#grumpy cat lightwood

[kasirose]

Happy Birthday Alec Lightwood! Our salt king, consul of the clave, and all around best shadowhunter!

Here he is surrounded by some things that I felt represented him :)

Character by @cassandraclare

[sky-neverending]

today on my thoughts about Malec:

alec lightwood is so grumpy cat vibes i love him he’s literally perfect and sassy and cute and did i mention perfect and matt plays him so well like omg that man is FINE and then Magnus is literally just me but cooler like i WISH i was a badass bisexual warlock instead i’m just bisexual and not Magnus Bane and i just aaaaaaa i love him he’s so funny and coy and like aaaaaaaa and i love them together malec is literally rotting my brain rn i’m so obsessed with them it’s unreal. like. they’re perfect. the best couple in shadowhunters by FAR. and alecs character development is just so *good* he grows so much and i love him for it and magnus and sjnsjdjdjsjskkdkdjdjdjdj THEM THEM THEM THEM AAAAAA

thank you for listening

[phildrawsfanart]

New artwork on REDBUBBLE ! 

https://www.redbubble.com/fr/people/phildrawsfanart?ref=account-nav-dropdown&asc=u

[thelostgirl21]

Alec Happy Cat Lightwood...

If you listen close enough, you can probably hear him purr...

At this point, if you told me that he used to be one of Magnus' cats in a past life, I'd be tempted to believe you!

Great! As I'm writing this, my brain literally has to come up with the utterly insane scenario of one of Magnus' cats falling in love with him (blame it on those gorgeous cat eyes and feline body language that they can read so well!) and deciding that, in their next life, they're coming back as something more compatible!

They just don't have a choice regarding what type of (half) human-blooded creature they'll return as in the Shadow World, and so they wind up being a male Shadowhunter with no memories of their past life.

That would be such a crack fic!

And would take Alec's pure instinctive delight when he saw Magnus' cat eyes for the first time to a whole other level if some part of him still connects with his previous life on a subconscious level, at least.

More seriously, though... I have so many questions...

Like...

What was the description of that scene in the script, or the direction they gave him on this scene?

Is rubbing his head on pillows post-lovemaking like that something that Alec typically does?

If so, what was Magnus' (inner) reaction first time he saw it happen?

If not... Has he gotten so used to Magnus' cat eyes that he's now instinctively compensating for the sudden missing feline aspect of their sexy times together?

Did Magnus ever come to the conclusion that Alec Lightwood is essentially the human Shadowhunter version of a cat?

I mean...

He's got a slender, strong body with long, agile limbs.

He's a deadly and silent predator that moves gracefully in the shadows, and seems perfectly at ease in his environment.

He will hang out alone on the roof, balcony, or just outside the window to sulk and/or process things...

... and get off that roof by jumping and landing on his feet (with the help of a rune, obviously).

He doesn't like to be touched, or even leisurely spend time with other people, except by, or with, a very select few people that he deeply trusts.

And obviously, only if he's in the right mood for it.

As a result, friends and family never exactly know what to expect when approaching him...

Is he going to hiss at them, turn around, and proudly leave while pretending they and their issues don't exist?

Silently stare at them while plotting his next murder?

Or spontaneously go in for a hug and cuddles?

He likes to pretend he's doing fine on his own and will get easily annoyed if he feels like you're constantly checking on him and smothering him with attention...

... but will be the first to freak out and go on a hunt to find you if you ignore him and his requests or go suddenly missing too long.

Yeah, apparently he could do just fine without you one moment, but won't be able to live without you the next! It's a struggle!

He'll just sniff the breakfast you brought him in bed, and touch and observe the food without eating it if he's unhappy you woke him up or interrupted something he'd rather be doing...

Basically, Magnus Bane himself is a great big cat that likes cats, understands cats, knows how to gain a cat's trust (no matter their efforts to pretend they're not interested in interacting with you... while nevertheless contradicting that statement by periodically coming to scratch at your door...), and Alec Lightwood is apparently a large Shadowhunter-shaped cat.

I mean, look at him! I'm thinking either Magnus isn't paying attention because he's totally used to it (which would answer one of my questions...); or he's not noticing because he's just stuck in his identity crisis and unable to focus on the present...

... including the big cuddly kitten next to him that, BTW, looks so upset later when Magnus suddenly gets up from the bed before he has a chance to reach out for him and get a few more cuddles out of him.

Which brings us back to square one!

I've really got so many questions about this...

[astriefer]

Alastair: There are times I'm like,"MEH" and go to sleep because I have no power to be alive and deal with the world.

Thomas: That's it. I'm signing you into therapy of naps and cuddles. No visible end of treatment. We're starting right now.

[nightlight-stardust-and-rain]

Shadowhunters khr au :

Magnus and Alec are both cloudy skies, and they end up being each other's cloud and sky.

[bytheangell]

Alec trying to befriend the one person at this party who looks like they also hate crowds and parties, only to find it’s Raphael Santiago, might be the best thing to happen this entire book. 

Also Raphael being canonically a grumpy cat with his choice of mask is bonus-beautiful. 

[imsmolbandtrash]

Jace: Kiss, marry, kill; me, magnus, and simon

Alec: Kiss Magnus, marry Magnus, and kill Clary

Clary: I wasn't even one of the options

[eva-noora-isak-sana]

Isabelle: Alec, why don’t you try and smile for once?

Alec: Fine.

Alec:

[kasirose]

Wishing the one and only HBIC salt king Alec Lightwood-Bane himself a happy birthday!

[fictional-worlds-are-exquisite]

If Alec was a cat, he’d be one that’s hostile to everyone but Magnus

Like, he’d scratch anyone that comes near him but then he'd go curl up on Magnus’ lap

[exyrpf]

I'M SORRY BUT ALEC LIGHTWOOD SINCE WHEN

Alexander Lightwood is my most sincere meow meow he's the only thing that matters he's my best friend he is my greatest enemy he's effervescent he's euphoria defined he's my 13th reason why he's my reason for living he's my bitch he's my lover he's my child he's my mother he is loveliness itself he is my dirty smelly stinky creature he is my under appreciated moldy cinnamon roll he's my best boy my best girl my kitty cat my grumpy goose and i love him

[neverendingtrove]

I would like to dedicate this post to the pets of the Shadow World:

Chairman Meow - the tiny skittish cat that Magnus throws birthday parties for

Church - the grumpy immortal cat saved by Jem from a demon-infested house

Mr. Oscar Wilde - Matthew's lovely Golden Retriever that protected Matthew and James from demons

Oscar - the Blackthorn family cat from the early 2000s that Jules and Emma dyed blue

Balios - Will's favourite horse that carried him to Cadair Idris

Xantos - the horse that is overly fond of Cordelia and was gifted to her and James

Irene - the Carpathian lynx found by ghost Livvy and taken in by Ty

Honourable mentions:

Xiao Long (Jem's childhood cat in Shanghai)

The Great Catsby (Magnus' cat in the '90s)

Marie Curie (Christopher Lightwood's mouse)

[changhomin-hatsukoi]

Alec Lightwood Appreciation Post (coz most of the time I mainly rave about Magnus~^^;;)

One of the best and amazing thing about Alec (in the show) is how... incredibly brave and direct he is.. 

Whenever he is unsure/nervous/afraid of something, he just face it straight up instead of giving himself a million excuses and/or running away. 

- He was scared of everyone knowing he is different : ended up coming out of the closet in the most spectacular public way in history..  Not just coz of malec but what he did was so.. insanely brave. He came out not only to his family but to some damn important people at the same time. It was his literal ‘fuck you’ to the whole ancient principles. 

I love malec, yes. But I love that Alec admitted that he didn’t do that (specifically) for Magnus. He did that for himself. This was very important fact. 

Like I respect him so much for that.

- He was unsure of the difference of relationship experience between him and Magnus: decided to braced himself for come what may, just plunged head first into it and holding on to ‘relationship takes effort’ mantra like it was a lifesaver.

- He was unsure on what to do/react when he was doing as instructed and being a good soldier as he was being taught from he was a child and somehow that resulted in Magnus was angry at him: literally practiced his apology and actually making very conscious effort to change his ways.

- He was nervous about their first time: Again, literally decided to take the first step first.

- He has no problem whatsoever pointing out to authority when they’re making mistakes and berated them. 

- He is young, yes. But he really has all the qualities to make a great leader.

As a boyfriend,

- I love how.. amazingly gentle he is with Magnus, seriously~! The way he speaks to him, how he knows when to give Magnus some space but still keep an eye on him nonetheless, he knows when to push Magnus and not taking a ‘no’ for an answer (on Magnus not  being fine). 

- I mean it is so easy to just let Magnus take the lead in everything but instead, he never acts like it is up to Magnus to know it all and figure things out in their relationship. He meets Magnus halfway (sometimes even more than that) in every step and more often than not, takes the first initiative. And i do believe he loves spoiling Magnus in so many little ways (purposely missing his shot while playing pool just coz he saw bae was pouting, omamori, gave in and went out for a date even though they were in the middle of a war and bae literally just faked an emergency firecall just to get his attention, cleaning up bae’s messy house whenever possible ^^, keeps worrying bae is overexerting himself)

- He literally just wants Magnus and it never even enters his mind to look elsewhere when they’re on a break (Jace, Izzy, Clary and even Simon for example bounced quite fast from their own love woe). Alec was just like ‘I love Magnus Bane. And that’s the fact. We may be together, we may be is breaking up for good. But I love him and that’s it.’

- I love how he knows when to back off and let Magnus cools down a bit and i love that no matter how nervous he was, he would still push himself to take that nerve wrecking step to try with everything he has and fight to keep this relationship : first kiss, first apology, ‘relationship takes effort’ kiss (oh, i adore this kiss~), ‘first time sex’ kiss, ‘but you and me, we always find our way back to each other’ (he halfway begging in here~ and.. while the entire experience was an important lesson for his future character development, it still hurts me inside ;__;) and finally the latest ‘can we talk’ scene.. he was so so so nervous when he stepped out to the alley, you can tell by the way he keeps taking deep breath to calm himself down, shaking his hand restlessly and how he just dived into the conversation. 

- And the way he looks at Magnus.... istg, if you ever EVER found someone who looks at you the way Alec looks at Magnus, do NOT let that person go.. He looks at Magnus like Magnus is his world and hung the moon and the stars and all the planets (even though sometimes it could be tinged with exasperation especially when they’re fighting..lol)

Extra

- Oh and I love love LOVE salty!sarcastic!judgy!grumpy-cat!Alec. 

[liron-ao3]

Soulmate train

It's just another Friday taking the subway to get home, warm up some microwave meal, and fall face-forward into bed. Alec's whole body is hurting, and he contemplates for a moment whether to stay on his feet or take the last empty seat between a dozing elderly woman and a punk. But his weary body wins over his dislike for closeness to strangers, and he sits down, breathing a sigh in relief. Getting up will be so much worse, but he feels like falling asleep right here on the spot.

He sets an alarm, just in case, and closes his eyes. They stared at a computer screen for ten hours straight, and they burn as if someone set fire to them, even now that they can finally rest. He brushes away the tears that his irritated eyes produce. Even if it's only a physical reaction, no one will see Alexander Gideon Lightwood crying on the tube.

Sadly, Alec can't fall asleep, the rattling of the wagon and the opening and closing doors at every station not allowing him to fully shut down.

The woman next to him gets up at some point and is replaced by someone else that Alec doesn't deign to look at. He's a New Yorker, and there are things you just don't do.

His phone starts ringing, and he glances at the display. He accepts the call after breathing a sigh. "Hey, Izzy… Mmh… No, I still don't have a plus one… No, I won't ask Andrew… There's nothing shameful about being single. It's the 21st century, for heaven's sake… Yeah, love you, too."

He hangs up, feeling even more tired than before. Stupid wedding. He's happy for Isabelle and Simon, but she's very close to bridezilla territory when it comes to her brother not having a date for her grand day in two weeks.

Alec breathes another long-suffering sigh and puts his phone back into his pocket.

The person next to him taps him on his arm, and Alec only keeps his eyes from rolling because they are already hurting enough.

"What?" he groans before turning his head and freezing instantly.

The man sitting next to him is stunning, hair spiked up, eyes rimmed black, the glitter in his eyeliner making his eyes shine, just like the lip gloss on his pouty lips.

"I apologise. I won't bother you for long," the man says, adding a beautiful voice to the gorgeous sight. "But I have something very important to show you," he continues and holds his phone for Alec to see.

Alec stares at the screen for a long moment, his forehead first creasing in concentration. It takes him way longer than the short meme should, but the man's hand is moving with the train, and Alec's eyes are still burning.

Alec's frown morphs to a soft smile and then to a full belly laugh. "Gosh, that's a good one." He chuckles. "Thank you, I needed that."

The stranger smiles at him warmly. "I thought so. Rough day?"

Alec nods. "Yeah. And random cat memes aren't allowed during office time."

"Oh, this isn't a random cat meme. These are my cats and my meme."

Alec's lips curl into a smile. "That's a very grumpy cat and a very cute one."

"Yeah. Chairman Meow is an angel; Church, on the other hand, is more demon-leaning, I fear."

Alec smirks, forgetting the tiredness in his bones. "Those are interesting names."

The stranger shrugs. "They fit."

Alec worries his bottom lip, but decides to be bold. He fishes his phone out of his jacket and opens his photos. He turns the screen towards his fellow commuter when he finds what he is looking for.

"Maybe not meme-worthy, but this is my cat, Gus."

The man stares at the grey-brown tabby kitten. "Oh, he's adorable. Do you like musicals, or…?"

Alec grins. "I'm a big T.S. Eliot fan." He checks for the other man's reaction and finds a brilliant smile only inches away from his own face. He just needs to lean in, and…

"I like a man who loves poetry and drama," the man says, and—Alec couldn't explain how—the man manages to make it sound indecent.

Alec feels heat crawling into his cheeks. Why would a man like this flirt with him? Is it a joke Alec doesn't get?

But the man looks openly at him, mirth but no trace of malice dancing in his eyes.

"What kind of men do you like?" the stranger asks, and Alec's cheeks glow crimson at his bluntness.

"Um… I… uh... a cat person?" God, that must be the lamest answer this stunning man has ever heard. Alec wishes a hole would open up under him, but the alarm from his phone saves him instead.

"Your exit?" the stranger asks, seeming chagrined by the prospect. It makes tiny butterfly wings flutter in Alec's stomach.

"One after the next," he explains and pushes his phone into the pocket of his jacket. He offers his hand for the stranger to shake. This man is making him do strange things. But the stranger doesn't seem to be fazed. "Thank you for showing me your cats," Alec says. "It was truly important. You were right."

"It was my pleasure." The stranger keeps on shaking Alec's hand and raises a questioning eyebrow.

"A-alec. And you are?"

The man lets go of his hand and conjures up a business card from god-knows-where. "Magnus," he says with a smile that puts the sun to shame. "Would you like to go out for a drink sometime?"

Alec takes the card with careful fingers and studies the golden lettering. His eyes flicker between the card and Magnus' eyes. "That sounds fun. When?"

"How about right now?" Magnus asks, eyes sparkling in anticipation.

"I'm… Okay. Why not?"

Maybe he'll have a plus one for his sister's wedding after all.

[cjfritos]

In Dreams Begin (Jessa wedding story)

Obviously written by Cassandra Clare. I own no rights to this. This was included in first editions of The Lost Book of the White by her and Wesley Chu. It tells the story of Jem Carstairs and Tessa Gray’s wedding and explains why no one remembers it.

Unfortunately it does include some spoilers from LBW so if you have not read it yet, I don’t recommend reading it. Otherwise, enjoy :)

~~~

Magnus Bane was scheming.

         To an untrained observer, the High Warlock of Brooklyn wouldn’t look like he was doing much of anything at all. For one thing, he was wearing purple silk pajamas. For another thing, he was in bed, leaning back against a pile of pillows with a spell book open in his lap.

         Beside him, Alec Lightwood was stretched out on his side, deeply asleep. Earlier that day, Alec had taken their son, Max, to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. This had been at Magnus’s request—he wanted Max to have ample opportunity to tire himself out before bedtime. It worked almost too well. Max had made fast friends with a werewolf toddler named Eliza, and the two of them tore around the gardens blissfully for about three hours straight, Max crawling while Eliza ran, albeit unsteadily. Eliza’s mother had been quite surprised the first time Max levitated. Luckily, he was glamoured so only she and Alec noticed.

         Though not possessed of much vocabulary, Eliza clearly wanted Max to levitate her as well. Fortunately, Max did not yet have that sort of skill. Alec and Max returned home happy, covered in mud, and—best of all—exhausted. Magnus really wanted them all to sleep through the night.

         Magnus shifted position and peered across the room at the mantel clock atop the dresser, a hideous thing covered in putti that Ragnor had given him years ago. The room was lit only by a candle that burned with a blue flame on the table beside him, but he could make out the numbers. It was one forty-five a.m. Surely that was late enough. Surely even the Shadowhunters and Downworlders of the West Coast would be turning in. He’d given Catarina and Jem and Tessa a heads-up, after all, and as for the Blackthorns and Emma Carstairs, they were kids! And not even babies, with their bizarre and erratic relationship to sleep. Surely the would be asleep by now, worn out from running around on the beach or whatever it was that the residents of the Los Angeles Institute did all day. Yes, it was time.

         Snuggling a little farther under the blanket, Magnus looked fondly over at Alec’s sleeping form, his black hair like spilled ink across the ivory pillowcase. He closed his book and set it on the bedside table. He mentally reached within, feeling about for a particular pocket of magic folded away deep inside, a self-contained bubble. I had been two weeks since he’d been freed from the influence of the Svefnthorn, and while the markings on his skin had faded, his teeth had shrunk back to their normal size, and the overcharged magic of the artifact had left his system, this one reserve of magical energy had lingered.

         At first, Magnus had considered hanging on to it as a sort of insurance policy. A little extra magic went a long way, especially when the magic was this potent, and Magnus was quite certain that he and Alec and their friends would have plenty more dangers to face in the years to come. That was their job, after all. But clinging to the magic out of fear of imagined dangers didn’t feel good. It felt like letting demons have a small victory over him, playing right into their scaly, demonic hands. No, instead he had resolved to use the power in a decidedly un-demon-sanctioned manner—to create joy.

         Magnus shut his eyes. Oneiromancy, the study and practice of dream magic, had never been one of his specialties. But with the added kernel of power from the Sveftnthorn, he felt quite confident that he could pull of this one feat, even as complex as it was. The trickiest part, it seemed to him, was holding himself in that drowsy state between waking and sleeping, while maintaining enough awareness to cast the spell. He lay back against the pillows, letting his eyelids flutter shut for just a moment….

~~~

When Magnus opened his eyes again, he was standing in the middle of Blackfriars Bridge, the panorama of London spread out around him in all directions.

         He took a deep breath of river-tasting air. The sky was a dark violet, the sun only just beginning to rise. There was no traffic, which was a distinct advantage to throwing a party on a dream bridge rather than on the real thing. There was a warm breeze in the air, and the Thames danced beneath it, silvery in the dawn light. Had he ever noticed wind in a dream before? Magnus wasn’t sure. He admired the view from the bridge—it seemed just about right, though he hadn’t been here for a couple decades. Perhaps some ugly new construction had taken place since then, but who would fault him for omitting that?

         “Magnus!”

         He turned and saw two figures hurrying toward him. It was Tessa and Jem, both in what Magnus assumed was their pajamas. Tessa’s were gray with white rabbits on them. Jem’s were dark-green-and-navy-blue plaid. They were barefoot, but that wouldn’t matter on a dream bridge. He started to smile as they got closer and he could see that they were both giddy and laughing, a hint of disbelief on their faces.

         Tessa threw her arms around him, knocking him off-balance. He marveled at how solid and real she felt.

         “It’s working!” she said in wonder.

         “A magical discipline unexplored is always worth exploring,” Magnus said, stepping back. “I may be late to the game with oreiromancy, but I plan to make up for my tardiness all at once, right now. Is that what your planning to wear to your wedding?”

         “It’s not traditional, but neither was the yellow cotton shirt dress I wore for the courthouse wedding. And I do love bunnies,” said Tessa. “I’m all right with it if Jem is.”

         “I would marry you if you were wearing a barrel,” said Jem.

         “But why would I be wearing a barrel?” said Tessa.

         They were both grinning at each other stupidly. Magnus decided something needed to be done; he wasn’t sure how long his magic would hold out.

         “I won’t have it!” he said. “If I’m to throw you a dream wedding, you must be properly dressed for the occasion. It’s in my contract. I do hope you read the fine print.”

         He snapped his fingers, and Jem’s pajamas were replaced by an exquisitely cut black suit. Magnus aimed for something that suggested the style of the Shadowhunter gear Jem had worn long ago, in the first years he knew Tessa. Wedding runes were intricately embroidered on the lapels in gold thread. As Jem marveled at the excellent fit, Magnus turned his attention to Tessa.

         “I know,” he said, “a wedding dress is a highly personal choice. But as our other guests will be arriving momentarily, and time is of the essence, I’m going to take a stab at it.”

         “You have my express permission,” Tessa said.

         Magnus snapped his fingers again, and the Tessa was wearing a beautiful sleeveless gown of pale silver, with a full skirt that reminded Magnus of the first time he’d met her, at a vampire ball. A couple more flicks of his fingers, and her hair rearranged itself beautifully into an updo, with a few tendrils loose around her face. One more gesture, and Tessa’s familiar jade pendant appeared around her neck—as did the pearl bracelet she always wore, a gift from Will on their thirtieth anniversary.

         Tessa looked startled, reaching up to touch her hair, then brushing her hands over the gown. “How do I look?”

         Jem looked very young again as he gazed at her, his dark eyes full of emotion. “Ni hen piao liang,” he whispered. You are very beautiful.

         Magnus turned away to give them a moment—and felt familiar arms close around him.

         Alec kissed Magnus on his forehead—being slightly shorter than Magnus, he had to pull Magnus down a bit to do it, which Magnus didn’t mind at all—and muttered, “You’re a sentimental bastard, aren’t you?” in his ear.

         But he was grinning all over his face as he turned to greet Tessa and Jem, congratulating them. They both looked delighted to see him.

         “So let me get this straight,” Alec said. “You, me, Tessa, and Jem will all remember this with perfect recall. For the other guests, they’ll remember it at first, but then it will fade away, the way dreams do?”

         “That is correct. They won’t recall it the way we will, but their souls will be present, and glad for it. Well, mostly glad for it,” Magnus said.

         “What do you mean, ‘mostly’?” Jem said nervously.

         “I mean that I’m not sure how Church will feel about the whole thing.”

         “Church!” Alec and Jem exclaimed at the same time, and turned to see the grumpy Persian cat sauntering toward them down the center of the bridge.

         Tessa laughed. “Well, he does sleep twenty hours a day. I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised.”

         “I took the liberty of adding him to the guest list you gave me,” Magnus said. “I’m trying to get on his good side.”

         “Why?” Alec asked, incredulous. “He’s a cat.”

         “So he won’t hate me forever when I do this.” Magnus snapped his fingers, and a silver bow in the same fabric as Tessa’s dress appeared around Church’s neck. Church’s eyes widened for a moment. Then he sat down, and after a moment, became very focused on cleaning his front paw.

         “Now,” Magnus said, “I simply must get this bridge decorated.”

         “It’s decorated perfectly,” said a voice from behind him. Turning, he saw Clary, who was holding Max. Behind her was Jace, followed by Isabelle and Simon, who were leaning together, whispering conspiratorially. Jocelyn and Luke were there, looking slightly unkempt, and Magnus remembered that they were in the process of remodeling a barn at Luke’s farm so Jocelyn could expand her painting studio. Ragnor and Catarina had also appeared, as well as a whole gaggle of kids—the Blackthorn clan. Julian and Helen, Tiberius and Livia, Drusilla and Octavian. Emma Carstairs was with them, though she broke away from the group immediately, running to hug Clary. They were the same height now, Magnus noticed with amusement. Max had escaped from Clary and was riding on Alec’s shoulders now, babbling a story to Helen Blackthorn and her wife, Aline. They looked very amused, though it was unlikely they understood even a quarter of what he said.

         Maryse and Kadir were there too, already deep in conversation with Jocelyn and Luke. Kadir hadn’t been on the guest list Jem and Tessa had given Magnus, because they didn’t really know him, but Magnus had added him as Maryse’s plus-one. It never hurt to butter up your boyfriend’s mother, especially when she was willing to babysit for days at a time.

         A couple Silent Brothers had appeared—Enoch? Shadrach? Magnus was slightly embarrassed to admit that they all looked alike to him, now that Jem was no longer counted among their number as Brother Zachariah. Magnus hadn’t known if the Gregori would be able to attend, since they didn’t normally sleep. One of them—Enoch?—inclined his hooded head slightly at Magnus, acknowledging this mad thing he was doing as worthwhile. At least that was how Magnus chose to interpret the gesture.

         Octavian was climbing Jace like a jungle gym. Clary was talking with Julian and Emma, while Tiberius stood near his older brother, looking around at London with fierce curiosity in his gray eyes. Livia and Drusilla were perched on the railing of the bridge, Livia chatting animatedly with Simon and Isabelle, Drusilla looking around shyly. Catarina went to lean beside her, asking her a question. Magnus looked at the motley assortment of clothing on the assembled group. Mostly casual, though there were more pajamas as well. Magnus made two sweeping gestures, and all at once everyone was looking very sharp in formal attire. Even better, they barely seemed to notice the change. Magnus was impressed. Oneiromancy—who knew!

         A hand gripped his arm. It was Tessa, who looked close to tears. “Magnus. I can’t believe you’re doing this for us. I…” She trailed off, at a loss for words.

         Magnus regarded her fondle. “Tessa, most people’s idea of a dream wedding is not a literal dream wedding. But since yours is, I am happy to oblige. Shall we get this show on the road?”

         Jem and Tessa took their places on either side of Magnus, and the guests gathered around. The sun had climbed well above the horizon, casting rays of warm light between the long shadows of the wedding guests.

         “Dear friends,” Magnus said to Jem and Tessa, “we are honored to share this moment with you, and I am doubly honored to be given the chance to speak. Several hundred years ago I got very drunk and woke up as ordained minister. Today I have decided that doing so was a wise choice after all.”

         Jocelyn snorted, then looked embarrassed. Luke grinned at her.

         “Joking aside, it is impossible to stand here with you all and not feel that there is some greater plan at work, some greater force that has brought these two souls across more than a century to be joined as one.”

         Clary’s eyes were glistening. Jace reached into his pocket and offered her what looked like a handkerchief but was more likely a soft cloth for polishing blades. She gave a wry smile of recognition, and sniffled into it.

         “I debated which customs to follow in officiating this wedding,” Magnus went on. “Whether to conduct a Shadowhunter ceremony, or a warlock ceremony, or even a mundane ceremony, for many worlds have been united in the two of you. But none of these traditions seemed quite appropriate on their own. So I’ve attempted to tailor a ceremony that will honor your unique paths.”

         Magnus nodded to Jem, who reached into his pocket and produced a gold ring. Jem had requested a single word etched around the outside of it: Mizpah.

         “It has been said,” said Magnus, “that when two people are at one in their inmost hearts, they shatter even the strength of iron or bronze. Theresa Gray, are you at one with James Carstairs in your inmost heart?”

         Tessa’s eyes were wide, her face serious as she gazed at Jem. “I am,” she said, offering her hand to him. He slid the ring onto her finger.

         The Magnus nodded at Tessa, who produced another ring, this one from thin air. Magnus had to suppress the grin that threatened to break his calm officiant expression. It delighted him that Tessa was engaging in a small amount of oneiromancy herself, and Jem looked as pleased by it as Magnus felt. This ring was the exact match of the first, and he knew what it said as well: May the Angel watch between me and thee when we are absent from one another.

         “James Carstairs—Ke Jian Ming—are you at one with Theresa Gray in your inmost heart?”

         “I am,” Jem said, delight visible in his dark eyes. Tessa put the ring on him, and they stood for a moment, holding hands and smiling at each other like they couldn’t quite believe this was happening.

         “For I am persuaded,” said Magnus, and Jem and Tessa both looked up at him, recognizing a piece of the old Shadowhunter wedding ceremony, though he had altered the wording, “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate these two.” He stretched out his arms. “Therefore I am overjoyed to declare this marriage consecrated, here in the presence of your friends and family. Tessa Gray and Jem Carstairs, you are married, and the world is better for it. You may kiss each other, not that you really need my permission.”

         The assembled crowd cheered as Jem and Tessa kissed, a kiss that had been long delayed. The kiss continued, and Magnus slowly backed away, joining the cheering audience. “Let’s give them a moment,” he said, and happy chatter swelled around him.

         Magnus noted that Alec was looking very foxy in his Armani suit, laughing with Maryse. Ragnor and Catarina were cackling over something, glad to be reunited now that Ragnor didn’t have to pretend to be dead—or at least, didn’t have to pretend with them. Clary had her arm draped over Emma’s shoulders, and Jace was arguing with Simon about how to properly tie a necktie. Tiberius and Drusilla were watching this argument as though it were a tennis match. Julian had lifted Octavian up so he could look down at the river flowing by beneath. Isabelle was joking with Livia, who was giving Max a piggyback ride. It was a miraculously good wedding.

         Here they were, his friends. They’d literally gone into Hell twice with him now. He found himself reflecting on how much had changed. At first his life had felt like Magnus against the world. Then for years and years it had been Magnus, Catarina, and Ragnor against the world. Now his community was a much larger group, one that had spread wide enough that instead of Magnus and his friends against the world, it felt like Magnus and his friends, a part of the world. Probably the best part of the world.

         It was a good feeling.

         “Look!” a girl’s voice cried. It was Drusilla, pointing up into the sky, eyes wide with wonder. There was a collective gasp as the crowd saw what she had spotted. Two figures flew overhead, riding a translucent white stallion with two gold hooves and two silver. One of them was a blond boy in ragged clothes, who looked down at the Blackthorns and waved. The figure in front of him was harder to make out—a gentry faerie in clothes just as ragged, only he was as translucent as the horse. The blond boy must be Mark Blackthorn, Magnus marveled. He’d “invited” the whole family, not knowing whether those who rode with the Wild Hunt could be summoned by dream magic. He had his answer, but it came with another mystery. Who was this companion, so close to Mark that they would appear together in a dream?

         The riders made a circle overhead, while the Blackthorns shouted and waved, and Mark waved back, smiling an odd smile down at them. Then they faded away into the morning air.

         Magnus saw with relief that Jace, Clary, Simon, Isabelle, and Alec had all move in around the Blackthorn kids, giving them an opportunity to talk about what they had just seen—their stolen brother, visiting so briefly.

         He glanced over and saw Tessa and Jem still standing by the railing. There was a shimmer beside them, at the edge of the bridge, and the hair on the back of Magnus’s neck rose.

         He knew Will Herondale had never haunted the moral world, because he had lived and died happily and had no unfinished business among the living. While Magnus didn’t subscribe to any specific set of beliefs about reincarnation or the afterlife, he had always had a strong sense that Will was waiting on the other bank of a dark river—be it Lethe, or some other border between the living and the dead. He was there among the green grass, the sky above as dark a blue as his eyes, waiting patiently for Jem and Tessa to join him, that he might lead them by the hand to whatever wonders lay beyond the veil.

         The philosophers of ancient Greece had believed dreams and sleep to be the twin of death: Morpheus and Hades, standing side by side. And here, in that space, Magnus would not have been surprised if Will stretched out his hand to those he had loved best in life—to Jem and Tessa.

         He was, after all, a Herondale, and very stubborn.

         Alec sidled up to Magnus, leaving the Blackthorns in the capable hands of his siblings and their partners. The kids seemed to have taken Mark’s appearance as a sort of wedding favor created especially for them.

         Alec twinned an arm around Magnus’s waist and pulled him close, kissing him on the temple. “It was very kind of you to use the last of your Svefnthorn magic on this,” he said.

         Magnus leaned into Alec. “Well, it wasn’t enough magic to send us to the moon, or get us into the front row at the Alexander McQueen runway. So I figured, next best thing.”

         Alec smiled at him pointedly. “Actually, I happen to know that you did it because you are an incredibly kind person, and that is one of the many things I love about you.”

         “Oh dear,” Magnus said, turning to face him. “You know all my secrets.”

         Then they were kissing, and kissing in a magical dream turned out to be just as perfect as kissing in the waking world.