Work Text:
Every morning at 5:15 for as long as he can remember, Alec wakes up. It’s been years since he left the palace, but part of him still expects servants to burst through his door the second he opens his eyes. Instead, it’s his son that barrels into his room, attacking him with kisses and snuggles. A much preferable way to awaken if you ask Alec.
Alec’s reasons for waking up so god damn early are better now too. Before it was royal duties, and lunches with visiting princesses, dutchesses, or any other semi-royal female his age. It had always been so stifling there, trying to fit into the box his parents had for him, until Max. The moment Alec found Max on the palace steps, he knew Max was his son. After that, it was easy to renounce the throne and leave his old life behind. Well, most of it, anyway. Izzy, Jace, Clary, Simon, and Maia something something something. They were the best aunts and uncles Alec could want for Max.
Max isn’t actually the reason Alec gets up so fucking early though. That honor belongs to Bowie and Spot. And some fifteen chickens, three goats, a sheep, and two cats. Max has been bugging him for a dog and Alec knows he’ll cave eventually, but for now, twenty three pets are probably enough. (That isn’t even counting the bees, but they were hard to count. However many were in his three Langstroth hives.)
This morning is unusual. Alec still opens his eyes just in time to see the fourteen on his clock become fifteen. Their little cottage is suspiciously quiet. The cows aren’t mooing directly outside his window, the cats aren’t pawing his hair wanting to be fed, and strangest of all, Max isn’t in Alec’s bed ….or his own.
Alec's mind has conjured up many, many crazy scenarios; intruders, Max’s biological parents, his own parents, an enemy of his parents that has found him, wild five year old curiosity gone wrong. Seconds before Alec succumbs to overwhelming panic, he hears giggles from outside followed by “Spot, that tickles.”
Alec wonders if his own parents felt this way when Jace and Isabelle would sneak out of the palace. This is one of the first times he feels a bit of sympathy for them. The adrenaline drains from his body leaving him exhausted and he wants a nap but he has a five year old to gently scold and a farm to run. Today, Alec has to deliver supplies to the castle nearby. The prince has been back in Edom for about six months and one of the first times he did was insist they source as many things from their kingdom as possible.
King Asmodeus had no interest in making space for livestock inside the castle grounds and the earth there was too desolate to grow…well, anything. It was one of the many reasons the surrounding kingdoms had always referred to Edom as Hell.
The prince had— well, his servant had come to Alec a few months ago with a very generous offer for tri-weekly deliveries of milk, eggs, butter, honey and soap if Alec could make that. So, now Alec, in addition to teaching some of the locals archery, learned to make goat milk soap and runs a little shop in town.
“Maxwell Jonathan Lightwood, what are you doing out here?”
Max pops up from behind a bail of hay with a baby chick nestled in his brown curls. “Daddy! Bowie and Spot were hungry! And then all the chicks wanted to play.”
Alec finds it incredibly hard to be upset when faced with his hay covered son. That chick will probably never leave Max’s hair if his little one has anything to say about it, but that’s a problem for future Alec. The Alec that will have to give Max a bath. Alec shudders at the thought. Is a clean child really worth the crying and splashing? Not to mention, Alec is definitely going to have to brush Max’s hair.
Alec should have Izzy and Jace visit soon. Max always let Izzy wash and brush his hair. Sometimes there were even braids that Alec really needed Izzy to teach him. Max’s hair was so long and would be considerably more manageable if pulled back but according to Max, Alec’s ponytails and braids weren’t as good as auntie Izzy’s, so. (Honestly, how do you get better at ponytails?)
“You scared me, blueberry. Wake me up before you come outside next time, okay?”
“Sorry, daddy.” Max frowns, his big blue eyes filling with tears. “I just wanted to help you.”
Alec's heart breaks a little anytime Max cries and this is no exception. He squats down and opens his arms. As expected, Max flies into him, throwing his arms around Alec’s neck. “It’s okay, Max,” Alec whispers. The chick in Max’s hair looks at him judgmentally. “Do you want to help me deliver everything to Edom today?”
“Yes! I’ll go get dressed!”
It’s only then, as Max wiggles out of his arms and bolts for the house, that Alec notices Max is still in his pajamas…and barefoot.
“Don’t forget shoes, blueberry!”
Max’s annoyed sigh is audible even from a distance. “ Fine. But I’m not wearing socks.”
There are some battles Alec knows he’ll never win and getting a five year old to wear socks is one of them. Unless…
“Not even for blueberry pancakes?”
Alec isn’t above bribery.
* * *
Max pushes their delivery cart happily, chattering about the little girl and her mom who moved next door. Alec hadn’t met them but glimpsed the little girl a few times. It seems she had quite a scarf collection. A different one tied around her neck each day Alec saw her. Max didn’t have many if any friends. Edom didn’t have many children. Alec would have to make a point to bring over some soap or bake cookies for them and be neighborly. Maybe Max and he could make a friend.
“—and Madzie’s uncle is really nice. He was gone for a while but he’s back now and Catarina is glad he’s free of that blood sucking vampire . I thought vampires aren’t real, daddy.”
Alec snorts. “Not that kind of vampire, Max. And what have I told you about eavesdropping?”
“I was feeding Spot and they were being loud. What was I supposed to do, turn off my ears?”
“I— well, no, but—” Alec pauses, lost. “Good point I guess. It's still not polite to listen to other people’s conversations.”
“Like when you and auntie Izzy talk about boys and their—”
“Yep! Yes. Yeah, just like that.”
Max thankfully doesn’t mention anything else he’s overheard Izzy say the rest of their walk. He pushes the cart mostly silently, save the odd question about what the prince looks like (Alec doesn’t know), what’s his name (Alec doesn’t know that either. M-something he thinks), and worms until they reach the castle gates.
“Hey, Alec!”
Alec whirls around in the direction of the voices and spots Helen and Aline, who are trying to move a big, awkward shaped table around the side of their house and shop. It looks like they’ve moved the grindstone outside, next to the forge.
“Can you help us with this?”
Alec nods. “Yeah, of course. One second.”
Alec squats so he’s on Max’s level. “I’ll be right over there. Do you think you can do the delivery without me?”
Max grins and bounces up on his toes. “Yes! I’m a big boy now. I can do it.”
“Okay. Go through the gates and leave the delivery at the doors with one of the staff, okay? And then come right back. I’ll be with Aline and Helen.”
“Okay, daddy! I love you.”
“I love you too, blueberry.”
* * *
Max looks up at the castle. It looks so much bigger without his daddy next to him. But he said he was a big boy and daddy was counting on him. Plus, daddy would never let him go alone if it was unsafe. It was fine. Just…dark and spooky. The stone walls were pure black and the doors bright, glittering gold. They were pretty and reminded him of auntie Izzy’s jewelry and uncle Jace’s hair.
Max should have been looking in front of him but as he got closer, the castle seemed to get taller and the shadows got darker, so he doesn’t see the man in front of him until it is too late.
“Oof.”
The hit radiates through the cart and knocks Max back and onto his butt, the handles of the cart falling out of his hands. It starts to roll backward and Max cries out, squeezing his eyes shut, waiting for it to hit him.
“Are you okay, sweetpea?”
Max opens his eyes, looking directly at the concerned face of a stranger. “Who are you?”
“I’m Magnus. I…I work inside the castle. Damn place is darker than hell and I didn’t see you.”
“It’s okay,” Max whispers, getting to his feet. “I should have looked where I was going. Daddy always tells me to.”
Magnus smiles, his eyes crinkling a bit. He has black drawn around his eyes like auntie Izzy and Clary and something shiny on his lips. He looks friendly enough but…he should get back to daddy.
“And where is daddy ?” Magnus asks, scanning the darkness for another person.
“He’s helping someone and sent me with the delivery. Um, where did my cart go?”
“Oh, someone took it inside to clean it. I’m afraid some of the eggs broke.” Max’s eyes widen and Magnus rushes on. “Never fear, sweetpea. I told them it was my fault. I can have the staff—I mean I can return it to you, if you tell me where.”
“I don’t think I should…”
“Right, of course. What am I thinking? Let me walk you back to your father, and he can tell me where to bring it.”
Max nods hesitantly. He supposes that’s okay.
“Lead the way, little one. You know I have a niece about your age…”
* * *
“Hey, can you keep an eye out for Max? I forgot the new soap they wanted and the last thing I need is the prince’s servant pestering me.”
“Sure, no problem. Maybe Aline and I will teach him how to swordfight while you’re gone.”
“As long as it’s with wooden swords, I won’t complain.” Alec glanced down at his watch. If he ran, he could maybe get back before Max. “Okay, thanks. I’ll be right back.”
When Alec got back five minutes later, his heart pounding so hard he’s not sure it’ll ever go back to normal, Max is standing with Helen and waving at a retreating figure.
“Hey, Max!”
Max runs into his arms for all of two seconds before pulling away and wrinkling his nose. “Daddy….why are you all sweaty and gross?”
“I forgot something at home and wanted to get back to you.” Alec ruffles his son’s curls, holding him close when he remembers… “Hey, Max, who was the person you were waving to?”
“Oh! That was Magnus. He works in the castle.” Alec finally gives in to Max’s wiggling and puts him down. He’s not even that sweaty. “I ran him over and he walked me back.”
Alec nods absently, not really registering what Max said. He meant to be listening but something glinting beyond the castle gates caught his attention. Alec was trained from birth to notice weapons both near and far; even though it’s been years, the training is still ingrained. Alec keeps his eyes focused on the gates, reaching to push Max behind him with one hand and reaching for his bow.
The castle gates open and—it’s a man. Max peeks out from behind his legs and waves.
“Max! I forgot about your cart. I know you didn’t want— oh, hello.”
“H-Hi,” Alec stutters after an embarrassing minute of staring. Fuck, this man is beautiful. “I’m Alexander. Uh, Alec . I’m Max’s father.”
He smiles and Alec’s gaze is drawn to his pink, gloss coated lips. The sweet scent of vanilla and sandalwood waft off him. It’s dizzying. “Magnus.”
Magnus holds his hand out but not sideways like he wants a handshake. He holds his hand out palm down, and inexplicably Alec wants to lay a kiss to the back of Magnus’ hand. They stand staring at each other for longer than Alec cares to admit. Magnus is just so pretty and magnetic. Magnus seems to catch onto his error and begins to withdraw his hand, but Alec catches it in his. Alec’s hands are rough and callused from days of manual labor and archery and Magnus’ are pillow soft. He pulls Magnus’ hand to his lips and presses the barest of kisses.
“Nice to meet you, Magnus.”
“You too. I—” Magnus pauses with an exaggerated oof when Max barrels into his side, hugging him tightly. Alec has never seen his son so taken with someone so quickly. “I met your delightful little one on my way out of the castle and I fear I caused a mishap with your cart. I told Max I could have the cart returned but he didn’t want to tell me where you lived, understandably, but I didn’t want my favorite suppliers to be out a cart…” Magnus trails off, looking down at Max. He ruffles his hair playfully. Magnus looks up at Alec, shimmying his shoulders back and forth. “I don’t suppose you want to tell me where you live.”
Alec is willing to tell Magnus anything he wants. His address, phone number, social security number… but he can play it cool. Be casual. “YES!”
Magnus and Max both look startled. Oops. So much for casual.
“Sorry,” Alec mutters, his face hot with embarrassment. “We live down the road about half a mile. Little green house on the left. We have cows, so it’s pretty hard to miss.”
“We have chickens too!”
Magnus scoops Max up into his arms and spins him around. Alec is pretty sure if he had ovaries they’d be exploding. No one had ever looked so good holding his son. “You’ll have to show me them, blueberry. When I bring your cart.”
“Daddy calls me blueberry! How’d you know?”
“I didn’t, but you’re dressed in all blue and you have big blue eyes. It seemed fitting.”
Alec is ready to propose marriage. He needs to leave before he says anything stupid. “Max, we need to get home and milk the cows. Say goodbye to Magnus.”
Max sighs heavily and with more drama than a five year old should be capable of. “ Fine . Goodbye, Magnus.”
“Goodbye, sweetpea.”
Max shuffles over to Alec as slowly as he possibly can, looking like a kicked puppy. And whether it was the look on his son’s face, or his own desire to see Magnus again, Alec isn’t sure, but before he can stop himself, he says, “We have a little shop. Um, nothing fancy. But you could visit? If you want to. It’s just over there.” Alec points to the space between Aline and Helen’s place and the library. “I have a farm so, we’re not always there but Fridays. I’m — we’re always here on Fridays.”
Magnus grins and it lights up his whole face making him even more beautiful. Alec’s heart pounds just looking at him and Max loves him and it’s surprisingly hard not to fantasize about a life where Alec wakes up to Max and Magnus.
“Great! I’ll see you Friday then!
* * *
It became a thing after that. On Friday, Magnus brought them their cart and lingered, talking to Alec between customers and playing with Max. He left and came back with sandwiches and fruit salad (that was at least forty percent blueberries). When he left, Alec didn’t think they’d see him again even as Magnus yelled “see you next week!” over his shoulder.
Magnus had to be employed by the Prince to have money to spend so lavishly on sandwiches loaded with prosciutto and fresh mozzarella cheese, on proper crusty bread that surely was imported. He wouldn’t have time to spend with a five year old and his farmer/shop owner/archery teacher father.
But, Magnus showed up next week at 11:00 am and hung out with them. He brought books, paper, and crayons for Max and sat on a blanket and read to him or colored if that’s what Max wanted. Magnus was wrapped around Max’s little finger but he seemed in no desire to change that.
And Magnus came back the week after that and the week after that and after a few months, Alec allowed himself to get used to seeing Magnus every Friday. Five minutes to 11:00, Alec would sneak glances at the gate and wait for them to part and reveal his beautiful— his— Magnus and his heart-stopping smile.
Magnus continued to bring lunch as well. Not always as fancy and luxurious as the first day, but still noticeably better than what townfolks could afford. Alec tried to offer him money but Magnus would never accept. “I have plenty of money, Alexander. The least I could do for you and Max is buy you lunch. You’ve…you and Max have unlocked something in me. Something I didn’t know was still there.”
Helen and Aline were relentless in trying to convince him to ask Magnus out. “He obviously likes you and your kid, what are you waiting for?”
“It’s not like that. We’re just friends,” Alec would protest, not entirely sure he meant it. He knew what he felt for Magnus was beyond friendship, but Magnus. Bright, shiny, wonderful Magnus. He could have anyone he wanted. Why would he want Alec?
“Alec, you can’t really believe—”
“I do and that’s fine. I’m happy to have Magnus in my life any way he wants to be.”
So maybe Alec doodles AL + M onto the margin of invoices and sometimes the soap he’s molding. No one needs to know that except himself, and Mrs. Blackborne who regretfully received one of the invoices Alec scribbled on.
Alec is more than halfway in love with Magnus and has been after only a few days. Magnus is just so wonderful . He’s kind and generous and so, so good with Max. Honesty, Alec isn’t totally sure Magnus isn’t an extremely elaborate hallucination he’s conjured.
Magnus is….well, he’s Alec’s best friend and Max loves him. Alec won’t do anything to fuck this up. Magnus’ friendship was precious to him. More important than any hypothetical romance they could have. Alec wasn’t going to ruin their friendship, waiting around for Magnus to notice him. No, he was going to cherish the time they had together as friends.
* * *
A few Fridays later, Alec decides at the last minute to take the day off. Max is having a playdate with Madzie and he hasn’t seen his siblings or friends in a while, so, Alec drops Max off with Catarina and makes his way to Idris for the afternoon.
11:00 comes and goes and Alec loves spending time with his family but it’s also incredibly weird, weirder than Alec was expecting honestly, not to see Magnus and whatever he’s brought with him that day.
“What’s got you so distracted?” Jace asks, his mouth stuffed full of sandwich. Alec scrunches his nose in disgust which is unfortunately tinged with fondness. He’s missed Jace’s horrific table manners.
“Jace. We’ve talked about talking with your mouth full,” Izzy and Clary say in unison.
Jace chews and swallows his food as noticeably as possible and flips them off.
“I’m not distracted,” Alec lies. Poorly. He’s not sure why he bothered when he looks up at five unimpressed faces. Fuck . Alec sighs. “Okay, fine. I… on Fridays, I — Max and I spend time with, um, a friend and it’s weird not seeing him.”
“Ohhh, you miss Magnus.”
“Yeah, I gue—wait, how do you know Magnus?”
“Helen and Aline told us all about your dates with Magnus.”
“They’re not dates!” Alec insists, running a hand through his hair with frustration. “We’re friends. Magnus doesn’t— we’re just friends.”
“But you want to be more?” Clary asks, not unkindly. She was always considerably less pushy than his sibling when he came to his love life, or lack thereof.
Alec shrugs, pushing around the food left on his plate. He’s not particularly hungry, but he pops a piece of pineapple into his mouth to avoid having to talk. He doesn’t want to examine his feelings anymore closely than he has to. It’s hard to avoid between Helen, Aline, his family, and Max bringing up Magnus all the time. “I don’t know. Maybe? But Magnus doesn’t like me like that.”
Simon, who has been mostly silent (shocker) this whole afternoon pipes up, “How do you know? Have you asked him? Because, dude, it sounds like he’s really into you. I’m not saying friends can’t do this stuff, but he’s brought you and your son lunch every Friday since you met, he hangs around for hours even though you’re busy, he’s bonding with your son, and like, he’s dropped an insane amount of hints that Max and his niece should play together. That’s like single parent foreplay right there.”
“Oh.”
Could that really be what Magnus is doing? Trying to…what, woo Alec? Were their Fridays dates ?
* * *
Magnus’ stomach is overflowing with butterflies as he walks down to the castle gates. He’d finally managed to convince his father, Ragnor, and Raphael that he doesn’t need them to come with him to see Alexander and Max. Alexander would never hurt him and the most Max had ever done was wound Magnus’ ego after he lost Candyland and Chutes and Ladders every week.
Without his friend’s bodyguard’s shadows, maybe Magnus would finally get the nerve to properly ask Alexander on a date. Well, an official date. Magnus never could bury the hope that Alexander considered their weekly lunches dates too. He was a hard man to get a read on. Sometimes Magnus would swear he’d catch Alexander staring at him and Max play, his lovely face tinged pink and there was that one time Magnus bent over to get something out of the picnic basket he brought and Alexander had choked on his tea, soaking the front of his shirt which now stuck to his… anyway. (“Sorry about that,” Alexander croaked, his cheeks bright red and his gaze glued to the ground. “Went down the wrong way.”)
If Alexander wasn’t interested, that was fine. They could be friends. Magnus loved spending time with him and Max and that wouldn’t change if Alexander didn’t return his romantic inclinations. Magnus would just need to stop daydreaming about dethroning his father and running the kingdom with Alexander. Catarina and Madzie could move into the castle as the castle physician and Madzie and Max could have the playdates Magnus kept suggesting.
Alexander could transform their barren gardens into something that thrived, pollinated by all of the bees Alexander took care of. Bowie and Spot would have so much more room to graze without pissing off the goats. Magnus has given this fantasy far more thought than was probably appropriate, to be honest. Every time his father asked him when he was going to finally settle down (like Magnus hadn’t stopped sleeping around months ago and also he’s only twenty eight), Alexander’s face appeared in his mind. Ragnor and Raphael were disgusted with how utterly besotted he was.
Magnus comes to an abrupt stop in front of Alexander’s shop. The little stall was empty and Alexander and Max were nowhere to be seen. Magnus circled around, looking for a note or clues as to where they were. It was definitely Friday. Magnus looks forward to the next Friday literally the moment the last one ends. He marks them with a little heart and arrow on his calendar.
(“Your crush on him is super embarrassing,” Ragnor pointed out unhelpfully while Magnus changes his shirt for the fifth time. Chartreuse clashed with his eyes, cobalt blue seemed too on the nose for what Magnus was feeling, and the others didn’t feel right. Blush pink looked nice on his skin and if Alexander happened to touch him, the material was super soft. “The boy looks at you like you hung the moon, just ask him out and end my suffering.)
Was Alexander hurt? Was Max sick? Magnus never regretted not getting Alexander’s phone number as much as he did now. Maybe Alexander had other plans and he didn’t tell Magnus. He wasn’t obligated to tell Magnus everything in his life and if last minute stuff came up, well, he couldn’t tell him anyway, Magnus rationalizes.
Before he can talk himself out of it, Magnus is pulling out his phone and texting Ragnor that he’s going for a walk (not a lie, Alexander’s house counts as a walk) and not to send the royal guard when his father realizes he’s not in the courtyard outside the gates.
Magnus has never been to Alexander’s house but he vaguely recalled his description. Down the main path, green, animals. Can’t be too hard to find. Maybe he’ll visit Madzie too, she lived in the same direction.
Thankfully, Alexander’s house is easy to find. Only a ten or so minute walk, but that’s ten minutes too long when Magnus is spiraling about all the reasons Alexander and Max could be absent. He unfortunately wouldn’t put it passed his father to have gotten involved. Rage preemptively burns in Magnus’ chest, Asmodeus would find himself in limbo if he did anything to Alexander and Max.
(Later, Magnus would realize he should have recognized the walk and the house from all the times he’s visited Cat and Madzie. Also, he should have put together Max’s stories about the little girl who lived next door with like one million different scarves.)
Magnus stands outside for a few minutes before knocking. Cows with chickens on their back peer at him over the gate. The house is dark and Magnus doubts anyone is home, but he knocks a second and then a third time anyway.
“Uncle Magnus!”
“Magnus!”
“Sweet pea! And Max!”
Madzie and Max spill out the door and amble over to Magnus like a pack of excited puppies. They’re holding hands and Magnus’ heart swells with so much love. Madzie had a hard time making friends before she moved. She barely talked when Cat adopted her and it had taken a lot of therapy and time for her to become comfortable with other people, including Magnus. So to see her so casually close to someone that isn’t Cat is heartwarming. Magnus scoops both of them into his arms and presses a kiss to Madzie’s temple and after a brief moment, he drops a kiss into Max’s curls.
“What are you doing here? Daddy isn’t home. He went to see auntie Izzy and uncle Jace.”
Relief floods Magnus and he feels a bit ridiculous. “Well, I came to see you and daddy and when you weren't there, I got worried. So, I came to check on you! I see that I didn’t need to make the trip. How are my favorite little sorceress and blueberry?”
“Good!” they shout in unison, squirming out of his arms and running back into the house. “I can’t believe your Magnus is my Magnus.”
Magnus thinks his heart might literally start to glow. He likes the idea of being Max’s Magnus. (Or maybe something more, but Magnus is really getting ahead of himself thinking stuff like that. He needs to take Alexander on a proper date before he thinks about being Max’s papa.)
* * *
Alec loves his family but they’re exhausting . He was never the biggest fan of social interaction, even with family members and his battery is drained when he returns home. He swings by Cat’s to see if Max wants to come home slash is Catarina sick of him, but Max and Madzie are in the middle of baking cookies and painting and they give him the biggest, most pathetic duel puppy eyes that Alec and Catarina can’t say no to.
(“Madzie has been bugging me to have a sleepover for months,” Catarina tells him quietly. “I don’t have to work tomorrow, so Max could sleep over if you’re comfortable. Madzie’s uncle is supposed to come over in the morning, but he’s great with children.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s fine. Get me in the morning, I’ll come make breakfast for everyone as a thank you.”)
Alec is home all of twenty minutes when he can’t stand the quiet. It’s bizarre being in the house without Max. Another twenty minutes go by and Alec tried to read a book but he’s so distracted by the lack of distractions. No one has asked him to get a snack after he’s sat down for fifteen seconds or needed his help getting a cup. What was his life like before kids?
He decides he’ll do some work outside instead. Alec milks the cows and goats, replaces the wet hay, changes out all the animal feed, brushes the sheep, collects all the eggs, and tends to the bees in record time. Alec wouldn’t trade Max for anything but he had no idea how much he slowed things down. It didn’t matter if things took triple as long, Alec loved doing the farmwork with Max.
“Fancy a walk, Bowie?”
Alec takes her moo as a yes.
* * *
Alec walks Bowie to his favorite meadow. It’s spring so all the wildflowers have sprouted and filled the area with color and a pleasant floral scent and the sparse trees are lush and green. It always reminds Alec of these vampire books Izzy read growing up, which is its only downside. Alec wants to relax, not think about vampires that sparkle in the sun. Magnus, shirtless and sparking in the sun is a nice thought though. Maybe that author was onto something…
Bowie curls up and falls asleep on a patch of clover and gorse after a few minutes of grazing. Alec sits against her and takes his book out of his satchel. He reads a few pages before the warmth of her hide and the weight of the day eventually lull him to sleep too.
* * *
“—ander? Alexander?”
Alec jumps to his feet, startling a disgruntled Bowie who had been sleeping with/on him. Bowie mooed mournfully. Alec blinked a few times, unsure of what woke him up. The meadow was quiet except for the occasional dragonfly and the soft whinnying of a horse. Huh, horse? Alec shifted his gaze just slightly to the left and oh , a horse…and Magnus!
“Magnus! Hey! What’s up?” Alec’s eyes dart from Magnus’ face to his horse, to the royal insignia on the saddle blanket, to Magnus’ elaborate clothes (he admittedly gets a little stuck on Magnus’ fitted black vest, exposed forearms and his biceps encased in tight red silk…), and back to his face. “Wait…”
In hindsight, there were many signs Alec missed. The copious amounts of money Magnus had no problem spending, the “friends” Magnus always had hanging around, Magnus’ complaints about his tyrant father, his being away for six months like the prince.
“You’re the prince,” Alec blurts out.
“Yes?” Magnus answers, his voice going up at the end of the word like he was unsure, helping clear up absolutely nothing. “Were you not aware of that?
“Max said you worked in the castle!”
Magnus reaches up to fiddle with the arrow shaped earring on the helix of his ear. It’s encrusted in emeralds. Alec really is an idiot. “Ah, right.” Magnus giggles a bit awkwardly. “He’d just run into me with his cart and he looked like he was about to cry and, well, I didn’t want to upset him further by telling him I’m the prince. Did you know hitting me is actually treason ? Treason , Alexander. My father is ridiculous.”
Alec means to say something like ‘oh, that makes sense’ but what ends up coming out of his mouth is, “Thanks for not having Max hanged.”
What Alec said registers after a beat and he can feel his face heat up until it’s probably hot enough to fry an egg. Why is he such a disaster? Not that he isn’t grateful Magnus didn’t have Max hanged but… usually, his brain-to-mouth filter works a bit better than this. Then again, his brain-to-mouth filter has long been useless when it comes to Magnus.
“You’re welcome?” Magnus says, his voice lifting at the end of his sentence again. It’s unbearable cute. Cute and hot. What the fuck. He hops down off his horse and leads it closer, getting Bowie’s attention. “It’s a policy of mine to never execute someone under the age of twelve.
Alec watches Bowie lead Magnus’ horse, Freddie Mercury, to her favorite patch of grass and pansies fondly. Maybe this will be the memory that finally wipes sparkingly vampires from his memory.
“You weren’t at your shop today. I went and….you and Max weren’t there.”
“Oh, sorry, I had a last minute plan to visit my family.” Alec gazes at Magnus’ face, his expression creased in frustration and…concern? Alec truthfully hadn’t considered that Magnus would miss them. “I should have left a note or something. I don’t have your number, so…”
Alec expects Magnus to tease him. Is that a hint, Alexander? But the last thing he expected was Magnus to throw himself into Alec’s arms and pull him into the tightest hug Alec has ever experienced. It’s over as quickly as it began and Alec misses having Magnus in his arms the second he’s out of them. Magnus had fit perfectly, just the right height to tuck his head into Alec’s neck.
“I like you.”
“I like you too, Magnus. I’m sorry I worried you. Next time I’ll—”
“ No . I mean, yes, I was worried about you and Max but, that’s— I like you, Alexander. I…I wasn’t lying when you said you’ve unlocked something in me. Meeting you and Max has been the breath of fresh air I needed for so long. Fridays are the highlight of my week. I like you. I want to see you, well, every day and I want to go on dates and I want to learn to make goat milk soap and what the secret ingredient in your blueberry muffins is and I want to help you with Max. He’s an amazing little boy, Alexander and I think I lov—”
Alec doesn’t make the conscious decision to move. One second he’s frozen, listening to Magnus declare his wants and desires, his intentions, and the next, Magnus is in his arms again (where he belongs), his sticky, pink lips so, so soft beneath Alec’s.
He tastes like mint and burnt sugar and he smells overwhelmingly of sandalwood and home . Alec has never kissed anyone before but he can’t imagine a kiss could ever be better than this one. He wants to kiss Magnus forever. He wants to lay Magnus down in his favorite meadow, right in the anemones, and peel away all his layers and watch the sun kiss Magnus’ skin, follow the rays with his fingers and mouth. Alec wants so much all at once. It’s too much and not enough.
“I love you too,” Alec gasps, his chest heaving as he struggles to pull air into his lungs, as soon as they part. “If that’s what you were going to say, I love you too and I want everything you said too.”
“Really?”
Magnus’ lips are slick, red, and swollen. Alec has always found Magnus distracting but now… christ, Alec, focus.
“Well, not the secret ingredient part. That’s a family secret. But everything else.”
Magnus slaps his hand against Alec’s chest and it doesn’t hurt, nothing could hurt right now, but Alec says ow anyway and Magnus’ eyes soften and he kisses Alec’s chest. Alec can’t even be mad that the traces of lipgloss are going to stain his shirt, not when Magnus is looking at him like that. All soft happiness and love.
“Well,” Magnus starts, cupping Alec’s face in his hands, thumbs rubbing the line of his cheekbones. “I guess I’ll just have to marry you.”
* * *
Alec loves this bed. It has to be the softest bed in the entire world. It’s glorious except Alec never wants to get out of bed anymore. Not when he can stay in this amazing bed all day, holding one of the two most important people in his life in his arms. The metal on his fourth finger still feels unusual. He hits it on things and it’s surprised by its place there and is always, always filled with joy when he remembers. Magnus is my husband.
“Alexander? Why are you thinking so loud? It’s not even 5 am.” Magnus rolls in Alec’s arms and starts pressing wet, open kisses to Alec’s chest and the hollow of his throat, flicking his tongue out to lap at the sweat pooling there. “Didn’t I tire you out enough last night?”
Heat shoots through Alec at the reminder of their activities . Magnus had thoroughly tired him out but Alec was still habitually an early riser and today was a special day. Today he and Magnus wo— his thoughts are interrupted by their bedroom door slamming open and the human torpedo flying at their bed. Magnus shifts away from him, making room for Max to burrow between them.
“Daddy! Papa! Get up, get up! It’s coronation day!”