherlight path down, skating a familiar path down Alec’s chest and to his right side, drawing figure eights over and between his ribs. The touch was light, but the spot was evil, and Alec couldn’t hold back any longer. First a snicker, then open-mouthed giggles leapt from his lips. His arms flapped fruitlessly to protect the spot, but the sensation that lit up his nerves endings remained unfairly there, leaving him only the option to cover his face with his hands and wait for Magnus to have mercy. The uncertainty of when mercy would come was unfairly thrilling.

“Though, you know,” Magnus smiled, talking on as though his partner hadn’t tittered himself into falling backwards onto the bed across from him, “I suppose I don’t need a video call to see how handsome you look when you’re laughing like this. I like to see you, of course. But I’ve seen your giggled-silly face so wonderfully often that I know exactly what you’d look like if I did this without getting the pleasure of seeing you. That would be fun, wouldn’t it? If I just cast this spell any time and tickled you softly, knowing just how hot your ears would get, how your feet would kick, how you’d bite your lip until you can’t stand it anymore—that’s when your smile gets so big that your eyes won’t stay open even if you could bear to look at me. Aw, Alexander, you wouldn’t see me either. You wouldn’t prefer that, would you?”

After a moment trying to clench his jaw through his giggles, Alec shook his head. And Magnus couldn’t long more for the ability to pull Alec close, to climb on top of him in bed and chase his laughter with both hands—something a phone call wouldn’t allow, which was why he was far from done negotiating—to lean in to whisper more teases and kisses of how they could spend the rainy day. Magnus knew he’d be looking forward to such a day, a more intimate version of that morning/night’s activities. But it was getting late; if Alec wasn’t so busy smiling so big and giggling so adorably, he’d probably be insisting Magnus get some good sleep before his next round of meetings in the morning. But, certainly, they could both do well with a few more silly minutes, something to give Magnus sweet dreams and something for Alec to smile about all day.

“Thought so,” Magnus smiled, withdrawing his tormenting fingertip in favor of his palms, which rubbed soothing circles over the spot that had kept his beloved in tittering stitches. He so wished he could kiss him. Soon. All their days could begin and end so sweetly. As for the one at present… “I almost think I shouldn’t play with you so nicely while I’m away, or you’ll prefer that as opposed to my actually being there,” Magnus teased.

Alec shook his head again, breathing slowing but a smile still wide on his flushed cheeks.

The shadowhunter’s eyes were closed, but Magnus couldn’t keep from pressing a finger to his own mouth at the sentiment, as if his touched smile could be hidden by it. Magnus did see Alec’s own smile widen a little, and he realized Alec could most certainly feel that as he had felt the warlock’s more purposeful touches. Such as: Magnus clawed finger touching down on his left side, making Alec jackknife before collapsing back on the bed in merry cackles as it and four other manicured nails scratched vindictively at the sensitive spot. “But I also think,” Magnus said, tugging his collar open with his free hand and swinging his head from side to side in a slow U. Again, the feeling of his own stubble brushing his collarbone wasn’t a ticklish one—moreso an awkward motion for his neck that Alec had better have appreciated—but it got Alec to howl in laughter, so it was effective for someone. “I also think that you deserve things you love that you can look forward to. I know I’ll be looking forward to doing this again when I’m home.”

Part of Magnus’ wish for physical contact right then was due to Alec’s expression of enjoyment often came from him leaning into Magnus’ touch or wordlessly guiding him to a new place if he didn’t (as well as for his own happiness at being close to Alec, but that wasn’t so relevant). But Magnus hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d said he didn’t need to see Alec to know he was enjoying himself. It was a bonus, of course, but Magnus didn’t need it to know and feel Alec’s head thrown back into the pillow, his arms no longer clenching to his sides but out just far enough to grip the blankets. He was kicking quite a bit more than usual, but Magnus assumed, rightly, that that was because Alec was making the most of not being pinned, trying in his giggle-high mind to decide if he liked more the helplessness of being pinned or not being pinned but still being fully subjected to every sensation he loved. Magnus would have to bring it up when he was awake enough to effectively negotiate. For that moment, he would lighten his touch and draw swirls over Alec’s ribs until the spell wore off or he fell asleep, looking forward every moment to when he could wake to Alec’s smile and touch him, really touch him, pull him close with cuddles and kisses and tickles and have nothing in the day waiting to interrupt them. Until the cats came to be fed, of course.

[onetimetwotimesthreetimess]

we need more of alec wearing magnus clothes for research purposes

“Have the boys eaten anything?” Alec asks from the shower. 

“No. They wanted to wait for you.” Magnus replies as he finishes removing his makeup. 

“Okay. I’m almost done. Can you pick out some clothes for me? I’ll be out in a minute.” Alec says as he massages some shampoo in his hair. 

“Already done.” Magnus answers. “Take your time, darling. I’ll call the boys and order dinner till then.”

Alec turns slightly and says with a mischievous smile on his face. “The term ‘order’ implies that you will call up a place and request for some food to be delivered. Which is not how things work in this house. You can’t call it ordering if you’re going to use magic for it.”

Magnus rolls his eyes at him. “The employees are usually overworked and underpaid at restaurants. By magicking the food here instead of asking it to be delivered the mundane way, I’m actually helping them. It’s not like I am stealing.”

Alec lets out a chuckle at Magnus’s excuse. 

He always has a good answer for everything. 

“It’s a little bit like stealing if they don’t know it’s happening.”

“You know what, love? You’re absolutely right. But since I’m a lesser man, I will continue to do so and you can cook for yourself. Or order like a good citizen.” Magnus gives Alec a perfectly innocent smile. “Should not take more than an hour or two since you know, it’s raining outside.”

Fuck.

Alec forgot about the rain thing.

Fine. Magnus wins for today.

“I would do that but it’s already late and Rafe and Max are probably very hungry. I don’t want to make them wait anymore just because I married an outlaw who couldn’t order by the standard means.” Alec says with a wide grin on his face.

“You’re full of shit, Lightwood.” Magnus announces. 

“Lightwood-Bane.”

Magnus snaps his fingers and Alec lets out a shriek as the hot water turns ice cold. “Have a great bath, sweetheart.” 

“Real mature, Magnus.” Alec shouts as Magnus gives him another innocent smile and leaves the bathroom. 

He curses himself for marrying the most annoying man on the planet and tries to finish the shower as soon as possible since he’s dying at the temperature. 

He gets out of the shower and finds the navy blue tank top and bottoms that Magnus has taken out for him. 

Alec puts on the clothes but then realises that he feels too cold to roam in a tank-top. He finds Magnus’s deep mustard cardigan lying on the vanity and puts it over the top. 

He knows Magnus picked that tank top only because it was a little too tight on Alec and his husband likes to thirst on him. 

The cardigan is too soft and warm and Alec wraps it around himself. It smells like Magnus and Alec sighs softly. 

He knows his husband is only in the other room but wearing his clothes always provides Alec with an extra level of comfort and warmth. He knows it's the same for Magnus too which is why he keeps on stealing Alec’s sweaters. 

Alec doesn’t dry his hair because Magnus likes running his hands through his wet hair sometimes before he magically dries them. So he skips all of that and leaves the bedroom. 

“Daddy!!!” Max yells and raises his hands so that Alec can take him in his arms which he does in an instant. Rafael smiles and wraps his arms slowly around his legs.

Alec doesn’t get it sometimes. 

He doesn’t get how the two of them always get excited to see him even though he himself feels the same thing every time he looks at them. 

It still catches him off guard sometimes. 

He bends down with Max in his arms and kisses both their faces. “Hi. How was your day?”

The two of them start talking and yelling over each other, narrating their adventures off the day and Alec listens to every word keenly. 

“Dinner’s ready.” Magnus announces as he enters the living room with plates and takeout containers in his hands. 

“Come on, it’s time for dinner.” Alec says to the boys and stands up. 

“What the fu–” Magnus stops in his tracks. “What are you wearing?”

Alec looks at Magnus and rolls his eyes. “Remember how you tried to kill the father of your children in ice-cold water not five minutes ago?” Magnus blinks. 

“Huh?” Magnus mumbles confusedly as if he doesn't remember. 

“You’re impossible.” Alec huffs. “But now I feel cold because of you so you don’t get to see me in a tank-top. Your cardigan is warm.” 

“Oh.”

Alec’s lips curls upwards at that. “Regret will get you nowhere, baby. This is your loss.”

Magnus puts the containers on the table and walks towards Alec. He takes Alec’s hand in his and twirls him thrice. 

Alec can hear the boys giggling in the background. 

“What are you doing?” Alec chuckles softly. 

“You think this is a loss?” Magnus asks with an award-winning smile on his face. 

Alec raises an eyebrow at him.

“Yeah?” “Alexander, watching you wear my clothes is not something I will ever regret. You look so beautiful.” Magnus says simply.

Magnus calls him beautiful all the time but it still takes Alec’s breath away.

It still makes him blush like it used to a decade ago. 

He shoves Magnus gently to hide away his blush. “Shut up. This is not the first time I’m wearing your clothes.”

Magnus smiles and kisses his cheeks softly. “I know. You look gorgeous every single time.”

Alec married the most annoying man on the planet. But he also married the biggest sap.

“Are you ever not flirting with me, baby?” 

Magnus chuckles softly and runs his hands through his hair. “I find that quite an impossible task.”

“You’re ridiculous.” Alec grins and closes the distance between the two, catching Magnus’s lips between his. 

He wraps his arms around Magnus’s neck and feels himself get lost in the sansation like he always does. 

Until four hands start poking at the two of them like they always do. 

Magnus groans softly and pulls back. The two of them lower their gaze and find two faces with annoyed expressions all over. 

“Can you stop kissing for a second?”

“Can we please give them back?”