Archive of Our Own ^beta

“How do they always manage to get my bad side?” Magnus pouts at the painting from across the room, his head tilted in dismay at the old painting of him and Camille, whose side he gladly hung a blanket over as to not have to see the vampire every time he walked by.

Alec glanced up from the book he was reading that he had found on Magnus’ book shelf many weeks ago—Wuthering Heights, for the fiftieth time in a row, Magnus swears. Alec denied his love for the book rather diligently, always complaining about every sappy, romantic scene he came across in it—which was practically every scene—but Magnus knew the truth; Alec Lightwood is a sap at heart and such a literary nerd.

The Shadowhunter looked mortified by Magnus’ words, although the Warlock couldn’t see that considering his full attention was strained on the painting before him, the painting that Alec truly believed represented Magnus’ incredible beauty quite flatteringly, as about anything else with Magnus’ face on it would do. Alec took a moment to look at his boyfriend, like really look at him; at his gorgeous, shimmering cat eyes that captivated Alec anytime he looked into them, at his hard jawline and sharp curve of his eyes that hinted at his Asian ancestry, and at his beautiful golden skin that Alec could never keep himself from caressing any time it was available to him—and he couldn’t stop the quiet scoff that left his mouth upon doing so.

“What bad side?” the Shadowhunter murmured, more to himself than Magnus.

Alec had said it so quietly and faintly that he hadn’t expected Magnus to have heard him, the pause between them adding further proof to that theory, but then Alec saw the Warlock turn around to face him out of the corner of his eye. He lowered his book in response and met Magnus’ gaze, involuntarily shivering as he did so—he was looking at him like that again; like Alec had hung the moon and all the stars, like Alec was his whole world and more. It was a look Alec had been receiving a lot the past couple of weeks—ever since he had manned up and admitted his love for the other—and they had become even closer the following weeks after; practically inseparable.

Wherever Alec was, Magnus was bound to show, and wherever Magnus was, Alec was bound to follow; a fact that most certainly did not make Alec's Parabatai sulk to Clary over, thank you very much.

Things were moving so fast between the couple, Alec could admit, and it startled him to think about just how completely taken by this man he truly was in such a short amount of time. Alec wondered vaguely if he ever gave Magnus that same look the Warlock bestowed upon him; so intensely emotional and unguarded.

The Shadowhunter imagined so, now that he thought about it, because even though Magnus was “his” now—even though he could kiss and touch all he wants, even though he had the honor of calling Magnus his boyfriend—he still felt an insatiable longing for the Warlock. He had thought that feeling would go away after they became official, especially after they had proclaimed their love, but if anything it only grew stronger . No matter how many times they kissed, or held each other or said those three words that made Alec go weak in the knees every time; he always wanted more. He wanted to kiss him for longer, hold him tighter, and say ‘I love you’ every chance he got as they grew closer with each passing day.

Alec almost wanted to laugh at that thought. Only a few short weeks ago he had still been terrified to touch Magnus, much less open his heart to the man, and he had still been waging a constant internal battle inside of himself against allowing himself to have this—to have Magnus—versus sticking to the “status quo” of his life. Obviously, in the end, Alec had made the decision to let Magnus Bane into his heart—despite all of their differences and troubles they were bound to stumble upon—and it wasn’t hard for Alec to determine that it was easily the best decision he has ever made.

Not only did he have a powerful, loving, gorgeous boyfriend—but he also had himself now. For once in his life Alec was being true to who he was—to what he wanted—and by doing this he had somehow managed to attract and keep the affection of a man so far beyond his level that it wasn’t even funny. And, by having Magnus and being true to himself all at the same time, Alec had found a sense of happiness and contentment that he had never felt before. A feeling he had been so sure he would never get to experience; not until he met Magnus—

“Sorry, what was that?” Alec inquires, shaking himself out of his inner turmoil as he realized Magnus had said something which he was clearly expecting an answer back to.

“I asked you what you had said, Alexander,” answered Magnus, his head tilted, a small smile playing on his lips in both amusement and adoration.

Alec suddenly flushed a bright red. Magnus had heard him.

“I-I said I uhh…” Alec trails off, embarrassed, but Magnus simply waits for him to continue, patient as always. “I asked you wh-what bad side.”

Magnus smiled and he begun to slowly walk towards Alec. “Why,” he spoke, turning his head to where his left side was shown, “ this side.”

Alec shook his head with no hesitation, “There’s nothing wrong with it.” He says with a startling conviction. “With either side, I mean.”

Magnus’ smile brightens, but he continues to shake his head. “I beg to differ, Alexander,” he says as he stopped right in front of his Shadowhunter, standing in between Alec’s open legs, pouting. “My right is much more flattering than the left.”

Alec hesitated for a second but ultimately placed his book down on the couch beside him, reaching up and resting his hands on Magnus’ hips and tugging him forward. Magnus ignored the butterflies in his stomach at the display of affection Alec was always still so timid in initiating, shuffling forward obligingly until his legs hit the piece of furniture. He straddled Alec’s lap, scooting forward to slot himself against Alec perfectly, his knees hitting the back of the couch and wrapping his arms around Alec’s neck. Alec’s hands remained on the Warlock’s hips, except now he had rucked Magnus’ silk shirt up slightly in order to caress the golden skin he loved so dearly, rubbing soothing circles into his hips with his thumbs.

Not a second later, he leaned forward to peck Magnus’ mouth, a sweet, chaste kiss before he pulls away to look him in the eyes fully, “You have no bad side, Magnus Bane,” he lifted one arm to run his thumb soothingly under Magnus’ eye, smiling. “Every side is wonderful.”

Alec felt a burst of pride and no short of smugness when he saw the faint blush on Magnus’ cheeks. The Warlock rarely ever blushes—he’s been told the same old charming compliments many times over throughout the course of his life; nothing fazed him anymore—but this was Alec who was saying these things. Although Magnus knows that, deep down, Alec is a big softy and just as romantic as Magnus is, the Shadowhunter still never let himself voice these types of sweet, affectionate confessions. His young lover, who has had no past experience with romantic relationships, felt too embarrassed to speak these sweet nothings out loud.

Everything was still so new to the Shadowhunter, even awkward at times, so when they stumbled upon a rare moment when Alec actually let his emotional guard down and would whisper sweet nothings to him like that, it made Magnus’ heart swell. Alec’s kind words and reassurances affected him more than any other words from his past lovers ever have, and Magnus couldn’t really tell you exactly why , other than the fact that it’s just…   Alec .

Magnus has loved in the past, no doubt—he has even been in love in the past—but never like this.

“You flatter me too much, darling,” he finally replies.

Ale shrugs, “I could stop?”

“Do not even consider this!”

Alec laughs—the laugh that makes his eyes light up like lamps, his face brighten and morph from his natural brooding expression to one of delight, and his eyes adorably crinkle on the side—the laugh Magnus could record and listen to over and over and over again for the rest of his immortal life and never once grow tired of.

Alec’s happiness made Magnus happy, and it was so rare as of late for the Shadowhunter to be happy with the constant danger lurking around New York; it was so rare for Alec to be this way, so carefree and unguarded, with the threat of the war still looming over them. Only when he’s with Magnus does he truly allow himself to let go, even if only for a moment, and that caused Magnus to have his own burst of pride and smugness soar through his chest.

“You don’t either, you know,” answered Magnus, smiling all the while.

Alec tilts his head and scrunches his eyebrows in confusion, a habit Magnus found absolutely adorable.

“What?” he inquired.

“A bad side.” Magnus confirms, “You do not have one.”

Alec blushed, turning much redder than Magnus had, and looked away from the Warlock’s gaze in embarrassment, shaking his head.

Magnus frowns at the action. Alec never accepted the compliments Magnus bestowed upon—no matter how true they really were—and it both saddened and irritated the older. It wasn’t Alec he felt anger towards though— he would never be upset with Alec over his insecurities—instead it was all of the people who had even so much as a miniscule part in causing Alec to be this way; so unaccepting of his own beauty, both inside and out.

“Hey,” Magnus whispers, touching Alec’s cheek gently, tenderly, and smiling at his hunter’s bashfulness. “You are exquisite ,” he says as his eyes catch Alec’s once again.

Alec’s blush deepens at the compliment and he purses his lips, completely at a loss for words.

Magnus grins at the sheepishness, and because he loves the bashful blushing that spreads out across his boyfriend’s face at the slightest compliment, he continues. “My beautiful, lovely, and incredibly fine Alexander.” He gives a sad sigh, “There just aren’t enough words in the English language to properly describe-”

Magnus cuts himself off as Alec suddenly grabs the book he had lied beside him, his cheeks flaming red as he lifts it in between them, effectively covering his face and pretending to read.

Magnus had to fight the urge to laugh in favor of teasing the younger. “Aww, is my darling Shadowhunter embarrassed ?”

“Shut up, Mags,” Alec grumbles, his face turning an even deeper hue.

“You are ,” Magnus coos dramatically, reaching to pinch his cheeks.

Alec huffed, slapping his hands away with the book before allowing it to fall back down in order to glare at his boyfriend, “I hate you.”

“Whatever for, sweetheart?” asked Magnus, feigning innocence.

“For teasing me.”

Magnus smirked, unable to resist, “That’s not what you said last night—”

“—MAGNUS!” Alec shouts, eyes wide and so incredibly appalled, but the way his flush went from his face to the tip of his ears revealed the undeniable truth behind that statement.

The Warlock throws his head back and laughs, but couldn’t stop himself despite Alec’s already near-death by embarrassment. “They say that relationships have a lot to do with honesty, Alexan—”

Magnus lets out an abrupt “oof” as Alec suddenly lunges towards him and swing them around, causing Magnus to now be laying down on his back on the couch, Alec lying on top of him with his head and upper body on the Warlock’s chest and his lower body in between the older's legs; now unable to be seen unless he were to lift his head.

Magnus snorts as Alec just goes slack on top of him, settling all of his deadweight on the older, but lifts his hand up to run it through Alec’s hair gently, settling back without protest. “We shall work on the receiving of compliments later,” he decides.

Alec sighs, defeated, “You just never give up, do you?”

“It is a primary characteristic of my existence, yes,”

Alec lifts his head from where his cheek had been squashed into Magnus’ chest, only to slam it back down with his face pressed into him, Magnus yelping and laughing all at once as he did so.

Alec’s response came muffled but Magnus understood it all the same, “I hate you.”

Magnus grins, “I love you-u!” he sing-songs.

The Shadowhunter sprawled on top of him sighs once again and, because now was one of the perfect chances to do that he had mentioned earlier, grumbles, “I love you too," in a very vexing tone.

The older of the two smiles, satisfied, while the younger pretended to sulk into Magnus’ chest, completely unaware that his boyfriend could feel the smile being pressed against him.