#genuinely so pissed off at the sheer fucking hypocrisy

[jade-marie]

Incoming rant, re Beth and that 2.09 script

***Just putting it out there. I’m not a Rio stan, before anyone tries to pull that bullshit with me. I don’t “stan” anyone, let alone a fictional character. I enjoy some characters and I don’t enjoy others, easy peasy***

So, I’m sure we’ve all seen the latest script to screen and the fact that Rio being treated like a prostitute was the intended effect. I saw so many people analyse that episode, trying to defend it in the past, saying that people probably just misinterpreted it, that it didn’t really come across like that, etc. Now when we get confirmation… fucking crickets. A few comments here and there, but no grand analyses in sight. Surprise surprise. I genuinely have so many issues with that scene, the script and the reaction to it.

Firstly, it was disgusting on Beths part. That’s not how you treat anyone, let alone someone you supposedly care about. But that’s the point. She never cared about him, on a human level. He makes her feel confident, he makes her feel sexually satisfied, but she doesn’t give a two shit flying fuck about him as a person. That was reaffirmed by her making jokes about his rotting corpse, dancing on his grave and continuing to plot his murder. Yet no one will admit that. Instead of taking the whole thing at face value they’ll analyse everything, down to song lyrics, to try and prove that she had deep feelings. Nah, she wanted to get laid by someone who wasn’t dean. They had amazing on-screen chemistry and I genuinely think he started to develop feelings for her, but not one single thing she’s done would suggest she actually cared about him, beyond physical attraction. Granted, bans and Krebs will probably backtrack on that next season, to save face after the shitshow that was season 3.

Secondly, Beth stans are defending her behaviour. Can you not see that it’s problematic as fuck? Can you imagine if the roles were reversed? A man lured a woman back to his house for sex, under false pretences, plops a stack of cash on the bedside table when they’re done, dumps her and dismisses her like a fucking hooker? Can you imagine the uproar? Can you imagine the shit people would get for defending it? Now imagine Rio did that to Beth? Keep that same energy and stop being hypocritical fuckwits. You can enjoy a character without defending fundamentally cunty behaviour, it’s not that hard.

Thirdly, the racial undertones of the way his character gets treated are beyond a joke at this point, anyway, but the scripts make it worse. His character literally exists as a metaphor for Beth being torn between her white picket fence life and something else. He isn’t allowed a story beyond that. Beth wants to get laid, while simultaneously sticking it to dean? She gets Rio. Beth wants to have one last act of rebellion before crawling back to dean with her tail between her legs? She lures Rio to her house, fucks him, dumps him and pays him for services rendered. Then she gets annoyed when he’s not willing to clean up after her anymore. Later we see his character reduced to a stereotypical Latino thug by the finale and she puts 3 bullets in him as one last act of shirking responsibility for her own actions. Every single script that gets released shows how little consideration they put into Rio‘s feelings, motivations, just his general character. Every script is about her. He’s a secondary character and that is absolutely fine, but he shouldn’t solely exist for Beths development.

Rio is not supposed to be a good man, that’s absolutely fine. He’s also done some incredibly fucked up things on the show. But as far as him and Beth, as far as their personal interactions go, he had never treated her with that kind of disrespect and it was completely unwarranted. So why the fuck is nobody saying it? Once again, you can enjoy her character, while also speaking out about her shitty behaviour. I’ve seen people trying to justify it because “he interrupted her while she was speaking and called her a bitch on several occasions during season one.” What the fuck? What. The. Fuck? just like her character needs to develop self-awareness, people who so furiously defend her every time, should also be willing to admit when she’s in the wrong. Its absolute fucking bullshit, at this point and the silence is about it is so loud.

I’ve seen people comment on the Bellamy Blake situation, even though they don’t even watch the 100, yet remain fucking silent about this. It’s okay to enjoy the show, it’s okay to enjoy beths character. What’s not okay is remaining silent about, or even worse, defending fucked up behaviour. Stop defending shitty behaviour. Stop defending problematic, borderline racist, writing. Just call a spade a fucking spade and be done with it. Fucking hell. 

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

I was wondering if you had an opinion on Cassie letting Aftran infest her. I struggled with Cassie narratives sometimes, mostly due to the authors tendency to turn her into plot fu magic macguffin whenever she wanted a state change in the series, but I remember when I read that the first time I was like "I think I might hate you right now" and Aftran's change of heart felt like plot fu macguffin magic "realize the true power of FRIENDSHIP(TM)!" and it just...I struggle with it.

Anon, I totally agree that the moment could have been handled better.  I guess I disagree that it reflects a broader weakness in the series.

I really like Aftran as a character, and I really like the role she plays in the series.  That said, I agree that Cassie’s decision to let her in... could have been handled differently.  It fits with Cassie’s other characterization to have her make a decision on impulse that sacrifices the many (her friends, arguably the whole planet) to save the few (Aftran and Karen) without properly thinking through the consequences.  It fits with Marco’s characterization that he not only plans to kill Karen even before he knows she’s a controller but also out of a genuinely well-intentioned desire to spare Cassie from having to do the same.  It fits with Aftran’s characterization that she largely gets confronted with Cassie’s uniqueness as a person and that uniqueness overwhelms Aftran’s ability to keep morally disengaging enough to have an involuntary host.

But yeah, the text itself doesn’t necessarily take the time to discuss in detail the sheer level of risk that Cassie undertakes, or how poorly she fails to consider the negative outcomes for everyone else in her life if she gives their names and addresses to the Yeerk Empire.  These books are by necessity quite short, so I get why there isn’t really time to talk in detail about the sheer level of betrayal that Ax and Rachel especially must have felt after everything happened... But I do wish that there was more discussion of the consequences of Cassie’s decision.

By contrast, Animorphs’ narration doesn’t let Cassie get away without condemnation for risking her life to save a couple baby skunks (#9), for letting Tom’s yeerk escape with the morphing cube to avoid killing Tom (#50), or for condemning some of Rachel’s decisions while also offering no viable alternatives (#22, #48, #52).  Cassie makes mistakes — because every character in the series makes mistakes, because that’s part of what makes this characterization so good — but this moment with Aftran is definitely the biggest one where the fact that it didn’t end horribly ends up obscuring the fact that it definitely could have ended horribly.

However, anon, I also entirely disagree that “Aftran's change of heart felt like plot fu macguffin magic ‘realize the true power of FRIENDSHIP(TM)!'” because I actually think that the narration justifies the fact that Aftran is wavering throughout her interaction with Cassie, and doesn’t particularly like having an involuntary host well before she reaches the “fuck it” threshold and straight-up joins the Yeerk Peace Movement.

Pretty much from their first conversation, Aftran seems pissed off at Karen: she complains that she wanted a human host and now regrets having gotten one.  She claims that her objection mostly has to do with the limitations of having a small body and the fact that American children aren’t allowed to do friggin’ anything without adult supervision... but it’s also clear that that’s not really what makes her so uncomfortable about using Karen as a host.  When complaining about Karen, she actually uses the phrase “innocent little child.”  Which is hardly a damning insult.  Sounds more like she hates herself for enslaving said innocent child... which of course she does. She also tells Cassie about Karen crying and asking to be let go well before Cassie opens up in turn.  Plus. methinks she doth protest too much during her whole speech about how the yeerks have no choice whatsoever but to take involuntary hosts.

It also strikes me how much Aftran seems compelled to give an account of herself (to use Cates’ favorite theory) even when Cassie is giving absolutely nothing in return.  Cassie spends most of their first day and a half together smiling and nodding and going “suuuuurre, there are aliens and I turn into a wolf, you poor small child who definitely hit her head while being chased by a leopard back there,” mostly out of a desire to gaslight Aftran into forgetting the whole thing so that no one will have to kill her or Karen... and yet Aftran nevertheless pours out most of her life story to Cassie.  And she does so in a way that’s very defensive.  Her whole speech about how “we have a right to expand. We have a right to advance. But you Andalites don't see it that way, do you? No, the whole galaxy has to belong to the mighty Andalites,” and her later discussion of “It’s what we are... we're parasites, you humans are predators. How many pigs and cows and chickens and sheep do you kill each year to survive? You think being a predator is morally superior to being a parasite? At least the host bodies we take remain alive. We don't kill them, cut them into pieces, and grill them over a charcoal fire in our backyards” both come off as incredibly defensive.  It reminds me of that whole sequence with Marco struggling to rationalize his decision to kill Eva in #30: in both cases the speaker’s only groping around for justifications so hard because they know that on some level their actions are indefensible. 

Anyway, the other interesting thing about Aftran’s rhetoric is how heavily it leans into the idea of “the real monsters are YOU PEOPLE, not us.”  Advantageous comparisons are a really handy way of justifying pretty much any action through portraying oneself or one’s side as at the very least better than THEM.  First Aftran claims that the andalites are the real colonizers and that the yeerks are just following in their footsteps, meaning that there’s hypocrisy in trying to stop their “expansion.”  Then, upon finding out Cassie is human, she switches to claiming that humans are the real monsters because they kill other animals whereas yeerks “only” enslave them.  She also claims that humans are no more than pigs to yeerks, and that both are somehow made to be prey to other speices.

Being inside Cassie’s mind takes away Aftran’s ability to use all of those justifications.  Cassie’s not a monster; she’s the kind of kid who saves one of her enemies from being eaten by a leopard.  She’s not a colonizer; she does her best to care for her own planet.  She’s not a pig; she’s a sentient being with dignity and a private inner world.  Aftran’s illusions are already built on sand — and Aftran knows it, even before meeting Cassie — but the mere exposure to Cassie’s mind sweeps those illusions away entirely.

The really important message that K.A. Applegate uses Aftran to convey is that there’s more than one way to win a battle: there’s destroying your enemy through combat, and then there’s destroying your enemy through destroying the enmity between yourself and the other party.

I just agree in wishing that this plot had chosen a different means to get Aftran inside Cassie’s mind in the first place.

[ohfreckle]

Fic: Hungry Like The Wolf (Malec; Explicit)

Have some porn with feelings after the clusterfuck of the past few days.

This is set shortly after with bones unbuttoned, after the end of the season 2, but it can be read as a standalone fic. My apologies to Mr. Rey, but this is what you get for making Magnus look so sad in the trailer.

Also known as the Alec Lightwood was born to be fucked fic so many of you requested.

AO3

Pandemonium is a cacophony of noise and light, a clash of worlds that still makes Alec’s head spin. He leans back into the VIP booth and smiles when there’s immediately a warm weight settling against his side.

"Ah, how I’ve missed this." Magnus heaves a content sigh and takes a sip of his martini. He offers the drink to Alec, lifting the glass against his lips and Alec makes sure to place them exactly over the faint trace of lipgloss on the rim. He grimaces a little at how strong the drink is, but the way Magnus’s eyes are darkening is worth the awful taste.

He’s glad they came here tonight. Magnus has spent over a week in a gloomy mood, getting quieter with every passing day. Alec can tell, because if the sudden style makeover wasn’t a dead giveaway (not that he minds all that black leather), the fake smiles Magnus gives him every time he asks what’s wrong definitely is. It’s like the whole disaster with the agony rune all over again. Alec wants to call him out on his bullshit and hypocrisy - talk about when things get bad, don’t push me away - but he can tell Magnus needs time until he’s ready to talk. So all that’s left for Alec is to try and distract him from his worries.

"You’re enjoying yourself?" Alec asks and leans in for a kiss. They’re alone in what he privately likes to think of as Magnus’s throne. Nobody hardly ever bothers them when he’s here with Magnus. Sometimes people approach Magnus for a quick word, mostly warlock business, but they beat a hasty retreat as soon as courtesy allows. Magnus keeps teasing him it’s because they are afraid of his powerful Shadowhunter boyfriend, but Alec thinks they simply don’t trust him. It bothers him to a degree, but the good thing that comes with having the booth all for themselves is that it feels almost intimate, even with all the people dancing and laughing around them.

"I’m with you, in one of my favorite places, Alexander, of course I’m enjoying myself," Magnus smiles. This one is genuine, soft and happy, and before Alec can even think it about he’s leaning in again.

Warmth pools in his belly at how easily Magnus opens for him at the first push of his tongue, welcoming him with a throaty groan, and just like that it’s hot and filthy from the moment their mouths slot together. Alec curves one hand around Magnus’s cheek, tilting his head until he can lick into him with deep strokes, his other hand tightening on the inside of Magnus’s thigh. Magnus is pushing himself even closer, ends up half in Alec’s lap with both hands fisted in Alec’s hair, sucking on his tongue in time with the deep beat surrounding them. Fuck, just one kiss and Alec feels the familiar tug of arousal in his gut. But then, with Magnus it’s never just a kiss.

"Maybe we should take this back to the loft, unless you want to give people even more of a show," Magnus breathes when they finally break apart for air, immediately belying his words by chasing after Alec’s lips. His pupils are blown wide, his lipgloss smeared, and it takes every ounce of self-control Alec has not to take him up on the offer. Tonight is about Magnus and Alec showing him that he cares.

"Let them watch. Makes staking my claim a lot easier," Alec smirks. "We still need to dance, and I want everyone to know you’re mine." He takes a deep breath to calm himself before he stands and extends a hand.

Magnus’s eyes widen with surprise and flick up to study Alec’s face, crinkling a little at the corners with a private smile when he takes Alec’s hand and stands with feline grace.

Yeah, Alec’s got this.

The dance floor is packed, but the mass of moving bodies parts easily for them. They move together with the familiarity of two bodies that know each other intimately. Thanks to Izzy Alec isn’t a complete disaster on the dance floor, but Magnus moves with the sinuous grace of dancer, quick feet and rolling hips, as if he was born for it.

It’s utterly compelling, and Alec isn’t the only one who can’t take his eyes from him. He can feel the stares of the people dancing next to them. Some curious, some outright greedy, and God, he can’t blame them because Magnus’s outfit leaves nothing to the imagination. Tight black leather pants accentuate the plump outline of his cock, his black shirt so sheer Alec can see his nipples pebbling with the attention he’s drawing, pressing tantalizingly against the soft fabric.

"Fuck, Magnus, you’re the hottest thing in this club," Alec says on a rush of breath, itching to rub his thumbs over the hard peaks.

"Only in the club? Alexander, am I losing my touch?" Magnus is all wide eyes and innocence, belied by the way he’s pressing against Alec’s front, shamelessly dragging his cock against Alec’s with a languid roll of his hips.

"My whole world," Alec says, circling his arms loosely around Magnus’s neck. It doesn’t feel weird anymore to say these things out loud instead of bottling them up in his head. The quiet joy that lights up Magnus’s eyes is more than worth any lingering doubts if this still counts as talking about his feelings or crosses the line to gross sappiness. Not that Magnus would mind, Alec is still figuring out just how wide his romantic streak really is.

His reward is a hard, fast kiss that leaves him reeling and stumbling a little when Magnus spins him around, fitting himself against Alec’s back. It’s easy to lose himself like this, one of Magnus’s hands curled around his hip, the other rucking up his shirt, Magnus’s fingers splayed over his belly like a hot brand.

Alec can’t remember how he ever lived without being surrounded by Magnus. It’s like he’s living his life in monochrome when Magnus isn’t there. He blindly angles his back against Magnus’s shoulder, searching for his lips. They rock together slowly, ignoring the hard bass that’s shaking the air, trading lazy kisses, a promise of things to come.

Alec is drunk on Magnus and anticipation when their little bubble bursts. He feels Magnus stiffen against his back, his hips slowing to a barely there grind and the hand on his stomach splaying even wider. Alec squirms and opens his eyes reluctantly, about to complain about the lack of kisses when he notices the man dancing a little too close in front of them.

He’s handsome enough, Alec guesses. He doesn’t really think about other men’s looks; he’s got all he needs right behind him. The guy looks a little older than Magnus, his slicked back hair and black slacks and shirt giving him a stark, severe appearance despite the smile that’s curling his lips. He’s powerful, a warlock without a doubt; Alec can sense the magic swirling under his polished appearance.

"You know this guy, Magnus?" He cranes his head back to look at Magnus, alarm settling in at the hard set of Magnus’s jaw.

"Unfortunately I do," Magnus says, his voice so cold and clipped Alec barely recognizes it. "Mr. Rey, I believe I already told you that you’re not welcome here. Not in this city and not in this club."

"All this time gone by and you’re still a sore loser, Bane," the guy—Rey tuts, his face twisting into a sneer. "Last time I checked this was a free country and this club open to all paying customers. Which I assure you I did, and I’ll do even more than that and extend my more than generous offer."

It’s the strangest thing. Rey and Magnus look so alike with their dark beard and hair, dressed all in black, but they couldn’t be more different. Magnus is kind, compassionate and sensual, while everything about Rey is harsh and forbidding.

Behind Alec Magnus sucks in a harsh breath and goes completely still.

"Leave! I won’t repeat myself."

Alec feels Magnus trembling with anger. He hates it, but he’s hesitant to interfere as long as he has no idea what is going on between the two men. Magnus’s hand on his stomach is still a warm weight holding him in place, the tips of his fingers tucked into the waistband of his jeans, a sure sign he isn’t expecting a fight.

"Ah, but why don’t we let this delectable young man decide if he wants me to leave?" Rey smirks at Alec, eyeing him with blatant interest. "Maybe he’d like a chance to experience what a real man can do for him."

Alec almost physically recoils at the man’s audacity. Cold fury settles in his gut, mostly because of the cruel taunt against Magnus but also because he feels filthy with Rey’s eyes raking over him like that, and only Magnus’s lips brushing his jaw with a whispered No is keeping him back from planting his fist in Rey’s face. It doesn’t take a lot for Alec to put two and two together and recognize the reason for Magnus’s subdued mood lately is standing right in front of him, and that is really pissing him off.

Alec sweeps his eyes over Rey’s body. He doesn’t even have to try to keep it cool and detached, rising a brow when he meets Rey’s gaze. "Believe me, I’m all for real men, but where do you come into play here?"

Against his back Alec can feel Magnus relax a bit, warmth spreading in his chest at the low chuckle that Magnus hides against his cheek.

"Thanks for the offer, man, but I’m good," Alex says, twisting his arm back to draw Magnus into an open-mouthed kiss. There’s no need to pretend just how much it affects him, one slick swipe of Magnus’s tongue is enough to make him shudder. "I’m more than good." Alec covers Magnus’s hand that’s still resting against his lower stomach with his own and pushes both under the waistband of his pants, arching his spine with a groan when Magnus’s fingers graze his pubic hair. "God, I’m fanfuckingtastic."

"Mmmh, that you are," Magnus murmurs, a low purr against Alec’s lips.

He crowds closer, his hips snug against Alec’s ass sending a lick of desire shooting up Alec’s back. Alec exhales harshly, a feeble attempt to clear the haze of arousal from his head. Fuck, he’s hard, the low simmer of want he’s felt all night burning brighter with every slow drag of Magnus’s fingertips rubbing circles against the base of his naked cock.

He should tell Magnus to stop, but it’s his own hand that keeps pushing Magnus’s lower between his legs in the hot confines of his jeans. Rey is shielding them from most of the curious stares, but it’s not the other guests Alec is concerned about. Everyone can watch Magnus make him come in his pants for all he cares, he’s too far gone to think about that right now, but like hell he’s giving that privilege to the prick in front of him.

"Go," Alec grits out. "There’s nothing here for you." Dragging up the strength to still their hands takes tremendous effort, but he somehow manages and straightens to his full height.

"Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, young Shadowhunter," Rey smiles, as if they’re simply having a nice chat. "I will take Bane’s title, it’s just a matter of time, and maybe then you’ll reconsider what I have to offer. There’s not that much to him once you strip away what little power he has."

Killing demons aside Alec doesn’t consider himself a violent person, but right now his hands are itching for his bow, a blade, just anything to wipe that condescending smile from Rey’s face.

But Magnus is already stepping up to Rey, and suddenly the air around them is choking with magic. Alec knows Magnus is more than capable to fight his own battles, but seeing it is always something else entirely. Magnus’s strength is quiet and commanding, so different from Alec’s own more physical force, but no less threatening.

"This is my city," Magnus says, low and hard, his head held high, face carefully blank. His eyes turn molten gold, blue sparks dancing over the rings on his fingers. "My title and my lover, and I do not share."

Magnus slides his hand into Alec‘s and leads him from the dance floor without looking back. Rey doesn't follow them, but Alec is sure they haven't seen the last of him.

Alec follows Magnus through a brightly lit corridor he‘s never seen. He tries to clear the fog of arousal that‘s lingering in his limbs, but it‘s no use, he‘s still desperately hard. Watching Magnus take Rey down a notch made sure of that.

"Wait! Am I getting this right? Rey is a warlock, and he’s aiming for High Warlock of Brooklyn?"

"He's made his intentions clear to challenge me as High Warlock, yes," Magnus says, his hand tightening around Alec‘s. "And he‘s ambitious. He intends to become the High Warlock of New York, which would make me and my position superfluous."

"But you're not gonna let him, you're Magnus fucking Bane," Alec says, utterly taken aback by this revelation and even more at Magnus‘s careful aplomb. "You‘re the best warlock in the whole city, one of the best in the world. You‘re not superfluous."

The thought is ludicrous. What isn’t is that Magnus seems to believe it.

"Thank you, Alexander, your faith in me is most welcome," Magnus says. Alec hates the slight catch in his voice. "But Rey and I have crossed paths often enough for me to know that he is exceptionally skilled, and I'm afraid the Warlock Council is aware of that fact, as well."

"But he's not the best," Alec insists. He stops walking and tugs Magnus back to him, turning them around until he can push Magnus against the wall. "You are the best."

Alec braces himself against the wall, caging Magnus in. He keeps his voice low, trying to convey the absolute truth in his words. "The best warlock." He presses a chaste kiss against Magnus's lips, swallowing his gasp, and presses their foreheads together. "The best lover and partner I could ever want. Rey doesn’t come even close to you, and we’re going to prove that."

"Alexander—" For once it‘s Magnus who's fumbling words.

Good. Alec hopes it means he got through to him.

"Tell the Council the Head of the New York Institute won't work with him."

Magnus’s lips part in that achingly familiar expression of surprise, as if he can’t quite wrap his head around the fact that Alec would stand up for him without hesitation. He searches Alec’s eyes for a long moment, exhaling hard when he seems to find what he’s looking for, his lips finally quirking up at the corners.

"Revolution against the Clave and the Warlock Council? Alexander, I'm impressed."

Magnus surges against him for a kiss. Alec can feel him smile against his lips, and his heart thuds faster with the knowledge that he was able to lessen the weight of this burden on Magnus’s shoulders, even if it‘s only for tonight. They‘ll figure this out. Together.

"Want me to impress you some more?" he asks, rocking against Magnus's hips. Just once, acknowledging the heated tension between them that’s never completely subsided.

"An almost impossible feat, seeing that I am already thoroughly impressed," Magnus hums, looking at him from beneath his lashes with the playfulness that has become so familiar to Alec. He wiggles a hand between their bodies and cups Alec’s cock.

Pleasure licks fire up Alec’s spine, a sharp reminder that he’s been hovering on the edge of coming just a few minutes ago. It won’t take much to get him there again.

"Then why don’t you impress me?" he groans, grinding against Magnus’s palm. "Show me what a real man can do for me?"

Somehow they make it to end of the corridor and up a short flight of stairs without injury, unable to stop kissing until they tumble through a door with Magnus’s shirt unbuttoned and Alec’s lost somewhere on the way.

"Welcome to my office," Magnus declares with a little flourish that would look a lot more elegant if he weren’t gasping for breath and struggling to unzip his pants with his other hand. "Not that I use it often. I'm not much of an office person."

Alec casts a quick look around. The room is huge but almost empty. A sleek glass desk and two chairs take up one half of the room, the other is dominated by a sitting area with several black leather sofas. It looks like pretty much every other office Alec’s ever seen, reflecting surprisingly little of Magnus’s personality. What sets it apart is the large wall of glass that allows a stunning view of the club, the bright lights from down below illuminating the otherwise dark room.

Alec couldn’t care less about the view. All he knows is the already-hot thrum in his blood, the overwhelming need to touch and taste and fuck.

"Shut up and let me suck your cock," Alec rasps, pleased that it comes out smoothly. He‘s still fumbling his way through adequately expressing his feelings most of the time, but at least he‘s got the sex thing right down. This is as easy as breathing. He‘s always been comfortable with his body, and he thinks—or hopes—that Magnus understands what he tries to say with his body whenever words fail him.

Magnus’s lips part and his eyes darken before they suddenly turn liquid gold. Within seconds the mood shifts from heated to scorching hot, the urgency that's crackling between them allowing no further delay.

"Is that how it’s going to be? Well then, make me, Alexander. Show me what you've got," Magnus says, a silky purr that sends Alec’s heart racing.

Magnus slinks over to the glass wall and leans back against it, the insolent arch of his back a dare, beckoning Alec closer with a slow smile. He reminds Alec of a panther, shrouded entirely in black, sleek, graceful and dangerous; so, so gorgeous and untouchable. But Alec is allowed to touch, Magnus wants him to, and he couldn't resist even if he tried.

Alec drinks him in and reaches out for Magnus as soon as he's close enough to touch, trailing his fingers over the skin of Magnus’s exposed chest, ducking down to follow the path with his mouth. A quick swipe of his tongue over a nipple draws a hiss from Magnus, one of his hands sliding into Alec’s hair to keep him in place. Alec lets it guide him, sucking and licking both nipples into hard peaks, unable to stop the soft moans spilling from his throat.

God, he loves the contrast of soft skin and hard muscle under his tongue. With all the flamboyant clothes and make-up it’s easy to assume that all that Magnus has going on is magical tricks, Alec himself fell into that trap early on. But underneath those layers of soft fabric is the hard, muscular body of a fighter, strong and unmistakably male.

"I love how you taste," Alec breathes, dragging the flat of his tongue over a nipple, teasing a sharp exhale from Magnus. It turns into a groan when Alec bites down, the grip on his hair tightening and leading him up, over Magnus’s clavicle and neck to his shoulders. Alec follows the meandering path with lips, teeth, and tongue, stroking his hands up Magnus’s arms until he can brush the shirt from his shoulders and bite more kisses in the hard muscle he finds there.

"You’re greedy tonight." Magnus is breathing hard, his fingers scratching against Alec’s scalp, pulling him back and up into a hard, demanding kiss.

“Always for you," Alec gets out between kisses that get more heated and messy with every second. He licks into Magnus’s mouth, prying him open with lips and tongue as if he can somehow pass everything else he wants to say if he just kisses Magnus deep enough: I’ll always choose you. I love you. I won't let this guy mess with us.

"Show me."

It’s not a request. Alec slides down to his knees, following the sharp tug on his hair and the hand on his shoulder without even thinking about it. Neither of them is shy about voicing what they want in bed, but it’s rare for Magnus to be forceful about it. It’s usually Alec who gets this demanding, his training and natural inclination to take charge bleeding into the bedroom to their mutual enjoyment. But Alec gets it, the need to assert dominance after being shaken up and having one’s worth questioned; he’s done it enough times himself.

He presses an open-mouthed kiss against the smooth skin of Magnus’s belly, tongue flicking out to taste him as he kisses lower. Magnus’s taste is stronger here, sweat and ozone, familiar and exciting. Dragging his teeth and lips over Magnus’s stomach, Alec sucks a bruise into the soft stretch of skin right above Magnus’s unbuckled belt.

“God, yes, Alexander,” Magnus breathes, the muscles in his stomach jumping under Alec’s lips. His hand on Alec’s shoulder slides around to Alec’s neck, stroking the short hair there, keeping him firmly in place. "Don't tease."

Alec doesn’t mean to, but it’s hard not to get lost in Magnus. Parting his open fly and tugging his pants down to his hips reveals not only the tip of his cock, already slick at the head, but also a slim golden chain looped around Magnus’s hips, the drop-shaped ruby dangling from the middle partly concealed by his cock.

"Fuck, Magnus,” Alec says, barely more than a cracked whisper. That thick cock slicking the delicate chain and gem, everything framed by black leather, is obscene. So gorgeous Alec can't help but surge forward and curl his tongue around the head, lapping at the precome pooling in the slit. He groans at the bitter taste exploding on his tongue, something he's come to crave in just a few months.

"Yes, yes, darling, take it.” Magnus’s voice is a hoarse rasp that curls around Alec’s spine like a physical touch. Gentle pressure coaxes him deeper, and he slides his lips over the head, sucking hard once before he slides down until it hits the back of his throat.

He can’t take Magnus down his throat, a skill he hasn't mastered yet. Instead, Alec uses his hand to cover the base of Magnus’s cock as he sucks him hard and fast, and this is good, too, the dry, soft skin moving against his palm. He loves the heavy girth of Magnus's cock stretching his lips, fire heating up his skin from within with every fresh spill of precome that’s coating his tongue.

God, he wants that cock inside him.

Alec can barely breathe past the cock in his mouth and the hot coil of anticipation in his gut. He pulls off with a wet gasp, sucking in deep lungfuls of air before he takes Magnus in again in a wet and sloppy slide.

Above him Magnus chokes out a soft, pained sound that causes Alec to flick up his eyes to him. It’s almost his undoing. Magnus looks wrecked, his mouth open around a ragged breath, his eyes slits of gold under heavy lids, his gaze on Alec a near-physical thing.

"Easy, I don’t want to come yet,” Magnus murmurs, gently prying Alec’s fingers from his cock and replacing them with his own. He pulls out, tapping Alec’s lips with the slick-hot tip of his cock before he pushes back inside, feeding Alec just the head, in and out, again and again. "Fuck, Alec, you were made for this."

A new kind of hunger unfurls in Alec’s chest, hot and urgent. He presses the heel of his hand hard against his cock, eyes slipping closed, but the discomfort makes him throb only harder, can’t erase the sensation of being used for Magnus’s pleasure.

Alec sucks gently, tonguing under the crown and teasing the slit, rolling his tongue around the smooth, velvety head. He’s wound so tight he could come like this, without a single touch, just surrounded by Magnus’s taste and smell, but they both aren’t ready for tonight to end.

"Fuck me," he gasps when Magnus pulls out again. "Fuck me… Magnus, I need it…"

Magnus whole body tenses for a second before he relaxes back against the window, stretched into a sinuous arch of pure temptation. He works his cock with lazy twists of his fist, eyes slitted with pleasure.

"And you want it here, where anybody who happens to look up can see us?"

Alec doesn’t bother holding back the moan that rips from his throat. He’s aware that it’s too dark in the room for anyone to see them, but just the thought that people could have watched them all this time, that Magnus could push his cock inside of him and everybody—fuck, that Rey could see them, sends fire skittering over his skin.

They end up on the couch, almost tripping as they struggle to undress each other without breaking their kiss. Magnus sits down heavily with a breathless moan, splaying his legs and creating the perfect space for Alec to slide into his lap.

Alec’s whole body jolts when their bodies slot together, the press of Magnus’s cock between the cheeks of his ass slick and hot and perfect. It feels so good he forgets to breathe for a second, lifting up and sinking down again, a full-body shudder sweeping through him at the slick drag of Magnus’s cockhead over his hole.

"Like that, yes, just like that," Magnus breathes, tipping his head against the back of the couch, his Adam’s apple bobbing with every slow roll of Alec’s hips against him.

Alec can’t help but move in and close his lips over his throat, teeth dragging over the slight protrusion, Magnus’s low moan vibrating against his lips. There’s a spark of blue light and Alec feels himself get soft and slick inside.

"Oh fu – fuck," Alec says, bliss crawling through him with the warmth spreading in his ass. He doesn’t bottom often, mostly because he’s helplessly addicted to Magnus’s greedy clenching heat and the way Magnus writhes and cries out as soon as he's filled; cock, fingers, tongue, Magnus loves taking it, shameless, decadent and devastatingly beautiful.

"Is this okay?" Magnus asks, sliding two fingers into him easily. "I still want you tight."

Alec nods, but he sucks in a harsh breath at the feeling of Magnus’s knuckles dragging against his rim, the burn immediately soothed by the cool metal of his rings pressing against his hole. For a split second Alec thinks Magnus’s won’t stop, his heart beating in his throat at the thought how it would feel to have those rings stroke him from the inside out. He bites back the please that’s on the tip of his tongue, groaning instead when Magnus pulls his fingers free, leaving him empty.

It’s a bit of an awkward shuffle, the leather of the couch too slick and the cushioning too soft for him to get proper leverage. Magnus isn’t much help, either, leaning up and distracting him with messy kisses, and it’s only by sheer force of will that Alec manages to hold Magnus’s cock steady enough to guide it inside of him.

It doesn’t hurt, Magnus made sure of that, but it’s still tight enough that Alec gasps when the thick cockhead splits him open. He moans his approval at the too-wide stretch, relishing the burn of fullness as his body works around Magnus’s cock, bearing down with small circles of his hips.

He lets out a wasted noise when his ass meets Magnus’s thighs, bracing his forearms against the couch and pushing his head in the crook of Magnus’s neck as he pants and clenches viciously around the cock inside him.

"Ride me. Go, fuck yourself," Magnus grits out, his voice a hoarse wreck, hot breath fanning over Alec’s cheek.

The world goes raw and hot for a moment before Alec remembers how to move. He sits up and screws his knees into the upholstery, but instead of lifting himself up he sinks further down into the soft cushion, silently cursing Magnus’s penchant for hedonism.

"This isn’t…" Alec pants, struggling into an upright position, steadying himself with his hands braced against Magnus’s shoulders. "You’re really gonna make me work for it?"

"Payback is only fair, Alexander," Magnus grits out around a breathless groan, his hands settling on Alec’s hips, thumb stroking over the stamina rune on his groin. "Need I remind you what you did to me the last time you used this?"

He looks like one of Alec’s filthiest fantasies, gaze heavy and mouth bitten red, spreading into a devilish grin, more than enough to send little shards of heat prickling over Alec’s body. He doesn’t need the reminder of Magnus writhing on his cock, mouth and lashes wet as Alec wrung yet another climax from him.

"No," Alec says, his voice cracking around the word. "Like this, then." He leans back and braces himself on Magnus’s knees, sliding his own knees wide around Magnus’s hips, throwing his head back when that last inch of Magnus’s cock slides into him.

It’s deep, fuck, so deep. Alec lifts his hips slowly, savoring the burning drag of Magnus’s cock, clenching down to feel the hard length inside of him before he sinks down again.

"Slow, darling, I want to see." Magnus slides his hands down Alec’s thighs, dragging his nails over the inside, so close to where Alec is stretched around him.

Settling into a lazy rhythm Alec fucks himself slowly, his breath punching out of him with every thrust. His thighs are burning, but it’s all worth the raw hunger on Magnus’s face as he watches his cock disappear into Alec’s ass.

Alec’s hole spasms around the thick length, and he shifts to chase the sensation, crying out when he finally finds the perfect angle. The drag of Magnus’s cock over his prostate forces a moan out of his throat, his mouth dropping open at the sharp spike pleasure that’s burning up his spine.

"Magnus, please," Alec gasps, screwing his eyes shut when another wave of pleasure ripples through him. He squeezes his knees around Magnus’s hips, feels his gut tighten and the shudder it raises from Magnus. "Touch me, I’m so close — gonna…"

"Alexander," Magnus says, so much more than just that one word, his voice run raw, sounding as wrecked as Alec feels.

Magnus curls one hand around Alec’s cock, the other ghosting over his balls, fingertips drifting over his fucked-open rim before it finally settles on Alec’s belly just below his navel.

The first push of the heel of Magnus’s hand jolts a cry from Alec. The second one punches all the remaining air from his lungs.

He’s seen Magnus do this to himself countless times, watched him unravel and come completely undone by getting worked from the inside and out, but nothing could have Alec prepared for the excruciating pleasure that’s now searing his insides; his cock, hard and dripping against his belly, almost an afterthought.

Alec feels too full, aching but desperate for it, pressure and pleasure building inside him in a tidal wave that threatens to break and consume him. He didn’t know getting fucked could feel like this, god, he didn’t know.

"Yes, yes, there, fuck," Alec gasps, shaky and rough, clawing his fingers into Magnus’s knees. His movements have slowed to a slow grind, shoving himself down onto the cock that’s stretching him wide. It’s slow and deep, Alec too far gone to move and Magnus’s hips pinned immobile by his weight, but that’s how they both need it, Magnus so deep inside that he feels like a part of Alec.

When Alec comes it’s fast and messy, searing through his veins, his entire body tightening and quivering like a wire coiled taut to breaking point. Alec feels it all the way to his bones, soaking Magnus’s hand and his own belly with come while he rides out wave after wave of agonizing pleasure.

Still drowning in sensation Alec struggles to his knees, bracing himself against Magnus’s shoulders. He feels raw, tender inside and out, stretching languidly into the first upwards jab of Magnus’s hips. "Keep going, feels good," he says, barely more than a whisper.

Magnus’s groan is a wrecked and broken thing, but he jars up into Alec with unrestrained strength, finally taking his own pleasure, selfish and unashamed. Alec squeezes his eyes shut and nuzzles into Magnus’s neck, his thighs shaking every time Magnus pulls out, his oversensitive body clenching around Magnus’s cock like it’s unwilling to separate even for a second.

It’s harsh and fast, too much. Alec takes it with slack-mouthed pleasure, burning along every nerve from the feeling of being taken. He’s half hard again when Magnus comes with a harsh gasp, filling Alec up, marking him inside and out with finger-shaped bruises on his hips.

Neither of them moves until their breath finally evens out.

"God, Alexander, the things you do to me," Magnus rasps, brushing feathery light kisses against Alec’s neck. The tenderness in his voice makes something seize up inside of Alec, tells him everything Magnus doesn’t say.

"Good things, I hope," Alec says, tilting his neck to give Magnus better access. Magnus’s lips are warm and parted, and the glide of his tongue against Alec’s skin is so good that Alec almost doesn’t want to move. Almost. He hasn’t had his fill of Magnus yet. "What do you say we go home and I’ll do a lot more to you?"

Magnus’s answering smile, slow and wicked, is everything.