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pbandjesse · 2 years ago

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We are in our next hotel in DC! It's cute! Def not as new and fancy as the one we spent the last two nights in. But it's got charm.

Last night was a little rough for me. I could not turn my brain off and I was struggling. I would be up until 2 and wasn't having a good time.

I was eventually able to sleep but it wasn't good sleep. I was up half the night. But I couldn't even stay asleep in the morning.

James got up and went to run some errands. Deposited the checks we got as gifts. And mailed out marriage license.

I got up and was. Aching. Today was a little tough because I was so sore. And being tired didn't help.

The soda James brought me last night helped me perk up. There was something in my eye though and it hurt a lot and my eye wouldn't stop watering.

So I was moving kind of slow when James got back. I had showered and was mostly dressed. But while I was fixing my hair and starting my makeup I asked when the train was and it was at 855. It was currently 815. If we didn't make that one we wouldn't get into DC until the afternoon. And I didn't want that.

So I focused and did my eyeliner quickly and packed my bag all up. And we were off.

It is about a 20 minute walk to Penn station. And we made it with great time even if my feet hurt.

James went and got us our tickets. It was a beautiful day. And I was excited to take advantage of it. But I was also worried about my energy level. And my pains. I didn't want to be a drag.

But James was lovely. And would make sure I was okay. We did do a lot of walking but there were times I could rest and that let me really hold it together.

We got on our train and we shared my earbuds and listened to the Magnus archives. Which is going to be our new travel podcast. And it was a nice train ride.

We had brought our donuts. And shared my soda. And just enjoyed the fall colors of the changing leaves. I felt very happy.

We got into DC and the first thing we had to do was call the hotel. Can we bring our bags early? Since check in wasn't until 4pm, we didn't want to have to carry them all day or check them at the musuems. But thankfully they were like. Of course you can.

And so we got metro passes and took the subway to get there. And it's a really cool old building. The Ethelhurst building. And the girl at the desk was very nice.

We left our bags with her and sat in the lobby to figure out brunch.

We decided to go to the corner bakery. Which is a chain, and I don't love going to chains on trips, but that is okay. We ended up getting there and basically being the last people to get breakfast before they switched to lunch.

I also got a lemonade and I really liked my veggie scrambled eggs and toast. I did a lot of people watching while James did their basketball fantasy draft. And we made a plan for the day.

We decided to go to the museum of the American Indian. And I ended up loving it way more then I expected. I always love learning about history and this was such a neat place.

We walked there after lunch and shared the lemonade. We ended up walking through a Turkish street fair and I really loved seeing all the stalls and people and food.

Any time we saw a white building we would go "wow. The white house." In an awestruck tone. It was a beautiful day and we are just really happy so it felt easy being silly.

We got to the museum and it was excellent. A beautiful building. Not crowded but there were people. We started on the 4th floor and would work out way down.

The top floor had some amazing stuff with different nations and people and how they place themselves in the universe for each of their own cultures. It was fascinating. I also just loved hearing how their names are pronounced and what different things mean. Also the whole space was just beautifully done.

As we left that floor and went down to the next things were a little heavier. More history and how greed caused the treaties that were made, to fall apart. And how manifest destiny pushed people from lands they owned. It was interesting to learn that there was some actual purchasing of land and agreement to share but that a lot of sales were also done falsely and cruelty. I was already tired and sad and the galleries were dark. But we kept reading. I really appreciated how the musuem labeled wrote out the perspective for each side of each topic. I thought that was a really great way to give things context.

I told James I was really tired. And stoped reading as much. I did read all the signs about the Pocahontas mythos. Did not know she died at 22. Did know she was renamed Rebecca. Didn't realize how much she as a political figured mattered. And how much people clung to her in their lineage even when they shook off the political implications of being nonwhite and passed laws about blood quantum. It was really a great day for learning.

We would go to the giftshop last. I decided I can get one thing from every musuem, within reason. Mostly because the museums are free and I think if you got to go to a museum for free you should support them like that.

So I got a magnet of an alpaca and I would also get a few Christmas gifts. All very reasonably priced.

I thought we were going to go rest. But instead I wanted to stick it out and go to art museum. I wanted to see the recently reinstalled Calder. It's the largest mobile I've ever seen. And I was so excited.

What I didn't know though was that they had a whole Calder exhibit and I was so happy. We would walk around there for a while. And I desperately wanted someone to point out my Calder tattoo but alas, no one did.

That is okay though. Me and James would walk around the contemporary gallery and look at the gift shop. James got to see one of their most favorite paintings, which was a surprise. And I really had a nice time. My body was hurting very bad but I was having a nice day.

We thought we would get lunch there but their cafe was closing for the day. I had read the sign wrong. That is okay. Instead we went through their light up tunnel sculpture and decided we would come back so I can see the John Singer Sargent show and James can walk though the sculpture gallery.

For now it was time to eat.

We walked for what felt like forever, and went to a hip little pizza and waffle place. We sat outside and I really enjoyed my food. And our waiter was very nice.

While we ate I made my next TikTok. For our wedding day. It isn't like the best one ever but I am excited to have these little snapshots of the day. And when that was finished we had a 20 minute walk back to the hotel.

Did I complain the whole time? No. But I did complain a lot. My feet were in so much pain and I felt very bad.

We got back here and got checked in. We are on the 7th floor of a 9 story building. And it's interesting looking. The room is small and a funny shape. There was a very strong laundry soap smell when we got in but it's faded since we came in. The bathroom fan is super loud. So I brought the desk lamp into the bathroom which made James double over laughing.

We laid in bed. I made my next tiktok of our cookout celebration. And I had much more clips for that. I do feel bad that Jess isn't in like. Any of my clips. This is because many of them she filmed. I love her so much for doing that for me but I wish she was in more. I wish I got more pictures with my brother and my mom. But I can only hope that the Google drive James made for people to put their pictures in gets filled and some of those shots will be in there.

I got very cold all of a sudden and me and James got under the covers and I feel asleep hard.

While I was sleeping James took a scooter and went to get us ice cream. So when I woke up dehydrated, in pain, and upset, I was perked up by the ice cream. Love James so much.

After ice cream I took a bath. I washed my hair. I tried the bar conditioner Jess gave me and my hair feels very fluffy. Not great curl shapes but that's okay. The hot water helped my body.

And now we are in bed again. Watching videos. Talking. Feeling good. My feet still hurt but it's not to bad. I hope tomorrow they won't feel so bad.

I also hope tomorrow is just a lot of fun. We are going to the zoo and I don't know what else. There was a chat earlier about maybe going to a hockey game but we will see what happens.

For now. It is time to sleep. I actually took my normal night vitamins and can feel my brain slowing down. This is good, I don't need to be up all night again.

Sleep good everyone. I love you all.

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beholdme · 4 years ago

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All the Many Shades of Gerry - Chapter 6

Chapters: 6/19

Fandom: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Gerard Keay/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Martin Blackwood/Gerard Keay, Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Gerard Keay/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist

Characters: Martin Blackwood, Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Gerard Keay, Tim Stoker (The Magnus Archives), Sasha James, Gertrude Robinson, Elias Bouchard

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Library AU, Librarian Jon, Artist Gerry, Trans Male Character, Trans Martin Blackwood, Canon Asexual Character, Asexual Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Ace Subtype - Sex Positive, Polyamory, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Romantic Fluff, Falling In Love, Boys in Skirts, Kissing, Demisexual Gerard Keay, Minor Character Death, Past Character Death, Canon-Typical Child Neglect, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Flirting, Minor Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist/Tim Stoker, Adventures in Hair Dying, Happy Ending, Banter, Gerry has a lot of sass, Gerard Keay is Morticia Adams, Jon is a very grumpy Librarian, Martin adores them anyway.

Summary: In which Gerry is a kaleidoscope and Jon and Martin can't help falling in love with him.

He happens to love them back.

Find it on Ao3

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

"Do you really hate Keats that much?" Martin asks Jon, sounding faintly betrayed. They're sitting on a pile of cushions in front of Gerry's big window, while the man himself stands painting nearby.

There has been no previous mention of Keats since they arrived several hours ago, nor in the entire course of Gerry knowing them together.

Granted, he had barely been awake when they had arrived, having rolled out of bed just seconds before the knock came, but Gerry thought he had been keeping fairly decent track of the overall conversation.

He had thought Sunday brunch was a great idea when Jon suggested it during the week. Only remembering half-way through his shift the previous night that he was normally dead asleep during that time on a Sunday. But needs must, and after coffee and food, he was feeling downright perky at having two cute boys in his apartment.

Jon and Martin had settled into the pillow pile to occupy themselves while Gerry wandered off to paint, and they had spent several hours each engaged in their own artistic endeavors, simply enjoying the energy of one another's company.

Jon had started out reading but kept getting distracted by the way the light in the studio catches in Gerry's dark red hair, tied up in a chaotic messy bun, and had idly been strumming Gerry's old acoustic guitar for a while instead. Martin had been writing in a notebook, tongue often caught between his teeth in contemplation, glasses pushed up onto the top of his hair.

Jon stops playing abruptly and Gerry winces at the discordant note the guitar lets out in protest.

"I think Keats is pretty cool," offers Gerry cheerfully.

"Thank you, Gerard, very helpful," grouses Jon in return, glaring at him. Gerry blows him a kiss and returns to his canvas.

"I don't hate Keats, Martin." Jon's voice is slow and soft in the way that indicates that he's actually trying to be sensitive, "I just think he's overrated. After spending so much time in uni pouring over his boring symbolism, I'm just sick of him."

Jon's English literature degree, which Gerry remembers with some humour does not qualify him for a job at a library, had been a pain to get, and he doesn't always remember that part of his life with any great fondness.

"I know, but-" Martin cuts off abruptly and there's unexpected silence for a moment.

"Gerry, do you have a cat?" Jon's voice is incredulous and somewhat delighted at the new development.

"Yes," Gerry replies, very casually. He looks around to find that the cat has indeed wandered in and is sitting in a shaft of sunlight, black fur shining. "Jon, Martin, meet Saturn. Saturn, this is Jon and Martin."

Saturn blinks at them, before abruptly standing, showing them his butt, and then walking over to twine between Gerry's legs. Gerry deposits his painting supplies nearby and reaches down to scoop Saturn up, before carrying him over to sit with the others.

"He's not always great with new people, but hopefully he'll warm up to you. He can be a great cuddler when he wants to be." Saturn eyes them all speculatively before sitting on his own cushion and curling up in a fluffy ball.

"So he's like the Jon cat?" Martin asks, sneaking out a finger to scratch Saturn's fluffy little ears. He purrs lightly and Gerry grins to see them getting along.

"Well-" Jon splutters indignantly, face warming beneath his tan.

They both laugh and Gerry leans towards Martin to whisper conspiratorially, "He's not even embarrassed about being bad with new people. He's shy that we know how good of a cuddler he is."

Jon presses his lips together with a long-suffering expression, also reaching out a hand to pet the purring feline. Saturn rolls over towards him and gets a belly rub for his efforts.

"There we go," Gerry mutters happily. "All my favorite boys, getting along so well."

There's more sputtering from both Jon and Martin at that, but Gerry only laughs and leans over to kiss the tops of their heads.

***

Jon sighs and rubs the back of his neck, trying to release the burning tension sitting in all the joints of his spine.

It's 1 A.M. and the library is long, long closed, doors locked and lights turned out. He doesn't know how he gets here sometimes. Elias has certainly never overtly demanded he work overtime, and yet Jon always feels the need to push a little harder, do more than anyone would consider even remotely reasonable.

He accepted a while ago, that his irrational drive for perfection in this job stems from his self-doubt and fear of inadequacy.

And yet, that understanding does nothing to get him home at a reasonable hour, even when he remembers the two men who always seem to be around when he needs them.

It's unfathomable to Jon how he managed to find himself in a relationship with not one but two incredibly understanding and supportive men who love him. He considers it a downright miracle that they also seemed to be finding their way towards loving one another. Although, who wouldn't love Martin and Gerry?

He checks his watch again. Martin is definitely asleep, and even just stumbling in to lie in bed with him would disturb him. He knows the sweet man would say he doesn't mind, but he feels like if he can't get back at a reasonable hour, he doesn't deserve to sleep next to him at all.

Gerry, on the other hand, is mostly nocturnal. A quick check of his phone shows that it's actually Friday, and he is working at the bar for another hour or so.

While Jon has his phone in his hand, he opens up their text chain.

Gerry: Don't work too late. Martin and I want you functional so that we can drag you out to that street market this weekend.

Jon: I won't.

Gerry: Yes, you will. But try to keep it pre-midnight ;)

'He's awake,' Jon tells himself firmly. 'He'll be happy to see you, even if you did work even later than he predicted.'

So Jon packs up his stuff and leaves the library. He considers a cab, but it's only a few blocks and he thinks the fresh air and exercise will unlock the tension in his poor abused spine.

He arrives at the bar just before closing. Gerry is busy charming a few drunk regulars out the door with promises of undying love and that the bar will be back tomorrow afternoon. After they stumble off, he turns to find Jon walking slowly towards him. Gerry is wearing combat boots, dark jeans, and a loose leather tank top, over a lace undershirt. He has his favorite hoop in his nose, and the light glints off the many piercings in his ears.

"Why, Gerry Delano, aren't you a sight for sore eyes." Gerry grins at Jon's teasing tone and echoed words, no sign of recrimination about him.

"I always am." Jon reaches Gerry at that, and they draw together, pressing tired lips against each other gently.

Gerry's hair has faded out a bit from the moody red, and Jon slips his hands into his hair to hold him close for a moment longer. They rock together on the street for a long, frozen moment.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Gerry asks, pulling away and sliding his hands down Jon's arms to connect their fingers.

"I missed you," Jon confesses shakily, emotion spilling out of his voice.

"Good, I missed you too." Gerry drags him into the bar and fills the air with stories from his shift while he and his colleagues clean for the evening, closing up the bar.

They walk home arm in arm, Gerry flirting with him mercilessly. Jon sheds the day's tension as they go, and by the time they arrive at Gerry's loft, he's warm and relaxed.

He supposes he should probably go back to his own flat, but it's not a place he spends the night very often anymore, and he fears the creeping insomnia that will take him without Martin and Gerry around to soothe him into sleep. Besides, Gerry is right here with him, and he seems so pleased to have him around.

"Are you going to paint now?" Jon asks as they shed their work clothes. Jon is sorry to see the lace shirt go, but Gerry makes up for it by simply throwing a kimono over his bare chest. He throws him a T-shirt, so Jon wears that and his boxers as they settle on the couch. Gerry is still wearing his jeans, but both their feet are bare as they tangle on the coffee table.

"I'm not sure, do you want to?" Gerry asks as he lights a cigarette and offers Jon one.

"What? Do I want to paint?" Jon's voice is taken aback. He takes the cigarette and lights it.

Gerry shrugs as if it's obvious. "Sure, you used to draw with me when we were younger."

"Yes, but…"

"But what, Jonathon? You're too old to paint now? Too proper and straight-laced to get charcoal under your nails? No more piercings, no more creativity?" Gerry sways into his shoulder, drawing smoke into his lungs and letting it out as he speaks.

"No, it's not that." Jon grouses back. Gerry hums derisively in return. "I just don't see the point of wasting your drawing paper when you can do that." Jon gestures wildly towards Gerry's most recently completed painting.

Gerry eyes it critically. It's the commission that he's been slogging over petulantly. It's large and impressively done, he can accept that, but he doesn't like it very much. He hates the subject and composition Peter Lukas has demanded and compensated by pouring all his best technique into it. It makes him sad and sullen to look at, and Gerry will be relieved when it's finally gone.

"For every painting like that I've ever done, Jon," Gerry spills all his affection into the name, and Jon can feel it, "I've done a thousand ridiculous sketches and colour studies. Art is time, and diligence and joy as much as it ever is masterpieces. You don't sit down one day and magically just know how to be a maestro."

Jon looks over and up at him with big green eyes. Gerry can't help but lean over and slide his hand into Jon's hair, pressing their lips together for a moment. "So Mr. Sims. Can I tempt you to make some art with me?"

***

What they create in those soft early morning hours can only generously be called art, even Gerry's efforts. But they laugh and kiss and somehow get covered in charcoal and acrylic paint. Gerry even allows Jon to choose the Spotify playlist. Slow piano music with nature sounds play softly in the background of their impromptu art party, reminding Gerry of nothing so much as Jon himself.

The dawn is just breaking through Gerry's massive bank of windows when he allows Jon to drag him off to bed, and they collapse together in the soft morning light.

***

Late the next morning, Martin lets himself into the flat and bounces down onto the bed between them, sending Saturn flying off in a huff.

"So, I heard there was a slumber party. I brought breakfast."

"Fuck off," Gerry slurs, but rather undermines his own point when he pulls Martin down and tucks himself around him. Jon does the same from the other side, and Martin finds himself in the middle of a very sleepy man sandwich.

Gerry seems to instantly fall back asleep, but Jon eventually drags himself to consciousness, even buried in Martin's neck. "What's time?"

"Almost ten," he responds, very cheerfully.

"WHAT-" Jon flies out of bed in a blind panic, desperately looking for his phone, which is dead when he finds it anyway. "I'm already so fucking late!"

Gerry groans.

"Relax Jon." Martin tries to soothe him but is hindered by the fact that Gerry is still clinging to him in a very enjoyable way. "Gerry, love, let me go. Jon is having a meltdown."

"How unusual," Gerry mutters very unsupportively, Jon manages to notice. He flops over onto his other side and attempts to bury himself in pillows instead of Martin.

"Jon, breathe." Swinging up to sit on the edge of the bed, Martin uses his best man-disaster steadying tone. Gerry has come to realize what that tone is, but he doesn't mention it to anyone. "It's Saturday."

Jon slumps and drops the pants he was desperately trying to wrangle himself into.

"It's Saturday?" He asks.

"It's Saturday," Gerry confirms from the pillow fort.

Jon glares at Martin in a very put upon way. Martin smiles at him brightly.

He turns and wanders off to the bathroom in an effort to collect himself. Martin resumes his spot in the middle of the bed, and drags Gerry towards him, tucking himself into his back.

"Hmmm. So much noise on a weekend." The goth mutters as he attempts to resettle himself in Martin's arms.

"I'll make it up to you later," Martin promises, pressing a kiss behind his ear.

"You let that happen on purpose, didn't you." It's not a question. "Just to see that look on his face."

"Yes," Martin says, chuckling into Gerry's pillow.

"Very good, sir."

#the magnus archives #jonathan sims #martin blackwood #gerry keay #jongerrymartin #gerard keay #also on ao3 #fic

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phykios · 4 years ago

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honesty and promise me, part 3 [read on ao3] [co-written with @darkmagyk]

Several more weeks and hookups later, Annabeth thinks she should probably come clean. Some people might bury it deep, and for sure, Annabeth’s considered it, but, well. It is kind of embarrassing that she didn’t know Percy’s name at first. Stuff like that doesn’t usually bother her--she’s had nameless one night stands in the past, and despite Thalia’s ribbing, she knows that Thalia doesn’t really care either. It’s just that, you know, he’s Thalia’s family, and they’ve seen each other a few more times, and they are planning to continue to see each other a few more times in the future. Or more than a few times.

Anyway, she kind of feels like she owes it to him. Like he deserves this small nugget of truth, payment for all the times he’s fucked her blind. It’s nagging at her, and she hates feeling like she owes anyone anything.

Piper certainly seemed to think so, when Annabeth had told her over their monthly brunch date.

“It’s just common courtesy at this point,” she said. “Like, what if you guys end up married and then sell your story to Hollywood, they cast my dad as the male lead, and it comes out in interviews that you didn’t know his name for like a month? He’s gonna get the wrong idea.”

Annabeth wasn’t sure which part was more ridiculous: the movie, Piper’s dad being involved, or them being married.

Anyway, sharing some of her avocado fries, Piper had reminded her that being mean wasn't very punk rock, shutting her up effectively.

She’s out on site in the Lower East Side, taking measurements for plots of land, writing down sun angles and measuring the wind velocity between the brick buildings, when she gets a text from him.

I’m on a break and I’m starving 😩 Want to grab something to eat?

It’s 2pm on a Thursday and he wants to grab something to eat. If Annabeth didn’t know any better, she’d say that that sounds like a real, honest-to-goodness, bona fide date. (Meeting up at and subsequently leaving bars together does not count as a date, she’s pretty sure. Neither do the booty calls.) He’s been getting a little free with his texts, that boy, sending her selfies and memes and questions about her day, and now this? An invitation to their first, actual date? She should block him on principle, just for the sheer audacity.

sure, wya

520 8th, text me when you get here 😁

That’s another thing: Percy loves his emojis. If this is going to continue, they’re going to need to have a serious talk about that.

She doesn’t need to text him when she gets there; he’s already outside, leaning on the stone edifice of the building like a particularly jacked rent boy in his tight t-shirt and broody look, cigarette between his fingers. The sweatpants sort of ruin the image, though. He looks particularly comfortable in a way that warms Annabeth right from the inside out. “You know, when Nico said you smoked, I honestly didn’t believe it.” she says, not even bothering to say hi.

He looks up from his phone and smiles, the sun behind his teeth. “Hey!”

“Hey, yourself.” She doesn’t even hesitate--she plucks the cigarette out of his hand, taking a drag off it herself. “You been smoking for a long time?”

“Who do you think taught Thalia how?” He raises an eyebrow, bemused. “Is that a problem?”

It is, but it’s not like she can tell him that without losing some of her credibility. “Wouldn’t smoking fuck with your cardio?”

Percy shrugs, conceding. “A little. I used to be a lot worse, but I just can’t quite kick the habit. It’s mostly a stress thing, anyway.”

“Rough practice?” she asks, putting just enough effort into her lip wobble to make it abundantly clear that she’s making fun of him. “Were the other boys being mean to you because of your tights?”

He grins at her, saucy. “Annabeth Chase, do you really think that NYCB rehearses here? In the Garment District?” But he laughs before she can stammer out an answer (and thank God, she’s lived here three years and can barely keep the boroughs straight, let alone the neighborhoods). “I just wrapped up teaching a class. I don’t have to be at rehearsal until 5, I was thinking we could hang out? Bryant Park?”

A first date at the New York Public Library. She almost hates to admit it, but Percy Jackson might be kind of her dream man. “I believe I was promised food,” she sniffs, but she does hold out her hand, and when he takes it, lacing his fingers through hers, she’s sure that he can feel her heart beating, palm to palm.

Twenty minutes later they’re settled on a bench in the corner of the green, Annabeth halfway into a ham sandwich and Percy juggling a salad and an iced coffee. He’s been regaling her with tales from the more exciting side of ballet, a side she hadn’t even imagined could actually exist. “So by the time I land in Paris,” he says, taking a sip of coffee, “the guy’s foot has swollen up to, like, twice its original size, and when I finally managed to find some wifi to check my phone, there’s, like, eight missed calls from my mom and my agent, and an email from her that just says ‘READ THIS,’ in all caps, and of course the article is in French, which I didn’t really speak at the time, and I was so stressed that my ADHD made it so I couldn’t even read the Google translation, and I had to ask someone to translate it for me.”

“Oh my god,” she says, struggling to keep it in.

“And that’s how I found out that I’d been moved up to first cast in Le Corsaire, from the poor barista at a coffee shop in Charles de Gaule!” He laughs.

“That’s insane,” Annabeth says. “And the show was the next day?”

“It was that night! I had to haul ass to the opera house and get warmed up, because I was going on in about four hours. You should have seen the looks on everyone’s faces when I stumbled in, I’m sure that they all wanted to kill me.” Percy chuckles, taking a bite of leafy greens. “Now I wasn’t just the twenty-year-old upstart American, I was the twenty-year-old upstart American who skipped town when I wasn’t supposed to.”

“How did it go?”

“Killed it, of course,” he says, deservedly smug.

Despite her best efforts, she’s absolutely entranced; he’s a great storyteller. “I bet you break that story out at parties all the time, don’t you.”

He laughs. “Whatever gets the donors to open their checkbooks, right?”

“I can’t believe you lived in Paris. I’ve always wanted to see it.” She’d had a few chances to when she was in college, the semester she’d studied abroad in Rome, but she just never got around to it. Just another item on her long, long list of regrets, placed somewhere between the sketchy burrito from last week and not telling her mom to fuck off earlier when she’d had the chance. “If I were you, I’d never leave.”

Percy shrugs. “It was amazing, I won’t lie. But towards the end I just really, really missed it here. All my family is in NYC, you know? My mom, step-dad, and my sister live here, and Thalia and Nico and Hazel, too. I tried to come back and visit whenever I could, but being away from them was really hard.” There’s something soft and inviting in his expression when he says, “I’m really happy to be back home.”

“What are they like?” Annabeth asks. “Your family. Your non-mob family, I mean.”

He rolls his eyes, but he grins another one of those blinding grins, too. “My mom is the most amazing person you will ever meet. Not only did she support my dance habit, she did it as a single working mother who had to raise an angry, ADHD asshole of a son who didn’t always appreciate her. I don’t even want to know how many hours she had to work or how many scholarships and grants she had to track down in order to pay for me to go to SAB, but somehow she made it work, and managed to write her novel at the same time. She married my step-dad the summer I turned sixteen, and my baby sister was born the next year.”

Even Annabeth, cynical and black-hearted as she is, has to smile back. The love he has for his mom is so palpable, so tangible, she can practically see him glowing. “And the…” What had Thalia called them? “The ‘Cousin Consortium’?”

At that, Percy laughs, full-bellied, unrestrained. “The name was Nico’s idea. I didn’t really have many close friends when I was a kid, apart from my buddy Grover--he had to wear this really gnarly leg brace and I liked to dance, so you can imagine how much we got picked on--but we were all really close growing up, since our dads were all assholes. They may have left us emotionally scarred, but at least we had each other’s backs the whole time.”

This is a very Percy thing, she’s starting to realize: he can not and will not hold back on his feelings. He simply refuses to. Where most guys might try to hide or downplay their affection for their friends, Percy’s is written all over his face. Maybe it’s a byproduct of doing ballet, but he’s so unashamed of his love for his friends and his family and his art, that maybe Annabeth kind of wishes she could be included in that love too, if it always feels this warm and joyful.

“I think it’s amazing that you guys are so close. I only had the one cousin when I was growing up, and we didn’t really talk all that much,” Annabeth says, almost without her permission. Something about him, it’s just so easy to talk to him. He makes it safe to open up.

“The med school guy, right?”

Annabeth nods. “Magnus. Fifth generation Harvard student. We’re all very proud.”

Ugh. Even she has to wince at the false cheer in her voice. Percy gives her a half-smile, sympathetic and soft. “Harvard not really for you, then?” he asks, picking up the threads of a long and complicated story, and one that she absolutely does not want to get into right now. Or ever, if she can help it.

“More like I wasn’t really for Harvard.” Which wasn’t entirely untrue. She had been good enough for the university in Cambridge, Mass--good enough for two degrees and graduation with honors--but she had never been good enough for her mother’s capital-H Harvard. Never good enough for her mother at all, really.

Percy takes her hand. His fingers are cold from his iced coffee. “Hey. It’s their loss,” he says, with a sincerity and an intensity that makes her blush.

Every part of her wants to pull away. His thumb is rubbing against the joint of her finger, soothing and sweet, and she thinks she may break out in hives from it. “Damn right it is,” she mumbles.

He is so nice. So nice and hot and sweet. Objectively, what she’s about to do is a terrible idea, and might torpedo a really good thing that they have, but if she doesn’t come clean now her own guilt is going to drive her insane.

“Okay, I have a confession to make.” Percy raises his eyebrows, slurping the last dregs of his drink. “When we met… and then when we hooked up the first time… I may have… thoughtyouwereJason.”

He blinks. “Pardon?” he asks, mumbled around the straw.

Annabeth buries her head in her hands. “Please don’t make me say it again.”

“You… thought I was Jason?”

“Well,” she sputters, glaring at him through her fingers, “you were being all bro-y with Thalia!”

He is valiantly trying to hold in a smile. “You know, I distinctly remember telling you my name that morning.”

“I was really hungover,” she whines, “and you were shirtless and making breakfast so I wasn’t really… paying attention.”

“For a whole week?”

This is so embarrassing, why couldn’t she just keep her stupid mouth shut? “Yeah.” She slumps her shoulders, stuffing her hands into her jacket pocket. “Sorry.”

She’s not entirely sure what she expected: at best a couple of weird looks and a tentative promise to meet up later that would end up not working out, at worst she thinks he’ll just get up and leave her here at Bryant Park. Either way, they’d be doomed to months of awkward interactions, until eventually they wouldn’t be able to be around each other, and Thalia would have to pick a side--and Annabeth’s seen what Thalia does to people who cross her family. She’s seen Thalia beat a dude to pulp for calling Nico the f-slur. Picking Percy over Annabeth? That’s nothing.

So when he starts laughing, Annabeth is completely at a loss. Slowly, at first, then all at once, he’s laughing so hard his shoulders are shaking, and he has to put down his salad so it doesn’t topple over onto the grass. His head is tilted back in joy, the grey, late afternoon light adamant that Annabeth can see all of his features clearly, from his screwed up eyes to his bright, white teeth to the single dimple in his cheek.

Of course, even his laughter is hot. Asshole.

“You thought I was Jason!” He shrieks.

Annabeth crosses her arms, scowling.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I really don’t mean to laugh,” he giggles. Annabeth can feel her own giggle rising in response, and she ruthlessly quashes it. “I can definitely say I’ve never heard that one before. You do know Jason is blond, right?”

“As a matter of fact, I did not. Besides, you and Thalia look exactly alike.”

He scoffs. “No we don’t.”

“Uh, yeah you do. You, Thalia, and Nico are all basically clones of each other.”

“Okay, Captain Glasses, whatever you say.” He rolls his eyes, but there’s no heat behind it.

“I’m sorry,” Annabeth feels like she has to say again.

He cocks his head. “For what? For thinking I was Jason? He’s a pretty cool guy.”

“No, for,” she blushes again. All this blood rushing to her head can’t be good for her. “For sleeping with you when I still thought you were Jason.”

Percy scoots closer to her, throwing her a grin and slinging his arm over her shoulders. Without even realizing that she’s doing it, she settles in beside him like she’s been doing it her whole life, slotted up against his torso, tucking her booted feet beneath her legs. “I am choosing to take that as a compliment,” he says, smirking. “You couldn’t resist my charms, even when you thought I was a brogrammer.”

Annabeth can’t help herself. She kisses him, wiping that smug grin right off his face, and when she finally retreats, after what feels like hours, he looks so dazed she could probably keep calling him by any name she wanted and he wouldn’t even realize it.

After their lunch, they meander for hours, headed in a vaguely southerly direction, holding hands the whole time, a steady, uninterrupted flow that took them all the way from Midtown to Greenwich Village. He tells her about his first day at ballet school; she tells him about her favorite monuments. “There are two architectural environments in America,” she says, ranting, speaking with enough force that she might forget the feeling of his hand in hers, “endless dead suburbia, or cities where every single building is either a concrete or a glass block--and not even Brutalist concrete, just shitty, poorly designed, paint-by-numbers concrete. It is an absolute travesty of modern government that they don’t fund any public works projects anymore.”

“That’s why all the gardens and stuff?” he asks.

“Nowadays everything is built by the lowest bidder. At least I get to add some beauty back into the city.”

“I know what you mean,” Percy says. “Paris is practically overflowing with public works, you almost forget about it sometimes.”

She sighs. “You’re so fucking lucky. Paris is so beautiful and everything in New York is just hideous.”

“Aw, come on,” he says. “Not everything. What about the Empire State Building, or Central Park?”

“Well, obviously, those,” she says, just a teensy bit flustered, but she’s not about to give up the argument without a fight. “I just mean like, normal, every day buildings: offices and apartments and stuff. It’s all so samey and boring.”

He looks to her right, pointing at the building they are passing. “What about this one?”

She turns.

If she had known they were headed this way, she never would have taken them past here.

“It’s… okay, I guess,” she mumbles, staring up at the arched windows, pedimented doors, and Rococo details of Miss Minerva’s Private Pre-College Prep School. A shudder goes down her spine, like someone walking over her grave. “There are better Beaux-Arts buildings.”

Sensing her discomfort, he picks up the pace, and changes the subject.

Finally, he stops outside a nondescript building, turning to face her. “This is me,” he says, a little bit mournfully, squeezing her hand. “Are you okay to get home safely?”

This man is ridiculous; it’s not even dark out. “I think I can manage a few blocks,” she says, lightly swatting him. “Isn’t it kind of early for you, though? It’s only four o’clock.”

He flushes faintly, one hand coming up to rub at his neck. “Uh, well, I always give myself a little extra time--you know, time blindness and everything.”

“You baked in extra time in case I wanted you to walk me home, didn’t you?” She mock-gasps, secretly delighted. “Scandal!”

“Guilty,” he grins. “You’ve been to mine so many times, I was curious.”

She just barely stops herself from laughing out loud at the very idea of Percy coming to her apartment--as if. Thalia hasn’t even been to her apartment. Nobody knows where she lives, none of her neighbors know who she is, and this is entirely by design. “Cut me some slack; a girl’s gotta have some mystery. Can’t make it too easy for you, can I?”

“I have a feeling you’ll never make things easy for me,” he says, white teeth gleaming.

“You better believe it,” she smiles back. “Now that I’ve foiled your plans, are you going to be too bored?”

“Oh, I’ll think of something,” he shrugs. “I’m very resourceful when it comes to boredom.”

Inspiration strikes, and she grasps his hand, pulling him down the alleyway. She almost hates to admit it, but she has something of a Pavlovian response when it comes to hanging out with Percy. Annabeth has come to expect some really excellent sex whenever the two of them meet up, and maybe spending all afternoon with him has made her a little bit horny.

She presses him up against the brick wall, hidden from the street by the long afternoon shadows, and kisses him. His hands flounder for a second, before coming up to rest on her shoulders, this thumbs tapping against the base of her neck, fingers fluttering on her jacket. It’s an intimate touch, kind of chaste and very respectful, and he holds her with precision and grace. He wouldn’t do anything she wouldn’t want to. This is a date with no expectation of sex on his part. But Annabeth does not want grace right now, spooked by the ghost of her old school. She does not want precision. She just wants him. She just wants to keep him on his toes, keep him interested, blow his mind a little.

She just wants to blow him, to be honest.

He squeaks into her mouth as her hands fly to his belt, deft fingers practically ripping it off of him in an increasingly familiar motion. “H-hey,” he says, squeezing her shoulders, “this is--”

“Do you not want me to?” she asks, one hand playing at the top line of his underwear.

“No--I mean, are you sure? I’m-I’m okay with this, I just want to--”

“I know.” She kisses his cheek, then drops to her knees. “But we’ve got some time to kill, don’t we.”

Afterwards, when she’s finished with him, Annabeth wipes her mouth, and he whimpers.

“Ho… holy shit,” he pants, flushed and trembling.

She tucks him back into his boxers, doing up his fly. “There we go. That was better than being bored, right?”

He nods wordlessly, swallowing, shaking. His eyes are glassy and glazed, stupid like he’s just shot out his brain through his dick.

In the short time they’ve been together (though, honestly, this might be the longest relationship she’s ever been in before… and they haven’t even broached the “dating” conversation yet) Annabeth has been on the receiving end of several different Percy looks. His face will light up with joy when he first lays his eyes on her, so happy to see her (though she can’t really fathom why), glinting like the sun on the water. His eyes will narrow, glaring, even as he furiously tamps down on his growing smile when they start arguing over something stupid, like Annabeth’s affinity for olives. He’ll grin at her, knife sharp and slanted, licking his lips and looming over her after she comes down from yet another orgasm via his mouth or his hands.

Percy looks at her now like someone took a bat to his head, and instead of seeing stars, he sees little miniature Annabeths flying around.

He pulls her to him and kisses her, entirely too sweet for what she’s just done to him, but that is also a very Percy thing. And when she leaves him with a final kiss on his cheek and squeeze of his ass, she can feel that look burning a hole through her jacket, following her down the alley and around the corner, and she finds that she doesn’t mind the weight of it at all.

#my fic #percabeth #pjo #the rivalry ends here #ballet au #darkmagyk #woot!!!!

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terezis · 5 years ago

Note

taz balance au where John survives the apocalypse but Merle doesn’t

too sad!!! don’t like it

instead please consider that they both survive, and merle insists on bringing him to any and all group celebrations, much to literally everyone’s chagrin. no event is too big or too small. he drags john to everything from family game night at taako’s to charity benefits at the bureau of benevolence. he brings him to candlenights. to brunch. he asks john if he would like a mimosa. maybe some bacon? magnus, can you pass the bacon? and it’s awkward for everyone involved.

everyone except except for merle, who insists that he doesn’t see what the problem is

#Anonymous #i'm sorry!!! i can't do the sadstucks!!! this is a SADSTUCK FREE ZONE

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ladylynse · 6 years ago

Note

Um, i can't click on the stories in the see more fics things

...I have no idea why, but you’re right, I can’t either when I go to that post. But when I click on the post to edit it, they all show up. I’ll copy and paste the post into this and see if it works:

A list of my three sentence fics by fandom(s) and characters/prompts so they’re easier to find! Alternatively, check out my tumblr fic masterpost, random WIP scenes and snippets, fic ideas, or find me on FFnet and the AO3! Also, take a peek at the fanart and fanfic I’ve been gifted. If you like my work, you can consider buying me a coffee.

Fandoms:American Dragon: Jake LongAo No Exorcist/Blue ExorcistDanny PhantomDaredevilFirefly/SerenityGravity FallsHarry PotterMerlinMiraculous LadybugRandy Cunningham: 9th Grade NinjaSupernaturalThe Adventure ZoneVoltron: Legendary Defender

Crossovers:Secret Quartet (DP/ML/AD:JL/RC9GN)ML/AD:JLML/DPSuperPhantom (DPxSPN)Phantom Falls (DPxGF)DP/RotGFirefly/TAZ (sorta)DP/OtGWDaredevil/SPNDP/Daredevil

American Dragon: Jake Long:Rotwood, 88, and 89 (”reveal”)Jake and Rose (”Huntsclan!Jake AU”) [FF | AO3]Haley (and Fu, Jake, and Rose) (”Huntsclan!Jake AU”)Susan and Lao Shi ( ”Huntsclan!Jake AU” //death (not really but still)) (expanded: FF | AO3) Rotwood and Jake (”Rotwood is pleased that Jake fits in a duffel bag”) / follow up / follow up / follow up Susan, Jake, Haley (Huntsclan!Jake AU “scales”)Jake, Fu (”Jake accidentally gets a kangaroo pouch in dragon form”) (1+5) Rose and Jake (Huntsclan!Jake AU “Why are you acting like this?”) (1+5) Blue Exorcist:Rin and Yukio (”capes”)

Danny Phantom: Jazz and Dani (stranger)Maddie and Plasmius (unexpected guest)Maddie and Dani (”escape”)Vlad (”have a heart” //blood, gore)Valerie and Danny (”What did you do with the body?”)Red Huntress and Phantom (”What did you do with the body?” //blood, death)Maddie and Plasmius (”impervious”)Vlad/Plasmius and Danny (”You can’t stop me”)Danny, Jack, and Maddie (”Uh...surprise?”)Danny, Sam, Tucker, OC ghost (”It is time to do the laundry”)Danny and Jazz (“lightning”)Valerie and Skulker (“horizontal”)Dani and Jazz (“family”)Maddie and Jack (“light switch”)Maddie and Jazz (“fool’s gold” //implied torture)Tucker (“folklore” //implied past torture/death)Danny (”college”/not angst)Danny and Sam (”purple” “DxS”)Danny (”badger in Vlad’s bag”) (follow up: 1+5) Vlad (”betrayal”)Dani, Jack, Maddie, Danny (”Jack and Maddie meet Dani”)Dani and Mr Lancer (”Lancer meets freshman Danielle Fenton”)Jazz, Danny, (Jack) (”Jack has a dad sneeze”)Danny and Maddie (”angst”) (x2, warnings for the second one: //blood, gore, vivisection, torture)Valerie (”cold”)Valerie and Mr. Lancer (”Mr. Lancer finds out about Valerie”)Danny and Dora (”sword”)Dash, Danny, (Kwan) (”Dash steals Lancer’s gradebook”) (follow up: 1+5) Dash, Desiree (”Dash steals Lancer’s gradebook” different version) (1+5) Danny and Valerie (”Danny, why do you have Mr. Lancer’s wallet?”)Vlad and Danny (”Vlad captures Danny in a thermos”)Vlad and Danny (”Vlad kidnaps Danny again” //drowning, torture)Maddie, Valerie, Dani (”blue”)Vlad, Maddie, Ghostwriter (”reveal”)Danny and Vlad (”Danny in a baby sling” à la this post) / follow upJazz and Danny (”tomorrow” //kicked out)Dani and Vlad (”forgive”)Danny and Lancer (”Per Tucker’s dare...”) (1+5) Danny and Vlad (”You’ll change your name...”) (1+5) Danny, Maddie, Jack (”impossible”)Tucker, Sam, Danny (”petrichor”) (1+5) Danny (”If I move fast enough....”) (1+5) Jazz, Danny, Maddie, Jack (”Can we go home now?”) (1+5)

Daredevil:Matt and Det. Mahoney (”discussing Daredevil”) (continued here)Various Hell’s Kitchen residents (”outsider POV” //death mention)OCs (”noticing Matt’s canes in the lost and found”)Matt and Foggy (retrieving Matt’s cane from the lost and found)Karen, Foggy, (Matt) (”she wasn’t expecting a 2 AM phone call”) (1+5)

Merlin:Merlin and Arthur (”If I could move...”) (1+5) Merlin and Arthur (”black eye”) (1+5)

Miraculous Ladybug: Chloé and Ladybug (reveal)Plagg and Gabriel (“I should have ripped off your head” //blood, death)Chat Noir and Marinette (”midnight coffee”)Plagg (”ephemeral” //dying)Marinette, Adrien, Alya, and Nino (”double date”)Adrien/Chat Noir and Ladybug (”You can’t stop me”)Chat Noir, Ladybug/Marinette, and Pharaoh (prompt based off this post)Marinette and Chat Noir (”hot chocolate” “Marichat”)Marinette/Ladybug and Chat Noir (“listen”)Marinette/Ladybug and Chat Noir (“chilly”)Marinette/Ladybug and Chat Noir (“dog”)Marinette/Ladybug and Chloé (“exasperation”)Marinette and Adrien (”cat-like tendencies”)Marinette and Tom (”brunch”)Marinette, Adrien, kids, and kittens (”kittens”)Adrien/Chat Noir, Ladybug, OC akuma (”Children should eat their vegetables”)Tikki, Tom, Sabine (post reveal “Tom and Sabine let Tikki fly through the house”) Manon and Adrien (”Manon finds a Miraculous”)Alya (”Lila was in big trouble”) (1+5) Adrien, Duusu (Ladybug, Nathalie, Hawk Moth) (”Duusu started crying”) (1+5) Nino (”Nino felt he had no claim to fame”) (1+5) Alya/Rena Rouge and Ladybug (”My family can’t see me wearing this”) (1+5) Mendeleiev and Aurore (”Mendeleiev hadn’t expected Aurore’s rant”) (1+5) Tom and Sabine (”farting contest”) (1+5) Lila and Pollen (”stolen Bee Miraculous”) (1+5) Chloé and Caline Bustier (”birthday present”) (1+5) Emilie and Audrey (”friends”) (1+5) Ladybug, Adrien/Chat Noir, (Chloé) (”Chloé bans wasps”) (1+5) Carapace/Nino (”Carapace hated being called Shelly”) (1+5) Nino, Alya, Chloé, Ladybug (Mayura, Chat Noir) (”Mayura’s blue skin”) (1+5) Luka and Anarka (”smoking”) (1+5) (related)The Puppeteer and her (human) puppets (”What happens to us?”) (1+5) Chat Noir, Frightingale, (Ladybug) (”Harley Quinn”)Adrien and Gabriel (”Don’t blame me for this.”) (1+5)Caline Bustier and Ms. Mendeleiev (”Please stop hugging me”) (1+5) Gina, Sabine, Marinette (”motorcycle ride”) (1+5) Lila and her mom (”Madame Rossi’s face was alight with fury”) (1+5) Bustier, Mendeleiev, and Damocles (”This isn’t very healthy”) (1+5) Lila and her mom (”Lila’s mom learns the truth”) (1+5) (follow up)Emilie and Audrey (”Hawk Moth!Emilie”) (1+5) (follow up | related)Chloe/Queen Bee, Rena Rouge, Ladybug, (Carapace, Chat Noir) (”We can’t turn our backs on him!”) (1+5) Chloe and Adrien (”My mom left and yours disappeared”) (1+5) Gabriel and Nathalie (”My hair is grey again!”) (1+5) Chat Noir and Ladybug (”At least it isn’t raining”) (1+5) Marinette (”Like many fictional teenagers”) (1+5) Marinette and Tikki (”Like many teenagers”) (1+5) Nadja and Manon (”Manon’s drawings”) (1+5) Lila and Nooroo (”future Hawk Moth!Lila”) (1+5) Lila and Kagami (”I’m not scared of you”) (1+5) Nathaniel and Ms. Mendeleiev (”your science grade is up”) (1+5) Sabine and Gina (”Mom”) (1+5)

Firefly/Serenity:Mal and River (”that’s gonna leave a mark”)River (“repeat”) (could be read as a TAZ crossover so I’m going to throw it there, too) (related scene)

Gravity Falls:Soos and Wendy (“grateful”)Soos and Wendy (“quiet”)Mabel and Dipper (“stomp”)Stan (”Stan as a pickpocket”)Ford (”Ford waking up from a nightmare”)Dipper and Ford (”baby sling” à la this post) Dipper, Mabel, Stan, Ford (”staying in Gravity Falls”) (1+5) Mabel and Dipper (”I got in so much trouble today.”) (1+5) Pacifica, Mabel, (Dipper) (”How did I get dragged into this?”) (1+5)

Harry Potter:Ron and Hermione (”stab him already”)Ron and Hermione (”technology/bafflement”)Ron and Lavender (”[Ron], what’s with your hair?”) (1+5)

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja: Debbie (”competition”) (find an expansion of this idea by @sach216 here)Julian (”secrets”)Randy (”revealed”) (continued here)Randy (”captured”)Randy (“I wasn’t expecting that, but hey! It works!”)Debbie and Howard (“Why is it that when I’m with you, this always happens?”)Randy and Debbie (and Howard) (”protect”)Miss Wickwhacker (”cat herd”)

Supernatural:Human!Castiel, demon (”he was so cold” //near death) (1+5)

The Adventure Zone:Magnus, Taako, and Lup (”frosting”)

Voltron:Pidge and Allura (“wonder”)Shiro ("Shiro" :accidentally shrunken teammates”) (1+5)

Secret Quartet:Adrien and Plagg (”watching idols”)Randy, Jake, Danny, and Adrien (”watching idols”)Jake and Adrien (”painting” x2)Randy, Adrien, Jake, and Danny (”Can we get ice cream?”)Jake and Randy (“trapped”)Randy, Jake, (Danny, Adrien) (“rat”)Randy, (Jake, Danny, Adrien) (“hangry”)Randy, Jake, Adrien, Danny, McFist, Viceroy (”heart attack”)Randy, Adrien, Jake, Danny (”Nasty Burger”)Randy, Adrien (”Wait, you’re telling me that isn’t normal?”)Randy, Jake, Adrien, Danny (”Griffons do what with new hatchlings?”) (1+5)

Miraculous Ladybug/American Dragon:Jake LongMarinette and Jake (”Marinette, the French Dragon”)Adrien/Chat Noir, Chloé/Queen Bee, Ladybug, (Jake) (”riding a dragon”) (1+5) Jake and Tikki (”Ladybug!Jake”) (1+5)

Miraculous Ladybug/Danny Phantom:Mylène (”She was happy she lived in Paris”) (with a dash of Ratatouille) (1+5)

Superphantom:Dani and the Winchesters ( "And you think that's going to work?")Danny and Tucker ("No way! You see this too, right?" //torture mention...sorta)The GhostFacers (about Dani) (”grudge”)Dean (and Sam) (with ectoplasm) (“everywhere”)Dean, Sam, Vlad, Dani (”Too bad that didn’t kill me”) (1+5) Sam and Dean (”It’s too early for this”) (1+5)

Phantom Falls:Dani (”sunlit”)Danny Phantom/Rise of the Guardians:Danny and Jack (“ice”)

Firefly/The Adventure Zone:River (“repeat”) (related scene) Danny Phantom/Over the Garden Wall: (set in my fic Down the Rabbit Hole)Danny, Jazz, Wirt, (Wendy from GF, Toby from Trollhunters) (”part-time job”)

Daredevil/Supernatural:Matt/Daredevil and Castiel (”The Lord’s Angel teams up with The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen”) Matt/Daredevil and Castiel (”snark”)Matt (”fallen angel AU” x2)

Danny Phantom/Daredevil:Danny/Phantom and Matt/Daredevil (”Danny Phantom meets Daredevil”)

#ladylynse #asks #I don't understand #what is tumblr doing #it worked earlier today #like a few hours ago earlier today #Anonymous

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ninwrites · 6 years ago

Text

your heart is my home

Pairing: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood

Words: 3619

Summary:

magnus and alec go house hunting.

written for a prompt by the wonderful @kindaresilient ❤

Read on AO3 or below the cut xx

“I love you,”

Alec’s hands cup Magnus’ face, trembling slightly from the excitement rocketing through him. He hadn’t thought that asking again would have worked, just took the chance whilst it was there because then nobody could say that he didn’t try.

He hoped, of course, that Magnus would say yes, but he could never have expected it.

“I love you, too.” He whispers, awestruck and sweet.

It’s a novelty he hopes never wears off - the way his heart skips at knowing that he has this, really, truly has a love all his own, the way Magnus’ heart lights up when he hears that Alec loves him too, as though there’s any universe where Alec wouldn’t be madly and deeply enchanted with the man before him.

“Come here,” Magnus murmurs under his breath, pulling Alec forward by his hips, as though he’s the one that’s been touch starved for what feels like weeks, as though Alec is being unfairly reserved.

Alec would lock his office door and quite happily cuddle with Magnus by the fireplace in a heartbeat, if he were permitted. He misses being close with Magnus, just grounding himself in Magnus’ presence, his touch, his warmth.

It was something that not even Asmodeus could take away from him, something that was all his own, not tied to his magic or his title but him. The true Magnus Bane, the soul that Alec fell for.

“If you insist,” Alec whispers against the corner of Magnus’ mouth, his palms warmed against the stretch of Magnus’ smile.

It’s the little moments like this that he lives for. The tease of Magnus’ fingertips over his shirt, dancing over his abdomen, the little intrigued hum he makes when Alec slides his fingers against the nape of Magnus’ neck, bending his head slightly to deepen the kiss, Magnus’ steady heartbeat pounding against his chest.

Intertwined and inescapable and impossibly in love.

“So, how does this work?” Alec brings up, later, once the lights are off and Magnus has tucked his head into the space of Alec’s neck that feels like it was made for this.

“Snuggling? I think you’re a gold star student myself, Alexander, but if you need some tips-“

Alec gently pinches Magnus’ side. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“My apologies,” Magnus purrs, though there’s a sharp smile hidden in the kiss he places against Alec’s clavicle. “How does what work, darling?”

Alec waves his free hand above his head, aware of how much amusement Magnus will get out of his floundering, yet not minding it. When Magnus teases him about talking with his hands, there’s too much warmth behind it for Alec to be offended, and too much trust between them for Alec to be uncomfortable.

“Finding a new apartment. If you even want to look for an apartment, I mean I know you loved living in the loft, and I did too, but maybe you want a house, or a mansion like Lorenzo has, though probably less gaudy, or even a farm-“

Magnus kisses Alec before he can finish his sentence, pulling back with a blinding grin, his cat eyes alight in the dim room. Alec’s cheeks flush, but he finds himself grinning along too.

“I have far better taste than a gaudy mansion like Lorenzo’s.” Magnus points out. “As for the finer details, an apartment, or house or even a farm - that’s something that we can both decide.”

Alec hums. “I don’t think I’d mind living on a farm. We could get chickens and sheep, and a dog to round up the sheep, and even a little goat we could name Jace.”

“I’m sure he’d love that.” Magnus points out, imagining the conflict on Jace’s face between the delight of being a namesake and the horror of the recipient being a goat.

“You never know.”

Magnus rests his palm against Alec’s chest, tracing the love rune against his skin - one of few he’d bothered to learn. “We can go looking tomorrow, if you’re free. I’m rather, indisposed at the moment myself. It might give us an idea of what we both like.”

Alec frowns. “So, you just, walk around other people’s homes? Are they there? Do they glare at you to stop you from touching their stuff?”

Magnus hides his grin against Alec’s skin. He’s a little worried that one day, and soon, his cheeks will split from smiling so widely. “Sometimes there is people there, but usually it’s either empty - like, a blank slate - or furnished with the idea that people will be able to see themselves living there. But they don’t usually glare.”

“Huh.” Alec idly traces Magnus’ ribs. “I know there are Shadowhunters who’d buy mundane homes, but in Alicante all of the houses are family owned. I’ve never even thought about looking for somewhere to live before.”

“This will be a new first for you then.” Magnus points out, simultaneously charmed by Alec’s outlook and astounded by the distance Shadowhunters put between themselves and others.

Alec drops a kiss to the top of Magnus’ head. “I seem to be accumulating them a lot, these days. Thanks to you.”

“It’s my pleasure.” Magnus promises, because for him, that is how it feels. It’s a privilege to see Alec grow into the man that he was always meant to be, to support him in his journey towards true, and uncompromised happiness.

If there is anybody who deserves it the most, it is Alec.

Magnus loves Alec, more than anything in the world, but there is only so much a person can take before they’ve reached their breaking point.

“Alexander,” Magnus grits his teeth. “I love you, believe me, but if you don’t shut that damn alarm off, I will have to break up with you. It’s a matter of life and death.”

“It’s half-past ten.” Alec points out, smoothing his hand across Magnus’ back. “Not that I would hold you accountable for your actions whilst you’re so dreadfully sleep-deprived, but it is the time we agreed upon waking...”

Magnus shoves his face further into the pillow. It smells like Alec’s cologne, the one he wears on date nights, and it’s the warmest place in the entire Institute - well, second, to Alec’s arms, of course, but he’s dragging himself from the bed and so Magnus is revoking his cuddling privileges in retaliation.

“We’ve already missed breakfast.” Alec states. As though he’s sad about it.

“Shame,” Magnus mumbles into the pillow.

He can hear Alec bustling around the room, his socked feet brushing against the carpet, the low whistle that sounds like a generic top 40’s hit, though Alec would steadfastly deny it if asked. It’s simple, and easy, and even when everything else in Magnus’ life feels like it is crashing down around him, he’s grateful to have Alec at the center of it, keeping him stable and picking up any pieces that chip off, holding them carefully until Magnus is ready to put himself back together again.

“We could do brunch,” Alec suggests, his voice echoing from the bathroom. “If you get your ass out of bed.”

Magnus huffs a laugh into the pillow and rolls onto his back. It is a surprisingly comfortable bed, considering where it’s located, but he supposes that’s a perk of being the Head of an Institute and not just another soldier. They have an odd sense of hierarchy, here.

“I happen to have it on good authority that you love my ass,” Magnus points out, glancing at Alec through half-lidded eyes.

Alec leans against the door-frame of the bathroom, sweatpants resting low on his hips, arms folded across his bare chest. “I love all of you.” He shrugs, his eyes trailing low and then back up with a slow smirk. “Including your … assets.”

“Alexander Lightwood,” Magnus pulls himself up onto his elbows, the sheets slipping down to pool around his waist. “Did you just make a pun?”

Alec grins. “I flirted too. Can you believe it?” He spreads his palm flat against his chest. “I’m growing up so fast.”

Magnus is grateful that the moment is so light, for there’s a depth to Alec’s words that would bring a stronger man to tears; he has come so far from when they first met, he’s blossomed and he’s glowing and happier than Magnus could have ever wished for, and he’s done it on his own.

Magnus supported him, cared for him and loved him through it all, but Alec did all of the hard work on his own - it was his own strength and determination to carve out a better life for himself that saved him.

Magnus is just grateful that he’s lucky enough to witness it firsthand.

Alec’s stomach grumbles, and Magnus is brought careening back to the present. “Okay, this growing man needs some food. I have to sign off on some paperwork but after that, I’m all yours.”

Magnus smiles warmly. “Brunch, then. I’d best pretty myself up whilst you’re gone.”

Alec crosses the room, leaning down to draw Magnus into a slow kiss. He tastes like peppermint and doesn’t seem to mind that Magnus’ doesn’t. “You’re already the most beautiful person in the world.” He states, pulling back just far enough that Magnus can see the smile in his eyes.

“You’re biased.” Magnus contends, his heart fluttering when Alec smooths his hand over Magnus’ chest.

“Perhaps.” Alec drops a kiss onto the tip of Magnus’ nose. “That doesn’t mean that I’m wrong.”

Even if it did, Magnus found it hard to believe that Alec’s mind would change - and what a spectacularly unfamiliar delight that was, to feel the faith a person had in their opinion of you, that nothing would be able to sway them.

Alec is everything to Magnus - and he’d even dare to believe, that to Alec, he is too.

“Magnus Bane, in the flesh. I almost wouldn’t believe it if not for the truth of my own gaze.”

Magnus squeezes Alec’s hand, almost sensing his confusion, before letting go to bring the real estate agent into a warm, yet politely distant hug.

“You did such a good job with the last place, I thought I’d see what properties you’re dabbling in these days.” Magnus reaches back for Alec’s hand, encouraging him to step forward. “Eudora, meet Alec Lightwood. Alexander, this is Eudora, the best realtor I’ve had the pleasure of acquainting with. Her style is impeccable.”

Eudora glances at Alec, slyly. “He’s quite the charmer, isn’t he? A silver tongue if I’ve ever met one-” Eudora tucks a stray indigo lock behind her ear, revealing the sharp point. “As a Seelie, I’ve run into a few.”

“He’s spellbinding,” Alec agrees, leaning into Magnus’ shoulder. He hadn’t expected a Seelie realtor, but then, it’s not exactly a stretch either. “I think it’s the genuineness, he really makes you believe what he’s saying.”

“I can’t tell if you’re both agreeing that I’m a liar,” Magnus intervenes. “Or bonding over my honesty.”

Eudora winks at Alec, and for a second, he sees a glimmer pass across her skin, a hint at turquoise scales beneath a mundane glamour. It’s a sign of trust, he knows, and he’s grateful for it - Eudora is clearly important to Magnus, even if it’s more on a professional level than a personal one, and her trust means a lot.

Eudora claps her hands together, shimmering blue nails clicking lightly. “Right. The two of you came to view houses - first up is a darling Victorian townhouse, with original features and a modern twist that perfectly blends multiple eras together…”

Alec trails off, still listening but finding difficulty in making sense of any of the words that Eudora is saying. Fortunately, Magnus seems perfectly enrapt with the conversation, volleying questions back at Eudora that, from the outside, seem to be the right ones. Magnus keeps his hand intertwined with Alec’s whilst Eudora leads them through the house, and Alec is content to trail behind.

It really is a beautiful house.

The outside is an elegant white, as are the walls inside, but Alec can see where Magnus would put his own flair on the place; the hallway where he’d display a delicately woven rug, the living room that would have sprawling loveseats and couches, a glass coffee table to rest fresh flowers upon, a fireplace mantel to display mementos from their trips, and framed photos. He’d put the grand four poster bed in the main bedroom upstairs, and use the opposite room as a bedroom for Madzie whenever she’d visit, the remaining bedroom down the hall for guests who decide to pop by. His office, connecting to the kitchen would be filled with various books, science and literature and modern romance that he’d refuse to admit to anyone else he loves, a sprawling desk to work on spells and potions and writing his next magical tome.

Alec could hang his keys from a little hook near the front door, his boots under the entryway table. He could have a little garden out the back, see if his green thumb is truly as black as his mother’s; they could adopt a cat, and make doors for easy access so it could come and go as it pleases. He could have a reading chair by the fireplace, to curl up in when it’s cold and Magnus is busy puttering away in his office. They could cook together in the marble-topped kitchen, Alec on one side of the breakfast bench with a silly apron, Magnus on the other with the food that they intend to eat while he instructs Alec to stir this, or taste that, or just look his handsome self because that’s help enough.

They could host barbecues in the summer and dinner parties in the fall, share tall tales of their day over takeout as they sink into the couch, take days off to watch movies in their own home theatre in the den and wake up each morning knowing that this was a place that they shared together.

Magnus and Eudora are too distracted talking about mouldings or skirtings or something else that Alec has no concept of, and he’s struck with gratitude for the lack of attention on him. He slips his hand from Magnus’ and offers a tight smile in response to Magnus’ questioning gaze, darting through the kitchen to the back patio.

The feeling of fresh air whistling against his face is a cool reprieve from the heat that had been pricking his skin inside. He knew that this wasn’t a casual date, it was an important trip and at the end of it, there’d be an important decision to make, but nowhere in his train of thought had it truly sunk in what they were discussing here.

Yes, he’d asked Magnus - essentially - to let him move with Magnus, and he doesn’t regret it. He loves waking up next to Magnus, and hates going to bed without him, considers it a specific and terrible form of heartache when Magnus is gone because missing him hurts, even if he returns only an hour later. He knows, has known for longer than he’s even realised, that he wants to spend the rest of his life with Magnus - but the weight of it feels heavier now than it ever had before.

This is the first real step they’ve ever taken together; before, it was all abstract conversation and wishful thinking, but this is tangible and real and entirely possible and Alec hadn’t prepared for the shift, hadn’t even expected it.

It’s a small grace that he’s having this, admittedly minor, freak-out before any big decisions have been cemented. It’s nice to know that he can learn from his past and not repeat the same mistakes.

His next wedding won’t be a mistake. He’s going to make sure that he’s doing it for love, and for himself, and Magnus, and not anybody else.

“Alexander?”

The French glass doors don’t make a sound when they slide open, giving Magnus the chance to hover behind Alec, close enough to touch if he so desires, before Alec notices that he’s there.

“It’s a beautiful view, huh?” Alec’s voice cracks on the final word. He fiddles with the collar of his jacket, his wrist resting against the erratic pulse of his chest.

Magnus knocks his shoulder against Alec’s. “Yes. Yes it is.”

Alec shakes his head, glancing over at Magnus. He’s beaming, smirking in that subtle way that means he knows exactly what Alec is thinking, and is far from ashamed about it.

“I was genuinely talking about the view,” Alec gestures towards the backyard half-heartedly.

Magnus shrugs. “I prefer mine.”

Alec sighs, but there’s hardly any exasperation to it. He’s far more charmed than he’d like to admit, and even just this blip of conversation has chipped away at a little of his nerves. Magnus has this uncanny ease at grounding Alec, and making him feel comfortable no matter the situation around them, like an anchor at sea.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“Free of charge, for you.” Alec scours the back of his hand across the cut of his jaw. “I have to warn you, though, it’s kind of stupid.”

Magnus rests his hand against the small of Alec’s back. “I find that hard to believe.”

Alec lets his head drop against Magnus’ shoulder, wrapping his arm around Magnus’ waist. Magnus kisses Alec’s temple, squeezing him close, hand curved against Alec’s hip. Alec feels bad for wasting their time - for wasting Eudora’s time, too - but he can’t seem to get his brain onto a different train of thought. It’s determined to ride this one out until it crashes and burns.

“It could just be me,” Alec acknowledges. “I’m not exactly well-versed in relationships, and I’ve certainly never considered any kind of future as much as I have this, but it all just feels very … I don’t think that I really thought about how big of a deal this is, before, and now it’s suddenly very real.”

“We don’t have to go through with this if you’re not ready.” Magnus soothes circles against Alec’s skin, his fingers hooked beneath Alec’s shirt. “Today is just, house hunting for fun. Getting you out of those shadows you’re so fond of chasing.”

Alec angles his head so that he can look up at Magnus without moving from what is quite a comfortable position. “That’s the thing. I am ready, and I know I’m ready, I just didn’t think past that? It’s easy for me to say that the only future I want is the one with you in it, but acting on that is completely different. I don’t know how to tell what the right house is. I don’t even know how to live on my own! I’ve always lived in the Institute, where there are like, hundreds of other Shadowhunters at a time. I’ve been coddled and now when it comes to making important life decisions, I’m lost.”

Magnus cups the side of Alec’s cheek. “You’re not alone in this, Alexander. I’ve never moved in with somebody before - but then, I’ve also never loved anybody as much as I love you. Both of those are utterly terrifying to me because they’re so new, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t the right thing for me. We don’t have to choose a new house today - we don’t even have to choose this one. There’s no pressing time schedule that we have to adhere by, we just take it at our own pace.”

“We live in a world that could end at any moment,” Alec points out, somewhat petulantly, because he knows that Magnus is right, and that it is a fact Magnus is well aware of.

“So why are we wasting time staring at a pristine backyard that costs more than the Institute’s annual food budget alone, when we could head down to Coney Island and eat ice-cream before dinner like the crazy kids we are on the inside?”

Alec pouts. It can be difficult dating a warlock - not because of the stark differences in their people, but because he’s a smart-ass who disguises his omnipotence within sugar-coated promises that he knows Alec can’t turn down, without actually coming out and just saying ‘I told you so’.

“I do like ice-cream.” Alec admits.

“I know.” Magnus kisses Alec’s temple. “Come on, let’s thank Eudora for her help before she makes me promise her more werewolf fur than I actually have.”

“Werewolf fur?”

Magnus guides Alec back towards the house. “I don’t ask questions, Alexander, I just retrieve the ingredients. Werewolves shed more than dogs, it’s not difficult to acquire, I just don’t feel comfortable keeping stock in the Institute - no offence.”

Alec shakes his head. “None taken.”

“We’ll be okay, Alexander. We’ll figure it out, together. That’s kind of what sharing a future with somebody means.” Magnus frowns. “Apparently.”

It’s a peculiar sense of calm that washes over Alec. As big and impossible as this feels to him, is only matched by Magnus; they’re both in this rickety little lifeboat together, holding onto keep themselves afloat, but if worse comes to worst, they’ll capsize together.

If it doesn’t? They’ll find a house that they both love, where they can take the next steps - together. Alec has no doubt that he and Magnus have a bright future ahead of them. He just needs to be patient, and let it come to them.

“You really have that much faith in our future?” Magnus asks as they pass the threshold. “You just, know, that we’ll have a good one?”

Alec cups Magnus’ face and pulls him in, kissing him through a blinding grin. “I have faith in us. That’s all I’ve ever needed.”

#malec #malec fic #sh fic #my fic #shadowhunters #3x15 #ish #house hunting #tooth-rotting fluff #communication #like in everything i write tbh #shfanficnexus #my writing #gift fic #for carla

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faejilly · 6 years ago

Text

i am for you (8/?)

updates for three whole weeks in a row! that hasn’t happened on anything I’ve written in awhile. ANYWAYS. pls enjoy some Hedge Ridiculousness and Malec’s lack of chill and forgive me a small note of melancholy for my favorite blonde lady.

AO3 -- series tag on tumblr

SUNDAY

*** *** ***

[alec]: I hope me leaving so abruptly didn't ruin the rest of your brunch with your friends

[magnus]: of course not. We've had much more dramatic days. This one was even all good news! It's a nice change. [magnus]: I'll admit I'm a touch surprised to hear from you so quickly though?

[alec]: I'm waiting to finish getting ready... Shared bathroom remember

[magnus]: oh yes that. Ugh. [magnus]: we'll have to make sure you have a change of clothes so you can shower over hear from now on [magnus]: *here

[alec]: that's still sharing a bathroom 😉

[magnus]: as if you didn't enjoy "sharing" my bathroom

[alec]: you just want an excuse to shower with me again, don't you?

[magnus]: hopefully daily

[alec]: I don't think your water heater would survive that [alec]: not sure i'd survive either, but what a way to go

[magnus]: they have industrial water heaters for the whole building. I've never run out of hot water

[alec]: hot damn I love you [alec]: I mean. I do. But I haven't managed a long hot shower (before last night) in at least a month. [alec]: so I think I also love your plumbing

[magnus]: you're welcome to start a torrid affair with my plumbing any time you'd like [magnus]: as long as I'm also invited [magnus]: because I love you too

[alec]: I could just... wait, my bathroom's free, so I better get in there while the getting's good

[magnus]: could just? You know you can ask me anything. When you get a chance, of course. (Hope the hedge doesn't give you too hard a time at your book signing.)

*** *** ***

[alec]: Did you know that your friend Dot works with a guy who was Clary's Mom's best friend before she died and apparently Uncle Elliot just asked Clary if she knew an Alec or Alexander?

[magnus]: no [magnus]: so much. I don't even know what else to say to anything in that sentence [magnus]: How. She's on the wrong COAST right now!

[alec]: Clary didn't tell him anything, which Elliot should have very well known she wouldn't. But we're going to have to think of some way to soothe the hedge this week, as they've all gone into "protect Clary" mode. [alec]: Except for Clary herself, she thinks it's hilarious and was laughing so much she had trouble telling Elliot off for being pushy. [alec]: You should probably give Dot my number so she can interrogate me directly without provoking my siblings again.

[magnus]: hell no, that was out of line, I'm going to yell at her [magnus]: but she will probably interrogate you next weekend regardless of anything I say

[alec]: can't really blame her

[magnus]: yes I can. She will get no mimosas for at least a month. Or dancing! No more dancing.

[alec]: oh so harsh. Whatever will she do with her fancy dancing shoes?

[magnus]: I can't believe you're joking about this, she's invading your privacy.

[alec]: She just wanted to know who swept you off your feet. No telling what she's heard from brunch

[magnus]: she was being unbearably nosy, probably trying to see if she can find you online or something

[alec]: She might, unfortunately. [alec]: but I don't know what's still likely to show up in the results

[magnus]: I don't think she'll be invited to brunch at all for awhile

[alec]: I don't think that's necessary. She just wants to be sure you're safe. [alec]: Besides, you met the hedge. Don't think I'd recognize this so-called privacy if I had it.

[magnus]: just because your siblings are a bit much doesn't make her behavior acceptable

[alec]: it's fine, I get where she's coming from. You're worth protecting. [alec]: Elliot didn't mean any harm, Clary's not upset, and the rest of them will recover. [alec]: Besides, my siblings and I are co-dependent dysfunctional fiends, it's ok, you can say that outloud. [alec]: type it outloud? That doesn't sound right. Look right?

[magnus]: you're not supposed to distract me from my righteous fury by being adorable

[alec]: why not? You're so beautiful you distract me from everything and anything else

[magnus]: stop making me blush and go back to work. That is why you had to leave me this morning, make it worth it

[alec]: nothing's worth leaving you

[magnus]: you're not stopping! [magnus]: I'm going to come over there and throw you over my shoulder and take you back to my bedroom and never let you go again

[alec]: that's more a reward than a threat [alec]: but all right I'll pretend to be responsible and do what I said I'd do. For now. I'll see you later

[magnus]: of course

*** *** ***

[magnus]: so apparently your step-father is also still in touch with Elliot and asked him about Dot and then me. I know this because Dot apologized before I even managed to yell at her since she hadn't meant to escalate quite that far [magnus]: your hedge is terrifying

[alec]: yours started it? [alec]: but yes, they are. I did warn you

[magnus]: I think I was more concerned about the excessive number of siblings than the parents. Silly of me, I guess

[alec]: No, that was where I was worried too. At least until we drag you to family dinner night. [alec]: and then I was still more worried about Mom. She tends to be a bit... intense. Luke's usually much more easy-going. Going sideways with his questions like that seems a bit extreme from him, but I suppose he wanted an opinion that wasn't one of my siblings' first impressions? Or possibly he was mad at Elliot for the digging, considering... [alec]: I suppose it's my turn to go asking my family what-the-fuck they think they're doing. Thanks for the tag?

[magnus]: You're welcome.

[alec]: I should probably not interrupt the poor author's reading, just in case [alec]: I'm not sure if waiting all the way 'til dinner (or so?) would be better or if I should catch him right after the store closes

[magnus]: I'm sure you'll figure it out. And I'm sure your author appreciates your consideration, though I hope it's not that bad

[alec]: probably won't be, but you can never quite be sure

[magnus]: Dot wasn't. She apparently just wasn't thinking beyond confirming you were part of the Garroway horde, maybe getting enough info to look you up in the student directory. [magnus]: I told her that thanks to her accidental drama she was going to have to wait until next week for any information or contact. She said that was fair.

[alec]: why does your hedge sound more reasonable than mine?

[magnus]: smaller? I've never been the responsible one?

[alec]: I don't believe that, you obviously take great care of them

[magnus]: thank you. They take care of me back. [magnus]: You've always been their big brother more than their friend, haven't you?

[alec]: I suppose

[magnus]: they weren't the ones who picked up the pieces for you when you were in the hospital, or afterwards

[alec]: of course not. Hadn't even met most of them, and Jace was in a new school for his senior year, and Izzy was only fifteen.

[magnus]: I'm not saying you should have let them, I agree, they were mostly all still children then. But that changes the dynamic, I think [magnus]: my hedge has cleaned me up more times than I'd like to admit

[alec]: I'm glad they were there for you

[magnus]: yours would be happy to help you if you needed them

[alec]: I know

[magnus]: good [magnus]: I should probably let you get going, sorry for interrupting

[alec]: oh, our event's started, they just needed me for setting up, and then cleaning up afterwards. And possibly to stand in the background and look scary if anyone gets too rude during the actual signing at the end. [alec]: I'm mostly free for the next hour or two during the reading and Q&A, I'd say.

[magnus]: how free is free? 😈

[alec]: that question makes me nervous

[magnus]: 😇

[alec]: that didn't help

[magnus] wasn't supposed to [magnus]: and you never answered me

[alec]: I'm in the break-room [alec]: so I can talk but if you're going to suggest something *interesting* may I remind you that my siblings or parents could decide to wander by at any moment

[magnus]: some day I am going to have to ask exactly what you meant by *interesting* [magnus]: but for now... Can I call? I'll share every embarrassing Dot story I can think of so you're prepared for next weekend [magnus]: and you can help me figure out what your hedge would like in the dramatic apology gift basket that Dot's going to be getting Clary.

[alec]: sounds perfect

*** *** ***

[alec]: so. Uh. Luke apologized for adding to the extra drama, he was just annoyed at Elliot for throwing his question at Clary, considering the whole *name changing running away from abusive father* thing could make intrusive family questions a very bad thing [alec]: also Mom has invited you to family dinner next week [alec]: I'd say I hope that's not too soon but if my instantaneous disaster-marriage-proposal didn't scare you off I'm mostly sure my Mom can't. I think

[magnus]: you say such nice things about your mother most of the time, but then you also sound kind of terrified

[alec]: she means well but doesn't always give the best first impression

[magnus]: I must admit that did not make me less nervous

[alec]: oh, if you want terrifying mothers, wait until Aline gets back. [alec]: Jia Penhallow is something else. Though she is how we ended up in Alicante when we left NYC, so she's not all bad. Just intimidating.

[magnus]: wait. That sounds familiar? Penhallow?

[alec]: she's Head Surgeon or something fancy like that at Alicante General. She and Mom have been friends since college. She'd apparently been talking about the upgrades to the psych admittance policies or something, which was why Mom thought to come here when she knew she wanted to get us away from Robert.

[magnus]: OH. DOCTOR Penhallow. Cat's mentioned her! Small world. [magnus]: Pretty sure Cat also called her terrifying, and Cat's hard to rattle. [magnus]: So maybe we'll avoid meeting your cousin Aline's mother for awhile yet

[alec]: sounds like a plan. [alec]: Aline's not going to be back 'til fall, she and Helen are doing a summer in Europe kind of thing when their semester's over, so I think we're safe for now

[magnus]: only for now?

[alec]: I've known Aline since shortly after she was born, they're gonna be at the wedding. You definitely want to meet Aunt Jia before that, she's got this /formal event face/ that could probably kill a man at 100yds if she wanted

[magnus]: so you're trying to make me less nervous about meeting your mother by outright terrifying me about meeting your aunt? [magnus]: I'm not sure that's the best long-term plan

[alec]: uh. Because it wasn't a plan at all. Sorry.

[magnus]: it's a good thing you're cute

[alec]: only cute? That feels like a downgrade somehow

[magnus]: you did just try and scare me AWAY from your family, which is a terrible trait in a fiance

[alec]: wouldn't it be worse NOT to warn you before you face the... everything? [alec]: besides, I can't have scared you too much if you're still willing to marry me

[magnus]: don't think anything could scare me that much

[alec]: goddamn you're amazing [alec]: ... [alec]: did you mean it about the daily showers?

[magnus]: I've meant everything I've said to you. 😘 [magnus]: So yes.

[alec]: does that mean you want me to move in? [alec]: because I am just self-aware enough to recognize that that's probably even crazier than the engagement and family dinner after a week, but not sensible enough not to want to [alec]: if you want me to [alec]: oh hell that looks even crazier in black and white than it did in my head [alec]: ... [alec]: Magnus?

[magnus]: Ragnor, believe it or not, owns an actual pick-up truck [magnus]: which I can borrow on... [magnus]: Wednesday [magnus]: We can pack you up tomorrow or Tues?

[alec]: did you just ask him about his truck before even telling me you didn't think I'd finally crossed the too-crazy line? Thanks for that.

[magnus]: oops?

[alec]: how much lecturing are we gonna get from him about it?

[magnus]: oh, all of the lecturing for forever

[alec]: good thing you're gorgeous [alec]: and that I know a bookstore that always has a stack of sturdy boxes ready to be put back together [alec]: Tues would be perfect

[magnus]: Tues will be perfect [magnus]: I'm sure of it

[alec]: I'm sure of us, too

*** *** ***

MONDAY

*** *** ***

[magnus]: your lovely sister said you 'generally' refuse to dance [magnus]: what does GENERALLY mean? [magnus]: do I have to get you drunk?

[alec]: I think the singular time my sister saw me dance was at Lydia's engagement party. Her— John dared me, and it was his night, so I felt I couldn't refuse. [alec]: And I was DD for the hedge so no, drunk is not required

[magnus]: well that's even more intriguing [magnus]: why don't you usually dance? [magnus]: considering how you move your hips I can't imagine you're terrible at it

[alec]: oh god I snorted out loud and got glared at by the people studying at the next table over, you're dangerous

[magnus]: I am, aren't I?

[alec]: and I dance, just not for the hedge [alec]: I'll dance with you whenever you'd like

[magnus]: I almost dropped my phone, you're more dangerous than I am [magnus]: is now good? Are you done? With... whatever?

[alec]: How about post-move-in celebration dancing?

[magnus]: Is right now good for moving? [magnus]: oh wait no. professoring. Damn.

[alec]: I do have a shift at the SC tonight, and tomorrow I've got to finish some readings as well as packing, so even IF we had a truck already, I think we'd still be stuck on Wed.

[magnus]: ah well. It was a nice thought for a moment there [magnus]: though. by dance do you mean DANCE or /dance/ [magnus]: do I need to get a pair of tear-away pants for my sex box?

[alec]: your wait what now? (no. maybe? If you want to?)

[magnus]: the box. Of stuff. Under the bed. Fun stuff! We should go through the box. [magnus]: after dancing, so we're both impatient for Wed surprises [magnus]: don't you have a sex box?

[alec]: running away from home. Roommates. Student housing. Eldest of so many siblings. I have a drawer next to the bed. It has condoms, lube, and a sleep mask and earplugs which have been used for afternoon naps when I'm too sleep-deprived to last another hour [alec]: not sex. [alec]: Though. That has promise doesn't it, not able to see or hear what's going to happen, having to wait until you feel it?

[magnus]: we maybe don't have to wait 'til Wed for that one

[alec]: wow I really don't want to go to work now. Damn it. [alec]: but yeah. My drawer is sad. I need you to save me. Show me your box.

[magnus]: our box now

*** *** ***

[maryse]: Hello, Magnus? This is Maryse, Alec's mother

[magnus]: hello, yes. Alec said you wanted to ask me something?

[maryse]: I wanted to make sure you knew family dinner is completely optional. No one wants to pressure you, or will think less of you if you don't want to just yet. I'm aware we're rather a lot, and I know you and Alec just met.

[magnus]: that's very thoughtful of you [magnus]: Now I know where Alec gets it. He said much the same thing before Simon's gig, and again for dinner. I can assure you that I am looking forward to meeting you and your husband. [magnus]: and am only a reasonable amount of nervous.

[maryse]: we're very much looking forward to meeting you, too [maryse]: and in the interests of keeping everything as comfortable as possible, do you have any requests for dinner? Any allergies? Preferences? Anything you definitely don't want?

[magnus]: no allergies, no. Thank you. And I've never met a home-cooked meal I wasn't delighted to receive, so feel free to make your own favorites

[maryse]: oh, don't ever say that to Izzy! She cannot cook to save her life, but she'd be honored to try, for someone Alec likes. (And then we'd have to get something delivered.) [maryse]: And make sure you check on Alec if he ever cooks for you. He has a lovely light touch for baking, and if he knows a dish he can always repeat it [maryse]: but he'll follow the worst recipe in the world without a second thought just because *they wrote it down that way for a reason*

[magnus]: oh no, I'm going to need to hear more about that [maryse]: it will be my pleasure. I believe I may even have some photographic evidence. I'll see what I can find for Sunday

[magnus]: why thank you.

[maryse]: no need to thank me, it will be my very great pleasure. I seldom get the chance to reminisce about Alec, he always slips in the background and lets his siblings take center stage.

[magnus]: I'm afraid I won't help that tendency, I am fond of and usually found in the spotlight, myself

[maryse]: and he wouldn't have it any other way, I'm sure. It's not a bad thing, just an observation. [maryse]: I do like the chance to shake things up a little though.

[magnus]: I can definitely help with that one

[maryse]: perfect. I can't wait.

[magnus]: me neither

*** *** ***

[magnus]: I'll have you know, your mother gives an excellent first impression

[alec]: well, that's good. She did call you then?

[magnus]: texted, actually.

[alec]: really? I don't think she's ever texted me in my life [alec]: I think she's trying to tone it down for you [alec]: maybe she felt bad about the Elliot/Luke/Dot/Clary thing

[magnus]: well that's unnecessary, she didn't have a hand in any of that

[alec]: where do you think I got my over-developed sense of personal responsibility?

[magnus]: is she where you got the height and eyes too?

[alec]: No, those are from her Dad. Skipped a generation. She can be blamed for the dark hair and cheekbones though. [alec]: She and Izzy look a lot alike actually. Though maybe don't mention that to either of them? They... don't always like to admit how similar they are.

[magnus]: Can your mother at least cook better than Isabelle? Because I did get a warning about your sister's food

[alec]: oh hell, yeah. Mom's a great cook, so's Robert actually. But Izzy's liable to give you food poisoning. Or make you wish she had, so you could puke it all up and pretend it never happened.

[magnus]: that's... extreme

[alec]: well. Brotherly exaggeration? It is usually edible but it's never *good*. I don't know why, she's brilliant, got into med school and aced all her chem classes and that's all much harder than following a recipe so there shouldn't be such a difference in results, but somehow there is.

[magnus]: I've always felt cooking was as much art as science

[alec]: she's good at that too though? She got into cosplay when she got out of rehab, something to distract her hands and thoughts I think, and now she designs and makes prop weapons for people as a hobby. Sometimes costume jewelry too. She and Clary have even got an etsy shop, and some textile one too that I can't remember the name of... spoon something? Flowers? I'll have to check. Clary does the fabric designs. [alec]: Oh, you should ask to see their workshop, they took over Luke's garage completely, don't think he's ever getting it back.

[magnus]: oh [magnus]: OH. DO YOU THINK I COULD GET THEM TO COME TALK TO THE THEATRE STUDENTS? Props and costumes and set designs... it'd be amazing

[alec]: they neither of them have a lot of time during the school year, but they'd probably love to help out with the summer camps you guys do

[magnus]: you know about the summer camps?

[alec]: I know lots of things [alec]: also Jace helps out with the music camp [alec]: his Dad taught him piano, and he kept it up after he came to live with us. Reclaimed it, really, his Dad was the worst. [alec]: I think Jace missed Robert's grand piano almost as much as he missed Max, right after we moved and everything was a mess

[magnus]: we work with the music dept ALL THE TIME. Including a one act musical every summer [magnus]: how have we not met before this? [magnus]: Ragnor and Jace and Dot and Elliot, and even Cat at the hospital, we've been just a step or two apart for years now

[alec]: maybe we weren't ready [alec]: it took me a long time to stop wondering if maybe Robert was a little bit right about me [alec]: and you've never had it easy

[magnus]: are you saying you believe in destiny?

[alec]: kind of hard not to, considering how I felt when I got your first email, and my first sight of you bore a more than passing resemblance to getting hit upside the head with a 2x4. But in a good way. [alec]: that maybe didn't come out right

[magnus]: maybe, but I know what you meant [magnus]: it felt the same for me, both times

[alec]: see? Fate

[magnus]: you make a compelling argument [magnus]: I think I must agree

[alec]: that bodes well for my future career, I think 😉

[magnus]: it does, doesn't it? 😘

*** *** ***

TUESDAY

*** *** ***

[ragnor]: you never struck me as the impetuous sort, Mr. Lightwood

[alec]: I think if you're going to be questioning me about Magnus, which is where I'm assuming this is going, you might as well call me Alec

[ragnor]: are you going to be able to call me Ragnor?

[alec]: not quite yet? Hopefully tomorrow. Or next week

[ragnor]: you can attempt it when I come pick up my truck Thur morning from *yours and Magnus'* apartment, yes?

[alec]: you seem much less concerned than I expected

[ragnor]: it is quite inexplicable, isn't it? I should be quite horrified [ragnor]: and yet

[alec]: I'll take that as a compliment

[ragnor]: that's probably what it is [ragnor]: either that or I'm going senile

[alec]: you're one of the sharpest men I've ever met

[ragnor]: you almost put a sir at the end of that sentence didn't you

[alec]: I didn't hit send before I took it out, it doesn't count

[ragnor]: I do like you [ragnor]: but this is really all very sudden, and Catarina does know how to kill a man so it looks like natural causes, and you know I have a vehicle big enough to haul a body [ragnor]: Magnus has been known to have poor taste in romantic partners, and we have refrained from murder before [ragnor]: I don't think we'll be making that mistake again

[alec]: good to know

[ragnor]: I believe you mean that

[alec]: I try to only say what I mean

[ragnor]: I've noticed that [ragnor]: It's very promising [ragnor]: if slightly unusual coming from a law student

[alec]: thank you?

[ragnor]: red-eye?

[alec]: I, what?

[ragnor]: Coffee. Thursday morning. That is your drink, yes?

[alec]: several times a day, honestly. [alec]: thank you

[ragnor]: you're welcome [ragnor]: oh, and Dot is apparently in trouble, and not allowed your phone number yet, but she did want me to pass along her apologies, for. Whatever it was. [ragnor]: don't tell me [ragnor]: I expect I'm too old for that story

[alec]: mostly just miscommunication, but tell her not to worry about it, I'm not the one who needs an apology, and

[ragnor]: I asked you not to tell me

[alec]: right. Sorry. I'll stop.

[ragnor]: you and Raphael are the only people that has ever worked on [ragnor]: thank all the gods, someone who can keep their mouth shut [ragnor]: Do try not to dent my truck

[alec]: I'll do my best

[ragnor]: I expect nothing less

*** *** ***

[alec]: Ragnor's almost scarier as your friend than he was as my professor or boss

[magnus]: You shouldn't worry. He's secretly a big softie. All bark, no bite.

[alec]: I'm not sure. He's very sharp-tongued, and then he's very kind once you get past the exasperation and sarcasm, but under that I think maybe he's scary again.

[magnus]: not many people notice that [magnus]: I knew you were remarkable [magnus]: wait, why are you coming to this conclusion now? Was he giving you a hard time about moving in?

[alec]: actually no, he just pointed out that he *could* if he needed to later [alec]: and then told me he'd bring coffee Thur morning when he comes to get his truck

[magnus]: See! Big softie. [magnus]: Speaking of! However does he remember your Lydia? It's unusual he knows the names of the students who aren't majoring in Classics or History.

[alec]: oh [alec]: so uh. The short story is just... [alec]: Lydia and I took Prof Fell's etymology courses together. We're apparently memorable when we're in the same class as we tend to uh. Over-do it a little. Maybe. It was supposed to be sort of a break from the pre-law stress. But not really, since latin is still a thing in legal codes and we both liked the idea of learning how to figure it out rather than just memorizing the legal phrases as they showed up. [alec]: we're both of us bad at doing things that aren't, you know, part of The Plan™

[magnus]: I don't think I was part of your Plan™ and you're very good at doing me

[alec]: holyshitmagnus

[alec]: I almost killed my phone, I should no better than to drink while you're typing [alec]: *know [alec]: and thank you, you're amazing [alec]: in bed and out of it

[magnus]: In the shower, against the wall... [magnus]: we still haven't christened the kitchen though

[alec]: don't suppose you have a long lunch break today? Because I do.

[magnus]: I do actually. Would you care to be my lunch, Alexander?

[alec]: Any chance I get

[magnus]: 12:30 good?

[alec]: perfect

*** *** ***

[magnus]: you know. I interrupted your Lydia story earlier

[alec]: I hope you're not apologizing, considering how you interrupted my Lydia story

[magnus]: Of course not! [magnus]: but considering all the overlap that is likely to happen with our assorted hedges as time goes by [magnus]: I feel I perhaps ought to ask [magnus]: about Lydia and her—about what Ragnor helped you both with? [magnus]: if you're comfortable

[alec]: John Monteverde was the first person I met here (he was working at the registrars the summer before I started) and we hit it off [alec]: he could tell I was worried about housing... freshman are required to room in the dorms, and here I was a year older than most with reasons to be nervous about how I'd handle a stranger as a roommate and while I might have managed an exception I would have had to talk to the Dean about my mental health and my year off and that sounded terrifying

[magnus]: the Deans are sort of a mixed bag, I don't blame you

[alec]: He saved me from the freshman dorms by requesting me as his roommate [alec]: and then there was this brilliant bull-headed blonde in most of my classes, so we studied together, a lot, and I introduced my study-partner to my roommate, and they just... [alec]: the three of us got a cheap two bedroom off campus the next year

[magnus]: he sounds lovely

[alec]: he's the one who talked me out of trying to graduate in three years [alec]: everyone was saying that I should take care of myself, that there was no reason I had to rush it, that I didn't have to "catch up" or anything [alec]: but I still felt like I needed to make up for that year, somehow

[magnus]: oh, Alexander

[alec]: even while I was trying to plan it I knew it was wrong but I couldn't seem to *stop* [alec]: until he told me to knock it off because Lydia and I were both pre-law, both pushing for Dean's list, both competing for... everything, really, mostly the same classes, same extracurriculars, and if I only did three years she'd probably end up only doing three years and be studying so much he'd never get to kiss his own girlfriend and *only I could save him from that tragedy*

[magnus]: that's delightful.

[alec]: just ridiculous enough it worked. I knew she could make her own mind up whether she wanted to accelerate her program or not, but realizing I didn't want her to feel she *had* to make that choice to keep up with me and John made it... somehow easier?

[magnus]: you'll always be better at taking care of other people rather than yourself

[alec]: pot, kettle?

[magnus]: probably why I recognize it so well

[alec]: they officially got engaged half-way through his senior year, mine and Lydia's junior year [alec]: they'd decided not to get married until after she'd made it through law school and they'd figured out where they were going next, but he wanted... [alec]: she wanted him forever, and he wanted the world to know it [alec]: and a few weeks later he was hit by a car

[magnus]: no. oh no.

[alec]: he lingered for awhile, but he never woke up, she never got to say good-bye properly

[magnus]: poor Lydia

[alec]: Yeah. [alec]: And then we found out that the bereavement policy for the school is only for immediate family. Parent, siblings, spouses. Not fiances. She couldn't withdraw without getting a slew of incompletes and failing grades on her transcripts. She had to get permission in writing from every class, was going to have to tell all those people, over and over, that she was heart-broken.

[alec]: and they were all going to say yes, she had good instructors, but still. It hurt her, reliving that just to *beg for mercy*, I think she called it. She managed one, and it almost broke her.

[magnus]: so you did the rest of them for her

[alec]: Pr—Ragnor helped, got me in touch with the one I didn't know personally. [alec]: Lydia went and stayed with John's parents for the next few months, but she was back next fall. [alec]: did an independent study and an online class or two over the summer, took a heavy load her senior year. Buried herself in work, half to get what she needed done, half as her way of dealing, being too busy to think, but she pulled it off. Graduated with me, right on time. Got into the Law Program with me too. [alec]: I don't actually remember the weekend after we graduated, there was a lot of alcohol involved even for normal college students, never mind the two of us, who almost never drink

[magnus]: but you both made it

[alec]: we did [alec]: five weeks and we'll have made it again [alec]: it's kind of unbelievable

[magnus]: I find it easy to believe in the both of you

[alec]: thank you

[magnus]: always

[alec]: love you

[magnus]: love you too. [magnus]: that also gets an always, just so you know

[alec]: I do know that

[magnus]: good

[alec]: you know [alec]: John's been gone for longer than either of us knew him when he was alive, but there's still... I still. [alec]: I don't think either of us would have made it without him, I don't think we'll either of us stop missing him, though for different reasons, obviously, there's just. There's a gap, and the rest of the world shifts around it until it's not such a deep aching chasm, but it's never really gone, never going to be refilled

[magnus] no, it never does. You never stop loving someone just because they died

[alec]: Lydia's never dated again. And I never asked, never pushed, but sometimes I wondered, if maybe she should? How else do you deal with meeting the love of your life at 18 and losing him at 21?

[magnus]: I don't know. Maybe you never do. Maybe you build a different life than the one you would have had, and fill that one up with different sorts of love instead

[alec]: I haven't even known you a month, and half of that time I'd never even seen you, but if ever... [alec]: there's no going back to who I was before I met you

[magnus]: I wouldn't want to go back to who I was before I met you [magnus]: even if ever...

[alec]: I'm sorry

[magnus]: for what?

[alec]: bringing the mood down?

[magnus]: I asked. And I'd rather you tell me anything, everything, rather than think that you shouldn't because it might be hard, or sad

[alec]: I don't always remember to say things, or know how to start even if I want to. I'm glad you asked

[magnus]: then I am too

#shadowhunters #malec #alec lightwood #magnus bane #jilly writes #my sh fic #i am for you #epistolary!fluff fic

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sparkbirdmusic · 2 days ago

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the magnus archives drag brunch when

#make it happen #tma #the magnus drag brunch #the magnus archives

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waitineedaname · 7 years ago

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Brunch Dates and Basketball

Here’s my secret santa gift for @toneelspeler!!! I hope you like it and have a good holiday season <3

Also on AO3

---

“If I read the phrase ‘hypotonic solution’ again, I’m going to throw my book out of the window.”

“You know, if you’d actually listened to the lecture instead of texting your boyfriend - who you’d seen just an hour earlier, I’ll remind you - you might not have to review it so much.”

Isak sent Sana a sour look from across the table and finished scribbling down a sentence from his textbook. “You’re so mean. Aren’t study partners supposed to help you?”

“I am helping you.” She said with a slight smirk as she tapped on her laptop. “I’m emailing you a webpage on hypotonic solutions right now. It should explain it for you. Happy?”

Isak grumbled just for the sake of grumbling and clicked to his email. He opened up the link and let out a huge sigh. “You’re a lifesaver, Sanasol.”

“I know.” She shut her book and stood up. “Tea break?”

All too eager to have an excuse to stop glaring at his biology textbook, Isak followed at her heels to his tiny kitchen. Ever since she’d found out he was utterly useless when it came to making tea, she’d taken it upon herself to teach him - even going so far as to buying him a kettle for his birthday and convincing him to use it every time they got together to study.

(Honestly, Isak didn’t really mind. He’d come to realize tea wasn’t that bad when brewed properly, and his and Even’s collection of tea bags had quadrupled since Sana’s efforts started.)

Sana watched him dip his tea bag in and out of his mug until she was satisfied he knew what he was doing and took a sip of her own tea. They were both quiet for a moment, enjoying their tea and each other’s company, before she spoke up.

“So,” She said, somehow managing to look down her nose at Isak despite being a foot shorter him, “What do you think of double dates?”

Isak frowned, not following her drift. “I think… they exist?”

“No, I mean-” She huffed. “What do you think of going on one? You and Even, and me and Yousef.”

Isak stared at her in dumb silence and a grin slowly formed on his face. “Sana! What happened to you?”

“What do you mean?” She shifted on her feet, clearly embarrassed.

“You’ve gotten all soft! I knew there was a romantic somewhere under that hard shell. Seems like Yousef’s had a good effect on you.” He teased with a wink.

She sputtered for a moment, gesturing as she tried to come up with an excuse before settling on a huff. “Whatever. You’re the sappy one, living the domestic life with your boyfriend.”

“Yeah,” He grinned dopily, completely unfazed by her attempt at teasing him, “I’ve got it pretty good, huh.”

“Ugh.” She put her mug down in a dramatic display of annoyance. “I take back my invitation, you are not going on a double date with us.”

“No, Sana, wait!” Isak whined, stopping her before she could pretend to stomp out of the room. “I’d love to. Okay? I’ll have Even text Yousef, he loves planning this kind of thing.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, as if deliberating whether or not to allow it. “...Fine. Your invitation is given back.” She rolled her eyes at his excited fist pump. “Come on, you need to get back to studying solutions.”

“Do I really?” He complained, dreading the sight of his notes again.

“Yes, you do really.” She grabbed his arm and dragged him down the hall, a smile tugging at her lips. “I’m not having you say I didn’t help when you still only get a five.”

---

The date took a little while to organize. Between school for Sana and Isak, and Yousef and Even’s work schedules, it took some effort to find a perfect time they could all agree on. Or, at least, they all agreed on it until the day actually came and Isak realized it required him to get up earlier than noon on a Saturday.

“Baby,” Isak whined, clutching Even’s waist as he attempted to get out of bed, “Just five more minutes.”

“You said that twenty minutes ago.” Even’s laugh was far too bright for it being so early in the morning. (Yes, okay, it was 10 in the morning and wasn’t really that early, but Isak had gotten used to his routine of clinging to his boyfriend like a koala until 2pm every Saturday. It should be illegal to make plans for a meal earlier than lunch on the weekends.) “We really need to get up if we want to get there on time.”

“We’ll just cancel it.” Isak tugged Even, trying to drag him back under the covers, but he held fast. For someone so skinny, he really could be solid sometimes.

“You know Sana would never let you live that down.” Even grabbed his arms and pulled him, complaining all the way, into a sitting position. He kissed Isak’s nose and tried - and failed - to hide his delight at how much his boyfriend looked like an angry kitten when he was this groggy. “Come on. If you get up now, I promise to make you that homemade tomato soup tonight.”

“...Promise?”

“I promise.” Even kissed him lightly and Isak could feel his resolve slipping. Really, who could say no to good food and a kiss from a boyfriend like his?

Despite finally agreeing to get up, Isak was still tired and a bit grumpy as he and Even walked into the cafe - enough so that Sana had to stifle a snort in her coffee at the sight of him. Yousef, the saint he was, ignored the fact that Isak looked like he was ready to file a personal complaint against whoever invented mornings and greeted the two of them with a broad smile.

“Sorry we’re late,” Even gave them an apologetic smile, sitting opposite Sana after ordering for himself and Isak at the counter. “It was a little bit difficult to get out of bed this morning.” Isak dropped himself heavily into the chair next to him, muttering bitterly about how they should’ve organized something the evening when he would actually be conscious. Sana’s soft laughter was getting more difficult to hide and he shot her a sharp look, to which she only smiled innocently.

Yousef, clearly using every ounce of his resolve to hold back a laugh of his own, nodded at his friend. “We only just got here too, don’t worry. We’ve only ordered drinks so far - oh! And we ordered for you guys, if that’s okay.” He added as an afterthought, gesturing to bring their attention the two extra mugs of coffee in front of them.

“Thank fuck.” Isak immediately grabbed his and a fistful of sugar packets, emptying them all into the drink at record speed. He started to take a sip, then paused when he found everyone’s eyes on him, expressions in various degrees of amusement. “...What? Keep talking, I just need to wake up.”

That seemed to be a good enough excuse for the three of them and Even quickly launched into an animated conversation with Yousef. Isak ignored all of them, instead opting to blow gently on his cup of coffee and lean on his boyfriend’s shoulder until he’d drunk enough to become a functioning member of the conversation. As chance would have it, his brain finally decided to turn on and tune into what was being said just as his name came out of Sana’s mouth.

“-and since apparently Isak has never heard of a brain to mouth filter in his life, he looked the teacher dead in the eyes and, instead of answering her question-” She looked at Isak and smirked, noticing his newfound attentiveness. Isak could only groan, knowing what came next. “-he looked her in the eyes and asked why she never wears a bra.”

“In my defense!” Isak yelled, shoving Even slightly when he burst into hysterical laughter. “In my defense, I was running on maybe an hour of sleep and I’d just had to deal with Magnus talk about Vilde’s boobs for like forty-five minutes, so I was a little pissy.”

“When aren’t you pissy, Isak?” Sana threw back at him, and, well, Isak didn’t really have a response for that.

“I’m pretty sure we’ve all done something like that.�� Yousef made eye contact with Even and grinned. “Do you remember that time in physics?”

“Which time? I embarrassed myself a lot in that class.”

“So, this was during the American election, right?” Yousef started, ignoring Even’s interruption of “oh, that time”. “And we were all talking about Donald Trump - me, Even, and this other girl in our class. We’re all getting really pissed because, you know, it’s Trump, and the girl brought up something new he’d said, and Even just said at the top of his lungs- what was it?”

“Donald Trump can eat my dick.” Even said it with the confidence of a man who had seen hell and couldn’t give a shit anymore. Beside him, Isak just barely stopped himself from spitting out his drink. “And the worst part was the teacher was standing right behind me and had heard every word. He just stared at him in stunned silence for a solid minute and half, and I don’t think he ever looked at me the same way again.”

“You failed that class, didn’t you?”

“Oh, big time. I think I made a pretty consistent two in any class that required math. Plus, you were in that class, and I’m pretty sure we both dragged each other down.”

“Not a math fan, Yousef?” Sana half turned towards him, her eyes twinkling. Yousef laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck.

“No, not really.”

“He once sat there for three minutes, trying to remember what six times three was.” Even laughed, and Sana joined him. Yousef looked embarrassed for half a moment, but Sana’s hand slipped into his and gently squeezed, and suddenly he seemed incapable of looking anything but ridiculously happy. Yousef squeezed back and turned his grin to Even.

“It’s a good thing us math failures are fortunate enough to be with the two smartest people in Nissen, huh?”

“Well, you’re fortunate enough.” Sana teased. “I don’t know if I’d call Even lucky to have Isak.”

“I’m right here!” Isak squawked, but Sana just smirked back at him. Yousef not-so-subtly leaned across the table and stage-whispered to Isak.

“Don’t worry, she’s told me all about you. She says you’re one of the smartest people she knows, but you didn’t hear that from me.” He put a finger to his lips to imply secrecy, despite having whispered loud enough for the rest of the table to hear him.

“Aw, Sanasol,” Isak preened under the compliment and his smug expression only increased when he saw how Sana was fidgeting, “Did you really say that?”

“I-” She seemed to search for an excuse and, upon finding none, she sighed and gave him a smile. “You’re useful.”

The grin that put on Isak’s face lasted all the way through their brunch date, and he was still feeling smug when they left the restaurant and made their way down the sidewalk towards the park.

It was a crisp day in Oslo, and dead leaves crunched under their feet. Isak had one of his hands shoved deep in his pocket and the other one was kept warm by Even’s hand. A few paces ahead of them, Sana and Yousef both had their hands in their pockets, jackets hefted up high and shoulders brushing affectionately. As they meandered their way into the park, they spotted a long abandoned soccer ball and shared a look that Isak didn’t understand but was sure was some inside joke of theirs.

Yousef broke away from Sana’s side, dribbling the ball between his feet and then kicking it upwards towards her. She laughed brightly and caught it, turning towards Isak and Even with a mischievous look in her eyes.

“Two on two?” She said, gesturing to the two of them, then towards herself and Yousef.

“Are you challenging me, the master of football?” Isak grinned.

“No. We’re playing basketball.” She challenged, bouncing the ball at her feet a couple times.

“Basketball? That’s not even a basketball!”

“It bounces well enough! You’re just worried I’ll beat you.”

“No I’m not! I think you’re just too scared to leave your comfort zone. You gotta branch out with your sports, Sana!” That made her roll her eyes, and she gave up on him in favor of turning to their boyfriends.

“What about you two?”

“I’m actually with Sana.” Even admitted, laughing embarrassedly at the outraged noise that drew out of Isak. “Baby, you’ve seen me play football. You know I’m terrible.”

“So that’s three against four!” Sana declared, looking smug.

“Sorry Sana, but I think I’m with Isak here.” She whirled around and stared at Yousef, stunned. “It is a soccer ball, you know.”

It took a couple minutes of back and forth before they finally decided on a compromise: they’d play basketball, and every time Isak or Yousef scored, they’d switch to football until Sana or Even could score. They found themselves running around the park, laughing and jeering. Isak really was terrible at basketball, despite the several inches of height he had over Sana, but Yousef was good enough to make it so that they’d cycle through the sports pretty quickly. The same went for Sana and Even’s team; Even hadn’t been lying when he said he was terrible at football, but Sana was deceptively quick on her feet and kicked Isak and Yousef’s asses with ease.

They lasted like that for a while, following the rules of their respective games and the ones they’d made up, but as time went on, they dissolved further and further into just kicking and throwing the ball, caring more for having fun than following their rules. By the time Sana’s phone was announcing Zuhr, they were all flushed with exertion and the chilly air.

The fact that it was time for a prayer effectively ended their game, and after a few tight hugs and the assurance that they’d do this again soon, both couples headed off in opposite directions.

Isak could feel Even’s eyes on him as they walked home, clasped hands swinging between them. He did his best to ignore it, but after a few moments, he couldn’t help himself.

“What?” He asked, turning his face to meet Even’s adoring gaze.

“Nothing.” Even squeezed his hand, his eyes crinkling happily. “Just thinking about how lucky I am.” He didn’t say it, but Isak knew there was more to it than that. How lucky I am to be here. How lucky I am to be back in contact with Yousef. How lucky I am to be with you.

Isak smiled and squeezed back. He couldn’t verbalize it either, but when he thought about how good his life was now, how happy he was with Even, and how grateful he was for Sana’s friendship, he was couldn’t help but think about how out of all the parallel universes out there, he was glad to be in this one.

“Yeah,” He answered simply, “I’m pretty lucky too.”

#skam secret santa #skam #isak valtersen #even bech næsheim #sana bakkoush #yousef acar #evak #yousana #my writing #okay to reblog

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klynnwordsadhoc · 7 years ago

Text

It Started with a Wedding Part 3: A United Front

“We can start a club,” Simon says brightly. “We’ll call it the ‘People Who Aren’t Good Enough for Maryse Lightwood’s Children’ Club. Magnus can be President.”

A Lightwood family dinner. It’s going to be interesting.

Read on AO3

Read the other parts: Part 1 | Part 2

“Hey,” Alec leans out of the bathroom, patting a towel over his newly shaven face. “Are you busy next Sunday?”

Magnus looks up from the two shirts he has laid out before him. “Is this a trick question?”

Alec comes out of the bathroom fully, one brow arched. “No,” he says slowly. “Did it sound like one?”

“Usually you know my schedule better than I do,” Magnus replies with gentle teasing.

Alec scoffs an amused sound and drags a t shirt over his head. The red one, since it's his favorite. “You didn’t mention anything and I would know if you used that calendar I shared with you.”

Magnus laughs, “Ever my regimented soldier. If I used that calendar, it would fly in the face of my free spirited artist ways. But it’s a valiant effort, darling.”

Magnus puts up with a lot from him, Alec knows that, so he lets the calendar thing go for the moment. He just thinks it would be convenient, for planning purposes. It’s a source of endless amusement for Magnus.

“So? Plans for Sunday.”

Magnus taps his fingers against his lip, half his attention still on the shirts. One is lavender edging on gray and the other is black with silver detailing. Alec pauses to lean on his shoulder, squeezing his waist.

“I like the black one,” Alec says.

Magnus shoots him an amused look, “You always like the black one.”

Alec chuckles, “True. But it’ll go better if you’re wearing the gray jacket.”

Magnus regards him with surprise and grins. “So it does. You are learning, Alexander.”

Alec smirks, “It’s kinda hard not to with you around.” He watches him shrug on the black and silver shirt. “Sunday?” he prompts.

“I don’t think I’m doing anything. Why?”

“My mother wants to do a family dinner,” Alec replies, already wincing as he says it, because he can see the look on Magnus’ face.

“I just remembered, I have to gargle battery acid, so I simply won’t be able to make it,” Magnus says brightly. He grabs his jacket and heads out of the bedroom.

Alec sighs, waiting a second before he goes after him. He wishes things could be easier, but he just can’t get his mother to accept his choices. This isn’t new, but now it’s affecting Magnus and that bothers him. He goes after him.

“Babe,” Alec tries. “Come on. You have to come.”

“Tell them I died,” Magnus’ voice is tight. He’s trying for humor, maybe, but he’s obviously not happy.

Alec takes his arm. Magnus turns to look at him, but his expression is shuttered. “Magnus. It’s a family dinner.”

“I wasn’t aware I was family.”

Alec draws back like Magnus slapped him, and honestly he may as well have. It would have stung less. Family is the most important thing in the world to Alec, and Magnus is included in that. Magnus is everything to him, and if he doesn’t know that… Alec looks up when he feels Magnus cup his face.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” Magnus says. “That was harsh. I didn’t mean it like that.”

Alec takes his hand. “Have I ever made you feel like that? Or Izzy? Or Jace? Magnus, Izzy adores you, and Jace… Jace has gotten used to you.”

“You and your siblings are not the problem, Alexander,” Magnus says tiredly.

“Then what is-” Alec starts and then he feels like an idiot for asking when he knows the answer. He always did. “My mother.”

Magnus nods, waving a hand at the obviousness of that answer. “That woman hates me. No, she doesn’t just hate me. She despises me.”

Alec sighs, “She doesn’t hate you,” he argues, even though Magnus gives him the most incredulous look he can muster. “It just takes her some time to get used to things.”

“Alexander,” Magnus says, exasperated, “It’s been seven months.”

“Okay, a long time to get used to things,” Alec sighs. He lifts his hands when Magnus takes an angry breath, “I’m not defending her. Magnus, don’t you see? That’s why it’s so important that you come.”

Magnus gives him a long look and Alec tentatively steps into his space, taking his hands. Magnus looks down at their linked hands. “Why is that?”

“Because she needs to see that this,” Alec lifts Magnus’ hand and holds it against his chest, “Us, isn’t going anywhere. You’re not going anywhere.” He quirks a little grin at him, “At least I hope not.”

Magnus shifts his jaw like he still wants to be irritated, but his body relaxes when Alec pulls him closer. “No, I’m not going anywhere.” He playfully pushes Alec a step back, “You’re lucky you’re so pretty.”

Alec chuckles, dipping down a little to press a kiss to Magnus’ mouth. “So you’ll come?”

“Yes I will come,” Magnus leans against him, shaking his head. “I know I’m going to regret it, but I will come.”

“Well, we’re going to that restaurant she likes,” Alec offers, hopeful that will make it a little better. “So, it’ll be in a public place. And you know how much my mother hates making a scene. Also, there’s a bar.”

Magnus laughs, “Oh, you know just what to say.”

Alec gives him a little half smile. Hearing him laugh makes him relax a little, though Alec isn’t so sure it’s going to stay that way. This thing with his mother isn’t going to go away, and Alec is honestly at a loss how to make her understand. It’s frustrating. He knows it hasn’t been that long since he finally told her he was gay, but at this point in his life, he’s tired of waiting for her to respect his decisions. A change it may be, but he’s a little less inclined to have patience. He’s happy. He wishes that were enough for her.

Magnus cups his jaw and presses a kiss to his mouth. Alec falls into it, because kissing Magnus is still one of his favorite ways to spend his time. They’ve come a long way from when Alec lost his mind for a second and kissed him when he’d known him for a couple hours, when they hadn’t even gone on a date yet, but Alec doesn’t regret it. Not when he gets to have this. Not when he gets to have this beautiful, kind, wonderful man as the love of his life. He wants to spend the rest of his life with Magnus.

Family might be important to Alec, but he knows he’d always choose Magnus. His mother is just going to have to accept that.

Alec breaks off their kiss after a little too long, forcing himself to step back before he convinces Magnus that Isabelle will forgive them for cancelling on their brunch plans last minute, and dragging him back into the bedroom.

He clears his throat, “We’re going to be late,” he says instead.

“God save me from making Alec Lightwood late for something,” Magnus teases, turning away to grab his coat and keys.

Alec scowls at him, though there is no heat behind it, “You know ‘fashionably late’ isn’t actually a thing, right? It’s called being disrespectful.” He shrugs on his coat, checking for keys and wallet.

“Darling, everything I do is fashionable,” Magnus replies easily, completely unrepentant, even as Alec shakes his head at him and sighs in a put upon way.

“What was it you just said to me?” Alec asks, keeping up the offended tone, though he isn’t even a little upset, “’You’re lucky you’re so pretty’?”

Magnus loops his arm with Alec’s and leads him to the door, smirking, “Yes, yes. I know about fifty percent of the reason you’re with me is my looks.”

“Twenty percent, most of the time,” Alec retorts, “Eighty percent right now.”

“Only twenty?” Magnus places a dramatic hand on his chest, and Alec rolls his eyes, “You wound me.”

“Come on,” Alec loses his battle with his amusement and laughs. “Or we really will be late and they’ll start speculating on why we were late. I’d like to avoid that.”

“You know they only do that because it flusters you so much.”

The smile on Magnus’ face is almost enough for Alec to forgive him for his amusement at his expense, but he does not find it as funny as Magnus and his siblings seem to think it is. He’d have thought the novelty of ‘Alec finally has a boyfriend’ would have worn off by now. He’s clearly wrong.

They’re the last ones at the restaurant, but they are not late, thank you very much. Alec is surprised to see Clary managed to drag Jace, since Jace isn’t really a brunch kind of guy and usually he uses Sunday as his day to not get out of bed until noon. It’s not even ten am yet. Jace is slouched in a chair next to Clary, looking half asleep still, arms folded into a gray hoodie. Alec takes the seat next to him.

“I don’t know how you manage to look so put together this early,” he grouses at Alec.

“I’ve been up since six,” Alec replies, shaking his head a little.

“I know for a fact Magnus hasn’t,” Jace replies.

“It’s magic, my dear,” Magnus says smoothly, smirking, “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”

Isabelle doesn’t even have the decency to let Alec get in a sip of his overpriced – but strong – Blood Mary before she starts.

“Did you ask about Sunday?”

This is what Alec gets for talking to his sister about things. He blames all the years he spent not seeing her for more than a couple weeks at a time.

“Yes,” he says, his voice tightening a bit. He drapes his arm over the back of Magnus’ chair and rubs his arm, though he isn’t sure he needs the reassurance, since he looks almost amused. “Can we not talk about it?”

Isabelle and Simon share one of those knowing, silent, married couple looks that Alec is really getting tired of and she leans forward, “What’s the problem?”

Alec opens his mouth to tell her to drop it, when Magnus waves a hand in a ‘go ahead’ gesture, and Alec knows he’s not going to get out of this conversation. No one listens to him anyway.

“Magnus thinks Mom hates him,” Alec says, defeated.

“Magnus doesn’t ‘think’,” Magnus adds, his voice deceptively light, “Magnus knows.”

Isabelle nods, reaching across the table to pat Magnus on the arm. “She’ll get over it,” she assures like it’s going to help.

“Yeah, Magnus,” Simon adds. “She doesn’t like me much either.”

“Or me,” Clary pipes up, shutting down Jace’s attempt at denial with a look. “She still calls me ‘that Fray girl’ sometimes.”

“She calls me ‘the musician’,” Simon doesn’t look the least bit bothered, “Which, you know, would be flattering, because hey, at least she knows what I do. It’s less flattering that she looks like she ate something sour when she says it.”

“Neither of you are helping,” Alec says, annoyed. And maybe he’s a little sensitive because it took him and Magnus moving in together before his mother stopped calling Magnus his ‘friend’.

“On the contrary,” Magnus puts his hand on Alec’s knee and squeezes it, so that’s at least mildly reassuring and Alec relaxes his shoulders. “I find this extremely helpful.”

“We can start a club,” Simon says brightly. “We’ll call it the ‘People Who Aren’t Good Enough for Maryse Lightwood’s Children’ Club. Magnus can be President.” He raises his glass, “What do you think?”

“It’s a little long,” Alec says, tightly.

“Oh, come on, Alec,” Jace says, choosing this moment to be awake enough to add his two cents in, because he’s apparently decided to betray him too, “She’s always like this and you know it.”

Isabelle nods, “When you joined the Marines instead of going into the Army like her and Dad, I thought she was going to have a stroke.”

Isabelle looks far too pleased with herself for that example, and Alec narrows his eyes, “Oh and you dropping out of Brown with two years left to go to art school and study fashion design went over so well.”

“You’re gay,” Isabelle retorts, perhaps a little too loudly, and there’s a beat where they stare at each other and the people the next table over shoot them an uncomfortable look.

Isabelle breaks first, muffling her laughter into her hand, and Alec joins her a second later, and then their whole table has dissolved into laughter that is definitely too loud and now the people the next table over are looking at them like they’ve lost their minds.

“So there’s not really much I could do at this point that would shock her,” Isabelle says once she calms.

“Except,” Simon says, sliding an arm around Isabelle’s shoulders, an exaggerated cock-sure grin on his face, “marry me.”

“My point,” Isabelle says, shaking her head with a fond little twist of a smile, “Is that you and Magnus could be throwing kinky sex parties on the weekend—”

“Who says we’re not?” Magnus jokes.

“Ew,” Jace groans.

Isabelle chuckles, sending Magnus a wink. “You could be doing that,” she continues, “And you, dear brother, would still be the favorite.”

Alec rolls his eyes, “Favorite disappointment, maybe.” He feels Magnus squeeze his knee, and he takes his hand, curling their fingers together.

“You’re kidding,” Isabelle says flatly. “You should hear the way she talks about you.” She immediately launches into a passable imitation of their mother, “’Oh Alec made Captain in four years, do you know how rare that is?’, ‘Alec served two tours in active combat, and he has two Commendations and a Silver Star.’ ‘Alec only took over the VP position a few months ago, and the company is running smoother than it ever did before.’”

Alec stares at her flatly throughout her entire tirade. “Are you done?”

It’s all well and good for Isabelle to say that, but it would have been nice to hear from their mother. All he’d ever heard his whole adult life was how if he’d joined the Army he could have been a Ranger, and Germany was such a step down from other opportunities, and really, he should focus on civilian contracts, they’re more lucrative. Alec had lived with his mother’s criticism his whole life, really he should be used to it by now. That didn’t mean it didn’t sting.

“Yes,” Isabelle replies. Her expression softens. “Do you think there are other people out there who argue about who’s more of a disappointment to their parents?”

Alec huffs a little laugh before he can stop himself, “No, I think that’s just for us.”

“And I can say this because I married into this family,” Simon adds, “It’s a little messed up.”

“Oh, like your family is perfect,” Isabelle says.

“Hey, my mother is a delight,” Simon defends in mock offense.

“She really is,” Isabelle sighs, her expression put out, “It’s not fair.”

“Can we talk about anything else,” Alec sighs, rubbing his temple with a little shake of his head. He looks at Jace, “Did you get the contract out for Harvers Pharmaceutical like I asked you to?”

Jace gives him a flat look, “Of course. I got it after the third time you threatened to fire me if I didn’t, like you could.”

Alec rolls his eyes, but he can’t keep the amusement out of his voice. “If you weren’t my brother, I would fire you.”

“Boo,” Isabelle exclaims, and Alec gets a wadded up napkin thrown at him. “No talking about work. That’s not better.” She looks over at Magnus, “How do you put up with that?”

Magnus chuckles, “I make interested sounds at the appropriate times.”

“Wow,” Alec says flatly, narrowing a mock glare at him. “It’s eighty percent again.”

“As it should be,” Magnus replies without a hint of remorse.

Sunday night seized the city with a snap of unseasonably cold weather. The air turned frigid and a layer of ice beneath a dusting of snow covered everything. People were talking about the possibility of a white Christmas. Magnus sincerely hopes not. New York isn’t the tropics by any stretch, but at least they normally had a few more months before winter really set in. Magnus detests being cold.

As soon as they step onto the street, the wind hits him and seizes his lungs for a second, making him wish his lined brocade coat offered at least a little more protection.

Alec laughs and rubs his arms, “We need to get you a better coat.”

He unwinds the black wool scarf around his neck and loops it around Magnus’, over the knit one he already wore.

“Alexander, you need that,” Magnus protests.

Alec shrugs, flipping up the collar of the black wool duster he’d swapped out his usual leather jacket for. “I’m fine. We could take the car.”

Magnus stares at him for a second, “To get from here to Midtown? At this time of night? We’d never get there.”

He knows Alec is offering to get him out of the cold sooner, which he appreciates, but it’s a lot of trouble to go through.

Alec gives a faint shrug, “So we’re a little late.”

Magnus just continues to stare. “Did I have a stroke? Because I just saw you shrug, oh so nonchalantly, over being late.”

Alec looks at him in amusement, “What?”

“Alexander, my love, the last time I made us late for something, you didn’t talk to me for two hours.”

“Let’s just say I’m not in any hurry to do my mother any favors tonight,” Alec says, rubbing the back of his neck with a sigh.

Magnus frowns. Alec has been off, to say the least, since the weekend. He’s tried talking to him about it, but Alec just kisses his cheek and insists he’s just stressed, or tired, or some combination of the above. Magnus has been around the block enough to know when to pick his battles. Alec will come to him when he’s ready.

He slips his hand into the crook of Alec’s arm, and leans into him to soak up some of his warmth. There was nothing to do for it now, so Magnus chooses to focus on getting through this evening with minimal damage.

“Let’s go before you do really give me a stroke,” he jokes, but the uneasy feeling he has doesn’t disappear.

The walk from the subway is pretty enough, with the layer to snow not quite turned to brown slush yet, and the twinkle of the lights the city has strung along the streetlights. They meet Isabelle and Simon at the entrance of the restaurant.

Isabelle grins at them, waving as they approach. “Hey,” she says. “Ready for this?”

Alec just rolls his eyes, so Magnus answers for him, “As we’ll ever be.”

“Hey, it could go fine,” Simon says and then winces. “Yup, I just jinxed it. I’m gonna just go inside. Once more unto the breach.” Isabelle catches his arm, laughing and leaning into him.

As they follow them in, Alec slides an arm around Magnus, a guiding hand pressed to his waist. Alec is not the most demonstrative in public, preferring to hold Magnus’ hand, or link their arms, so this, which puts Magnus decidedly in Alec’s space, is unusual.

“What’s this?” he asks, not because he dislikes it, but because he’s honestly a little worried about Alec at this point.

“Does it bother you?” Alec asks in return, giving him a tiny smile.

Magnus doesn’t really have to think about that. He honestly prefers being in Alec’s space. He’s warm and solid and he smells heavenly. “No.”

“Then I’m making a point, let me make it,” Alec looks forward, and his face smooths, but his eyes are still warm.

“Sir, yes sir,” Magnus jokes in return.

Alec chuckles under his breath and shakes his head. Then they near the table where Jace and Clary already wait with the formidable figure cut by Maryse Lightwood. If she were just a bit more likeable, Magnus could almost appreciate her fashion sense, which always managed an understated elegance that was at once feminine and imposing. She rises from her chair to greet them, her gaze sliding over Alec’s arm around Magnus’ waist, and what she thinks of it is known only to her, because Magnus can’t quite read her expression. Her greeting to Isabelle and Simon is a touch chilly, and a lot austere. She kisses Alec’s cheek, though, giving him a brief hug. Alec returns it with a hint of stiffness. Her gaze slides over Magnus in a way that isn’t quite dismissive.

“Maryse, lovely to see you again,” Magnus says, trying solely for Alec at this point.

Maryse nods, “Yes,” she replies. Though her tone doesn’t really do much in the way of returning the sentiment.

Alec takes a seat at Maryse’s right, and Magnus slides into the chair next to him, across from Clary, who gives him a subtle thumbs up half hidden by the edge of the table. It’s a bit closer to Maryse than he would prefer, but it has the benefit of him not having to look directly at her. Isabelle and Simon take the chairs directly across from her. There was symbolism there somewhere, in the placement of Maryse’s children around her, Alec at her right and Jace at her left and Isabelle directly opposite. He really needs a drink if he’s starting to get existential about seating arrangements.

Luckily, their waiter is prompt with the drink orders when he sees a full table. Maryse requests a bottle of wine for the table, and that seems to be the cue for the rest of them to go along with that. Magnus thinks not. He stops the waiter with a light hand on his arm and orders himself a martini, and after a second of consideration, a vodka twist.

He knows Alec is not a huge drinker, but he also knows he wants one. He could see it in the way Alec’s shoulders sunk a little when Maryse ordered wine. He is only stopping himself because of some misguided attempt at peacekeeping, since the only reason he’d refrain is Maryse doesn’t like it when he drinks. Well, since she already thinks Magnus is a bad influence, they can’t really make it worse and Alec is allowed a stiff drink to get through this.

His little act of rebellion seems to have emboldened the rest of the table, because their waiter leaves with a few more drink orders than he had originally started with.

Alec leans a little into Magnus’ space. “Thanks,” he whispers, a little flicker of amusement in his eyes.

Maryse clears her throat, “So, Magnus,” she says, and apparently this is his punishment for drawing attention to himself, she’s going to talk to him first. Oh joy.

“How is your little shop running these days?” she asks in a way that would almost be pleasant if she hadn’t just called his company a ‘little shop’.

Beside him, Alec tenses, but Magnus lays a hand on his arm reassuringly, “Oh, it’s going wonderfully, Maryse, thank you for asking. We’re releasing a new formal line in a few months. One of the main designs was Isabelle’s concept actually. She’s very talented, you should be proud.”

Maryse hums noncommittally, “Yes.”

Magnus presses down the swell of indignation he feels at the way Isabelle’s face falls. He lays a gentle hand on her arm and gives her a bolstering smile.

Alec, bless him, starts talking about work, which Jace picks up on almost immediately, and between the two of them they manage to distract Maryse through most of the first course. The one hiccup is when their waiter brings Alec his drink and Maryse lays a solicitous hand on his arm and comments on his drinking, accompanied by a pointed look in Magnus’ direction.

“One drink with dinner doesn’t make me an alcoholic, mother,” Alec says tightly. “I’m fine.”

It would be funny, except the atmosphere is far too tense for humor, and Magnus just wants to get through this ordeal without becoming an alcoholic himself.

They’re into the second course when Isabelle tells her mother about at trip she and Simon are planning to take in the spring.

“I’m surprised you can afford that, Isabelle,” Maryse says, “Since you are the only income, such as it is, in your household. You should be careful with your money. That trust fund won’t last forever.”

Magnus shares a look with Simon, both of them a little blindsided by how smoothly she’d managed to take a swipe at both of them without ever mentioning them directly. Magnus would be impressed if he weren’t so annoyed.

“Mother,” Alec intercedes, “I’m sure Izzy is fine. She’s very successful. You know that.”

Maryse inclines her head graciously, “Of course, Alec. I’m sure you know better than I do.” Her voice is bone dry, and Alec’s jaw tightens a little. “Oh, Alec, the Maidstones are throwing a holiday party and I won’t be able to attend. I need you to make an appearance.”

Alec sighs, “Yes, mother.”

Magnus knows that Maidstone Financial is one of their biggest civilian contracts. He’s met Bradley Maidstone a few times. The man is loud and boisterous and no nonsense and Magnus likes him. Alec won’t be able to get out of this, but there are worse things to be forced to do.

“The Merril’s daughter Tatum has moved back home from Europe,” she continues. “You were friends with her, weren’t you?”

Alec frowns, thinking for a second, “In high school yes. I haven’t seen her in years. Why?”

“Perhaps you should take her,” Maryse says, like it’s a natural suggestion to offer.

Magnus doesn’t really know what to think or say in the face of her audacity. Alec, however, seems to have a few ideas.

“I’m confused,” He says slowly. “If I were to give up an entire weekend to drive upstate to go to a party, why I wouldn’t bring my boyfriend?” Who is sitting right there is so heavily implied in his tone, he may as well have said it.

“Be serious, Alec,” Maryse replies, shaking her head. “The Maidstones are traditional people. Besides, I doubt very much it would be Magnus’ kind of party.”

“You’re joking,” Alec hisses. “You’ve got to be joking.”

“I don’t understand why you’re getting so upset, Alec,” Maryse chides. “It’s just business.”

Alec goes tense all over, “Business? You mean the business I’ve been running for almost a year, while also being openly gay? You think Bradley Maidstone would have a problem with Magnus? That’s funny, because he’s met him, more than once and they get along fine.”

“Alec-” she tries.

Alec slams a hand down on the table hard enough to make their plates jump. “No,” he snaps. “You just want me to pretend to be straight to keep up appearance with your friends. And you thought the best time to bring that up was here, in public, in front of my boyfriend, who I live with. You have a lot of nerve.”

“Alec, you’re making a scene,” she snaps in return.

“Good,” Alec raises his voice a little, and people are turning to look at them now, “Maybe everyone in the restaurant needs to hear what a fucking bigot you are. I don’t have to listen to this, Magnus sure as hell doesn’t have to listen to this.” He rises suddenly, “We’re leaving.”

Magnus forces himself to react through the shock, grabbing his coat, and helping Alec with his, because his lover is shaking too much to manage it. Alec grabs his hand, and strides out of the restaurant without another glance.

Alec is silent the whole way home. Magnus knows he is angry, he can see it in the set of his shoulders, the tense line of his jaw. He also knows Alec well enough to know he needs quiet to deal with things sometimes, before he can talk about them. So Magnus lets the silence stretch until they’re home, shedding coats and scarves and boots.

Alec paces away from him, his expression dark, and Magnus expects Alec is ready to say something. What he does, though, Magnus doesn’t expect.

“I’m sorry,” Alec blurts, like that had been just waiting to burst out of him. “Magnus I’m so sorry.”

It takes Magnus as second, because he can’t fathom what Alec could be apologizing for. He hazards a guess he is apologizing for his silence. “Alexander, love, I know sometimes you need to think before you can talk about what’s bothering you, we’ve talked-”

“No,” Alec says, his face creasing with frustration and pain, and Magnus wants nothing more than to ease it. “No. I’m sorry for what happened. My mother… That was… I never expected she would… That was awful. I- Magnus, please don’t…”

Magnus frowns. Please don’t… What? Be upset? He is, but unfortunately, he wasn’t all that surprised. Be offended? Again, he is, but he's worked too hard to be himself to allow the likes of Maryse Lightwood bring him down. Then he realizes the storm of emotion he sees in Alec’s face isn’t just anger and frustration and hurt. It’s fear, and a hopelessness and longing that makes Magnus’ heart hurt. Please don’t leave. That’s what Alec was trying not to say.

“Oh, darling,” Magnus closes the distance between them and take’s Alec’s face in his hands. “You are not responsible for your mother. I love you,” he whispers fiercely, “And there is not a single thing she or anyone else can do that will change that.”

Alec’s breathing hitches, and he folds into Magnus’ arms, pressing his face into his shoulder and clinging to him like he’s worried he’ll disappear if he lets go.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Magnus strokes Alec’s hair, trying to keep his tone soothing. “I am so proud of you, Alexander. I know how hard that was for you. You did nothing wrong.”

Alec’s arms tighten around him and he shudders slightly. Magnus is angry. Oh, Magnus is furious. But not at Alec, never at Alec. No one is allowed to make Alec feel like he is anything less than perfect the way he is. That will be addressed, but not tonight.

Eventually Alec’s breathing levels and his grip on Magnus loosens a tiny bit. “I love you,” he murmurs against his neck.

Magnus gently urges him to lift his head, “I love you, too, my darling,” he says with a small, warm smile. He strokes his thumb along Alec’s cheekbone, “Why don’t you go take a hot shower and I’ll make you some tea?”

Alec sighs and gives him that tiny crooked grin that made him fall in love with him in the first place, “That sounds good.”

He leans forward then and presses his mouth to Magnus’. It’s slow and gentle and filled with such affection that Magnus’ chest feels tight when it ends. Alec rests their foreheads together for a moment, closing his eyes, and then he steps away.

Magnus watches him disappear into the bedroom, sighing out some of his own frustration. His phone vibrates in his pocket as he’s setting the kettle on the stove. He debates ignoring it, but Isabelle’s name flashes across the screen along with a picture of her and Alec from the only time they convinced Alec to go to a nightclub. Alec is a tiny bit drunk in the picture, his face is flushed, his smile big and bright, his head leaning against Isabelle’s while they use Magnus’ phone to take a selfie. It’s a good memory.

“Hello, Isabelle.” He’s not able to muster much in the way of enthusiasm, but his voice is warm.

“How is he?” she asks without preamble. Of Alec’s siblings, Isabelle is the most protective, so he’s not surprised by her call. He can only imagine how things went after they left.

“Upset, understandably so,” Magnus replies, “I don’t think he’s completely processed it yet.”

Isabelle growls out a sigh, “I can’t believe her. We left, Jace and Clary too, right after you did.”

“I appreciate the solidarity, Isabelle,” Magnus says. “I’m sure Alec will too.”

“How are you?” she asks after a beat.

Magnus smiles a bit, “Unsurprised, if I’m being honest. And frankly furious.”

“I’m angry for you,” Isabelle half growls. “That was not okay. She should be ashamed of herself.” She’s quiet another moment. “Just tell Alec I’ll text him later?”

“Of course,” Magnus says. “Have a good night, Isabelle.”

“You too,” she says, “Take care of my big brother?”

“Always,” Magnus replies warmly.

He says his goodbyes with Isabelle, and by the time he brings Alec’s chamomile tea with a bit of honey out into the living room, Alec pads out of the bedroom in track pants and a t-shirt, looking marginally better than he had before.

Alec takes his mug with a little smile of thanks. Magnus settles on the couch and Alec immediately settles back against him, resting his head on his shoulder. Magnus buries his face against Alec’s damp black hair, inhaling the clean, warm scent of him. No matter the circumstances, Alec fresh from the shower is one of Magnus’ favorite things.

They sit like that, quiet and close, while Alec sips his tea and occasionally nuzzles his cheek against Magnus’ shoulder in the quietly affectionate way that seems to come so naturally to Alec now and Magnus craves more than he thought possible.

On the table beside them, where Alec dropped it when they came home, Alec’s phone vibrates in the staccato rhythm of several text messages. Alec sighs heavily and hands Magnus his cup so he can reach for it. Alec unlocks his phone to six new messages, and Magnus looks over his shoulder without any shame. All Alec does in response is send him an amused look and move his phone so Magnus can see it better.

The first text is from Simon. All it says is, You are officially my favorite brother in law.

Alec sighs something that is almost a laugh, Thanks for that dubious honor, Lewis, he types back.

The next is from Jace: If you need to hit things, I’m still looking for a sparring partner this weekend. Love you, bro.

The tiny smile on Alec’s face widens slightly. I’ll be there. Thanks, Jace. I love you too

Clary has sent him three. The first just says: You’re my hero. The next is slightly longer, I know Jace is meeting you at the club on Saturday. Can you avoid the face? We have dinner with my mom and Luke that night. The last seems to be a continuation of the second, Which you and Magnus are totally invited to, btw. Also can I tell this story bc that was epic

Alec rolls his eyes, but the smile doesn’t leave his face. Thanks, I guess, he replies, I make no promises. And I’d rather you didn’t

The last is from Isabelle. I am SO proud of you big brother. You are SO brave. You’re awesome, Magnus is awesome, and I love you both so much. I’ll call you tomorrow

Alec’s smile is big and fond now. His reply is simple. Thanks Iz. I love you too.

Magnus smiles as well, his heart swelling with the outpouring of support and love Alec is getting from his siblings and their partners. This is how it should be.

“She’s right you know,” he says lowly.

Alec twists a bit to look at him. “What?”

“I am pretty awesome,” Magnus grins.

Alec laughs, shaking his head, “You won’t hear me arguing.”

Magnus tips his head to press a short kiss to his mouth, “In all seriousness, you are very brave, Alexander. I hope you know that.”

Alec sits up, turning to face him completely. He takes the mug from his hand and sets it on the table, and then looks at him seriously, “Only because I have you beside me.”

Magnus bites the inside of his lip. He loves this man so much it scares him sometimes. “And I will always be there, Alexander.”

Then Alec smiles, so warm and beautiful it takes Magnus’ breath away. He pulls Magnus into a hug, pressing his face to Magnus’ shoulder, his arms wrapping warm and solid around him. “I know. Thank you.”

“You never have to thank me for that.”

Neither of them seems to want to move, so they don’t, not for a long time. Eventually, Alec leans back, his expression warm and gentle, none of the earlier pain and frustration present. Magnus is glad to see it gone.

“What would you like to do?” Magnus asks. “We could watch a movie?”

Alec shakes his head, “Honestly I just want to go to bed. Lay down with me?”

Magnus smiles, “There is nothing else I’d rather do more.”

They go to bed, and Magnus wraps Alec in his arms, pressing gentle kisses to his neck. They talk about everything and nothing until Alec relaxes against him and drifts off to sleep. Magnus stays up a little longer, just watching him. He thinks, not for the first time, this is where he wants to be for the rest of his life. And no one, not even Alec’s mother, is going to drive them apart.

#malec #alec lightwood #magnus bane #shadowhunters #series:it started with a wedding #fic:a united front #myfic #fic:au

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littlespoonevan · 7 years ago

Text

The One With Jonas’ Wedding

Skam Fic Week Day 7: a fic based on a Friends episode

askdlfh okay this particular prompt was pure self-indulgence bc if any of you were in the teen wolf fandom around 2013 there was a Friends prompt meme that kind of took over the fandom and it was sO MUCH FUN so i really wanted to bring it back :D this one is based on the season 4 finale where monica and chandler sleep together at ross’ wedding!!! there’s also a couple of lines similar to the episode bc i couldn’t help myself haha

enjoy!! <3

Isak is the only person left at the wedding party’s table when Even finds him. Jonas and Eva are mingling, the girls are dancing, and Magnus and Mahdi were at the bar the last time Isak checked.

“You’re looking pretty grumpy considering your best friend just got married,” Even observes, raising his eyebrows at Isak in that way that always manages to pull a smile out of him.

He’s successful for a second but then Isak remembers why he’s grumpy in the first place and his expression drops again. “I’m gonna die alone, Even,” he groans – a little dramatically, he can admit.

If Even’s surprised by his sudden quarter-life crisis he doesn’t comment on it. Instead he just reaches out and rubs Isak’s shoulder sympathetically. “No, you won’t.”

“I will!” Isak says vehemently. “My best friend is married, almost everyone I know is already in a relationship and I haven’t hooked up with anyone in months. Not to mention, all Eva and Jonas’ old relatives keep judging me and pitying me when they ask about my love life.” There’d been a particularly bleak moment when Eva’s grandma had asked if Isak had managed to snag his high school sweetheart too and Isak had realised he didn’t even have a high school sweetheart to potentially hang onto in the first place.

“Isak, you won’t,” Even repeats, squeezing Isak’s shoulder and leaning in close to force him to look up. “You’re amazing, okay? Like, easily one of the hottest people in the room right now. You’re funny and smart and so interesting. Anyone would be lucky to date you and whoever gets to is probably gonna spend the rest of their life wondering what the hell they did to deserve having you in their life.”

Isak stares at him, utterly at a loss for words. A part of him thinks Even is probably just saying it to make him feel better but the sincerity in Even’s eyes is hard to doubt. Honestly, Isak’s wondering what the hell he did to deserve having a guy like Even in his life.

“And if it makes you feel better,” Even continues softly. “I’m two years older than you and I’m single too.”

Isak lets out a half-laugh, shaking his head. “Yeah but you’re perfect. You could have someone fall in love with you in the morning if you wanted to.”

Something changes in Even’s expression at that but it’s gone before Isak gets a chance to figure out what it is.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Even says after a beat too long and the words sound light and joking but his eyes betray him.

“I would,” Isak replies quietly, letting his mouth lift up in a smile when Even’s expression goes slack with surprise. Making a quick decision and pushing himself out of his seat, Isak offers Even his hand. “Wanna dance?”

It’s later, when the party is over and everyone has retired to their own suites, that Isak decides to do something really stupid. Mahdi went back to some girl’s suite which means Isak has the room to himself and he’s feeling a little drunk and a little lonely and thinking a little bit too much about Even’s hands on him when they were dancing earlier so he takes out his phone.

Isak: are you still awake?

Even: yeah, but I shouldn’t be. It’s 4 in the morning. How the hell are we supposed to go to a BRUNCH in the morning?????

Isak: wanna come over? Room 2121

Even: on my way

Isak is pacing around his room when Even knocks and even as he makes his way over to the door, even as he unlocks it, he knows this is a bad idea.

It doesn’t stop him from dragging Even into a kiss the second the door swings open though.

Even makes a surprised noise in the back of his throat but he kisses back almost immediately, hands fisting in Isak’s shirt and untucking it from his suit pants as he stumbles through the threshold.

But it’s when the door clicks shut behind him that Even seems to actually realise what they’re doing and he breaks away, pulling back with a shocked expression while his hands freeze on Isak’s hips. “Wh- what are we doing? We don’t kiss.”

“Well, we’re not now,” Isak huffs impatiently. His hands are twitching at his sides and he’s aching to reach out for Even again. Fuck, he’s a good kisser. Isak can’t say he’s surprised.

Even watches him for a minute before wetting his lips. “How drunk are you?”

Isak shrugs. “Drunk enough to be brave enough to kiss you. Not so drunk that I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Even is silent for another agonising moment before he takes a purposeful step forward. “Fine by me,” he mutters, hands flying up to Isak’s hair to pull him into a heart-stopping kiss.

And oh, Isak’s knees feel a little weak. His own arms wind around Even’s neck and he tilts his head to deepen the kiss as they clumsily begin to make their way towards the bed. It’s too easy to get lost in the kiss, to get worked up and frantically tug at one another’s shirts, to press closer until almost every inch of them is touching.

But it’s when they start to shed their clothes, when they’ve finally made it to the bed, when all that’s covering the very obvious hard-ons they’re both sporting is their underwear, that they make eye contact. And they burst out laughing.

“I think it’s safe to say our friendship’s ruined,” Isak says, words muffled by the laughter bubbling out of him.

“We weren’t that close anyway,” Even jokes and it’s not true. Not even a little bit. Even’s been one of his closest friends for years but Isak’s starting to think maybe the way he looks at Even isn’t the way you’re supposed to look at your “friend”.

Their eyes meet and when they slip into a kiss this time it’s softer, more drawn out, and Isak can’t help the quiet sound that tumbles out of him when Even cups his jaw and licks into his mouth. Their legs tangle as Even situates himself on top of him and suddenly his lips are trailing away from Isak’s mouth, moving across his jaw and down his neck.

Down his chest, down, down, down, until he feels Even’s hands on his briefs and there’s only one thought left in Isak’s head.

There’s no turning back now.

Magnus bursts into his room at an ungodly hour the next morning – where the fuck did he even get a room key? – making Isak jump and panic until he goes rigid at the feel of Even’s lips pressing against his stomach under the covers. Motherfucker.

“Bro, you would not fucking believe the hot chick I hooked up with last night!”

Doing his best attempt at looking hungover, Isak squints his eyes and rubs his head. “Mags, can’t you tell me at brunch? My head’s fucking killing me.”

Magnus has the good grace to look sheepish before he’s giving Isak a curious look. “Hey, do you know where Even got to last night? When I got to our room his bed looked slept in but he wasn’t there.”

At that, Even brushes a particularly wet kiss over Isak’s abdomen, making his stomach clench and his hand fist in the duvet. “No, man. Sorry. Maybe he’ll be at brunch.”

Magnus nods thoughtfully before his grin turns devious. “He definitely must have hooked up with someone. I’m gonna see if I can find him. Later, Isak!”

“Bye,” Isak calls weakly. As soon as the door closes he snatches the duvet cover back and finds Even grinning up at him with a smug expression on his face.

“Do you think he knew I was here?”

Isak scowls at him. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t,” Even murmurs, dropping another kiss to Isak’s stomach. He mouths his way back up Isak’s chest then until he’s hovering over him and their lips only inches apart. “Still wanna kiss me without the alcohol?”

Isak studies his expression as he pretends to think about it and then he crashes their lips together.

Even seems to understand that that means, “Yes.”

#evak #isak valtersen #even bech næsheim #skam #skamficweek #my fics #i honestly could've done this yesterday as well but we can never have enough wedding fics!!!!

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