#but I really doubt that’s the case. I think we’re meant to assume izzy is Ed’s longest surviving relationship

[mossiestpiglet]

I can’t believe we finally got a hint at how long Ed and Izzy have known each other and it was through a Fang name lore drop. They’re killing us on purpose

[bytheangell]

If Yesterday’s Too Heavy, Put It Down (3/5)

(Read on AO3)

Magnus can’t help but think back to the last time he thought he had forever - a proper, eternal forever - with someone. He thinks back to a red gemstone necklace, to a vampire he gave his heart to forever, only to have ‘forever’ last less time than some of his relationships with mortals. He knows better than to be naive enough to allow himself to believe that he and Alec will actually be together for a proper forever. However, the idea of having more than a handful of decades with Alec is more than he ever imagined he’d have and he’s grateful for the possibility of them.

For what it’s worth, Alec truly seems to believe the words he says. Magnus knows that he can’t possibly grasp the idea of what living forever will actually entail, what that sort of burden and the losses that come with it will truly feel like over time, but he seems to have given it more consideration than Magnus first thought. Selfishly, he’s glad that Alec wants it. Magnus wants it for them, more than he’d ever admit given the normal alternatives to obtaining it. He hates that the choice was taken from them, away from Alec, but in a way, it makes the situation easier. He won’t have to tell his family and friends that he chose a life that would go on long after they’re dead, he’ll at least be spared that particular hardship, even if it’s a choice he would’ve made willingly.

And, just as selfishly, should things go sour between them then Magnus doesn’t have to live with the burden that it was a choice Alec made for him should he come to regret it.

That isn’t to say they’re just accepting it and moving on. As promised, Magnus gets permission to inform Catarina so that she can perform an extensive series of exams on both him and Underhill to make sure there aren’t any side-effects that Isabelle’s normal medical tests may have missed. Andrew agrees, again on the terms that Catarina does not say anything to anyone else, especially not to Lorenzo.

In fact, that seems to be the only part of this Underhill cares about, given the first words out of his mouth when he comes over to Magnus’ loft to meet with himself, Alexander, and Catarina.

“I just wanted to thank you for keeping this between us,” Underhill says.

“Of course,” Magnus says, but he frowns. “Just for now,” Magnus emphasizes. “Right?”

Underhill shifts uncomfortably and Magnus takes this opportunity while Alec is off chatting to Cat about something to have a bit of a heart-to-heart with the Shadowhunter he doesn’t know all that well.

“Listen, I know it isn’t… ideal. But he deserves to know, too. Especially if you two are-”

“That’s the thing,” Underhill cuts him off. “We’re seeing each other, yeah. And it’s good. Like, surprisingly good. But he hasn’t even said he loves me yet,” Underhill sighs. “I mean, I haven’t said it yet either, but that’s the whole point. We aren’t there yet, I can’t just go and drop immortality on him.”

“Can’t you?” Magnus counters, his tone kind. He isn’t trying to judge Underhill for his fear or rush the decision, he just wants to make sure that Underhill is thinking this through properly. “Don’t you think this might be something that’d be better to develop your relationship around the knowledge of, rather than lying about it?”

Underhill pales, his hands tensing into fists at his side for a moment. “I’m not… I’m not lying. I just haven’t told him yet. I’m sure there are plenty of things about him that I should know that he hasn’t told me yet. It’s… like that.”

At least he didn’t say ‘it’s the same’, Magnus thinks. While Underhill has a point, he’s positive there are plenty of things that Lorenzo is keeping from the Shadowhunter, a few centuries’ worth, most likely, he doesn’t think it’s quite the same.

Mangus begins to wonder if this is really a conversation he wants to be having. He doesn’t owe any sort of personal friendship allegiance to Underhill or Rey to be taking sides, but he does have a personal sense of right and wrong, and keeping this from Rey feels wrong.

Cat and Alec are making their way over and Mangus can only take a deep breath and nod, cutting their conversation short. “For what it’s worth, I think you should tell him. And sooner, rather than later. But I won’t take that decision from you-” Magnus adds quickly when Underhill immediately opens his mouth to speak again. “-so no need to worry about that on top of everything else.”

“Thank you. Again,” Underhill says. “I’ll think about what you said.”

Alec gives them a strange look but doesn’t ask, trusting Magnus to fill him in later if it’s important.

At the end of three hours full of Catarina pulling out all the healing and medical magic she can think of, they can at least say that Alec and Underhill appear to be fine, all things considered. In very simplified terms, the curse simply stopped their cells from aging and deteriorating - their hair and nails will still grow, they may gain and lose weight, but they’re no longer aging. Outside of that change, they’re still fully human, fully Shadowhunters, with nothing tarnishing their Nephilim blood or abilities.

All in all, it could certainly be worse. Magnus wonders if the demon meant to do more harm than it did, or if it simply understood the true weight of an immortal existence.

“You’re still going to look into a counter, right?” Underhill asks on his way out.

“Of course,” Cat promises, and Magnus feels for him. Alec took the news surprisingly well but Underhill is reacting in much the way Magnus would anticipate someone to react when faced with the news that they’re suddenly immortal: afraid, uncertain, upset.

And they do look for a counter to the curse, of course they do. Magnus would like to have it as an option for Alexander as well, just in case, and so Magnus and Catarina make several appointments with old friends who might be more knowledgeable on the subject as well as trips to the Spiral Labyrinth to look into some of the texts there.

They look for days, which turn into weeks, which turn into months. As their search draws out, the time they have to devote to the cause grows more sparse - there are always new problems cropping up in the Shadow World, after all, and it isn’t as if this is public knowledge they can cite for putting other tasks off.

He and Alexander have a number of serious discussions on the matter, with Magnus doing his best to ease Alec into the less pleasant aspects of the future he now faces. Alec tells Jace, because of course he can’t keep this from his parabatai, but that’s it.

Magnus does his best to be supportive and not try and step in too often. When Alec doesn’t tell his parents, or Max, or anyone else, Magnus can only reassure him that he’ll be there when he’s ready. Alec decides to wait until Andrew’s ready to tell Lorenzo before he spreads the word too far... but of course, that’s at the beginning. The longer Andrew keeps his own secret, the more difficult Magnus can tell it is for Alec to do the same.

“You can tell them if you want,” Magnus reminds him one night, watching the way Alec fiddles with the cell phone in his hands after hanging up from a call with his mom. “You don’t have to wait.”

Alec shakes his head. “No. I just want to give Andrew a little more time… I can barely keep Jace and Izzy quiet about it, you know once my parents find out the entire Clave will know by dinner.”

Magnus tried to push the issue a few times before but doesn’t anymore. As much as telling Lorenzo is Underhill’s decision, telling his parents is Alec’s - Magnus might strongly believe that sooner is better for both of them but he has to remind himself that it isn’t his call to make. If Alec wants to wait for Underhill, that’s his decision. However, Magnus starts to wonder if Alec might be using waiting for Underhill as an excuse to push off talking to his parents because he isn’t sure how to break the news to them.

It’s only a matter of time, Magnus knows... but that time stretches on longer and longer with no change. There’s no cure to be found, nothing new in Catarina’s medical examinations, and no changes in Underhill’s reluctance to talk to Lorenzo. Magnus asks him occasionally, always hoping that the answer will be different, but it never is. What he does discover is that Andrew is very, very much in love with the warlock. Magnus assumes this will make the decision to tell him about the curse easier, but apparently he’s wrong.

“Don’t you get it?” Underhill tells Magnus one of the times he checks in with him. “If I tell him now it’ll feel like I’m manipulating him into staying with me. I don’t want that. I want him to want to stay on his own, not out of guilt.”

“I doubt Lorenzo will do anything he doesn’t want to do,” Magnus says, with a hint of a well-meant jab at Lorenzo’s typically self-serving nature. He half-expects Andrew to take offense to the implication.

Instead, the Shadowhunter gives Magnus a small smile. “You don’t know him like I do,” Underhill says simply.

“Do you know him well enough to trust that he’d be honest with you, for better or worse, after you tell him what happened?” Magnus suggests. By now there’s no denying what he thinks Underhill should do, his words and questions obviously biased towards that result.

Andrew considers it for a second, then frowns. “I don’t know,” he admits. “I hope he would… I’d like to think he would, but I’m not positive. I just want to be sure before I do something I can’t take back.”

Okay, perhaps Magnus can get that on some level, even if he doesn’t completely agree with it. It isn’t the decision he’d make but it also isn’t his decision to make, as much as he and Alec try to sway Underhill into seeing things from their perspective. They’ve been down this road before, after all - more than once, with mistakes made on both their parts enough to know it’s a bad idea all around.

Magnus decides to offer one last bit of advice before Andrew leaves. “Everyone thinks they’re better at hiding secrets than they are; it’s only a matter of time before he finds out something’s up. Trust me when I say you want him to hear it from you.”

---

Magnus doesn’t talk to Andrew much after that - really, he’s said all he can to help and the rest is up to him to come to terms with.

Nearly six months after that fateful off-the-record mission there’s a knock at his door, and Magnus opens it to find himself face-to-face with a rather distressed looking Lorenzo Rey.

“Bane,” Lorenzo says by way of a greeting. “I don’t suppose you have a moment to talk?”

The request catches Magnus off guard. They don’t hate one another by any means, they’re actually quite friendly these days in professional settings, but it isn’t like Lorenzo to simply drop by unannounced for a little chat. Magnus certainly doesn’t expect the next words that come out of Lorenzo’s mouth.

“I could use your advice.”

[axelsagewrites]

Jace Herondale*Mundane

Ship(s): Jace x Mundane!reader

Request: nope

Warnings: Lies?

Masterlist HERE

Wattpad HERE

My friends constantly questioned me about my boyfriend. When I'd met Jace I never thought to mention him to them, but things got more serious and when he became my boyfriend, I told them. Because they'd never met him, and it was apparently 'so sudden' they didn't believe me.

Jace and I had met while I was working. I'd been the one who'd served him during my shift at the café and thought nothing of it. He'd come in every Thursday at the same time which happened to be the one shift I always worked. One Thursday I was on my break I'd ordered myself some lunch, but the staff room was being redone so I decided to sit in the café. During my break, he walked in and looked confused when he didn't see me. He'd already ordered when he'd spotted me.

Despite never talking to him unless to tell him his total or the specials he walked over to my table. "Is it alright if I sit here?"

"Yeah sure," He sat across from me. "I'm (Y/N),"

"I know," he chuckled, nodding at my name tag. "I'm Jace,"

"I know," I copied, pointing to the coffee cup with his name on it.

We talked for a bit, but my break eventually ended. It started becoming more serious and serious as the weeks went on. He'd come in on Thursdays and stay till my shift ended then we'd go out. I found out Thursday was the only full day he got off worked.

"You ever thought about quitting your job?" I asked one day, "I mean they only give you one full day off and it's a Thursday. Where's the fun in that?"

"I mean its quite flexible. If it's not busy I can go out and stuff,"

"Yeah, but they always end up calling you away. I doubt you get paid enough. What is it you even do?"

Jace looked down for a moment, "It's like-you probably wouldn't get it,"

"Try me,"

"I'm kind of in training. My job is to keep people safe. Make sure everything is where it's supposed to be and when it goes wrong to fix it,"

"So, like a police officer?"

"Kind of. You can't just call up for help. Something serious has to be wrong,"

"Like a detective?" I asked.

He smiled, "Basically yeah. Something like that,"

"Well, in that case, I know you don't get paid enough,"

We began meeting on Thursdays, which I now requested off, and he'd drop by at random times when work let him away. Even if I was in college he'd sneak in, somehow unnoticed despite the tattoos and leather. Honestly, I was surprised no one was drooling over him since I nearly was.

Often times he'd come to hang out in my flat. We'd watch movies, cook food, and rant about life. Though he seemed to be holding back.

Jace had come over tonight, using the spare key I'd gave him, and was ranting about work. "And they're being so overbearing. Like I had to help this girl but since I didn't do it by the book Alec's been on my case the whole time. Plus, Isabelle isn't helping since all she wants to do is skive off and annoy him."

"Who's Alec and Isabelle?" I asked. Normally he just said some guy or girl from work.

"Oh, um my brother and sister," he stuttered out, "haven't I mentioned them?"

"Nope. Don't think so," I said, "I'm sure they mean well. So, do you all do the same job?"

"Basically,"

"So, is this like a family business or...?"

"Yeah," Jace perked up, "yeah it's like a family business which is why it doesn't really have a name,"

"You'd think if it was family, they'd be easier on you. You're their brother, even if you're wrong, they should have your back,"

This time he sulked, "It's complicated. Anyway, how was your day?"

I bit back a frown as I told him about my boring day. Jace always seemed to be holding back, "My friends have been asking to meet you,"

His eyes went wide, "I don't know if that's a great idea," he tried to shrug it off.

"Don't worry," I rolled my eyes, "I'm sure they'll love you. Besides they seem to think I'm making you up out of thin air. Just come out with us tonight,"

"I don't know,"

"Please," I pouted, "You can keep me safe? I thought that was part of your job?"

Jace looked at me for a few seconds, "Okay. I'll need to call to say I won't be back but if work call- "

"Your half to go," I finished his sentence, "I know. I get it,"

The night seemed to be off to a great start. Jace turned on the charms and all my friends like him even if he didn't seem like my normal type. The bar we'd went to was decently busy but not too bad. It took a while and a couple drinks, but I dragged Jace up to dance.

Jace was grinning, his hands resting on my waist as we danced to the music. My friends were dancing nearby but got the hint to dance away a little bit. "I'm glad I came out," he told me over the music.

"Told you it'd be fun!" I said as he grabbed my hand to give me a little spin, "Aren't you hot with that jacket on?"

"A little bit I'm fine,"

"I told you to check it. It's the 21st century. Nobody cares about your tattoos," I said. Jace had always tried to cover them up. The one on his neck always pocked out his t-shirt though.

"Yeah well- "he looked off into the crowd and got quiet, "go to your friends."

"What?"

"I'll be back in a minute," he grabbed my arm and gave me a little shove in my friend's direction. I steadied myself as I grabbed my arm. Before I could say anything, he was going through the crowd.

"What the hell," I muttered as I joined my friends.

"Who does he think he is?" One of them said, about to march over.

I put my arm out to stop him, "Not the now,"

"Look at your arm!" I looked down and saw a faint mark where he'd grabbed me.

"He's never done that before," I said. My friends gave me a look, "Oh be quiet. I'm not defending him. There's no point chasing him,"

They all agreed, and we decided to try forgetting what had happened, but I kept looking over to see if he'd come back. He didn't.

When we left the bar, I didn't feel right. They all wanted to go somewhere else, but I decided to call a cab and go home. The whole time I was texting Jace.

Where'd you go?

What's wrong with you?

Why do you do that?

You'd you think you are?

Wow, no answer? Really?

Call me or were over

I went to bed that night with no phone call and the same uneasy feeling. All my plans for the next day were with Jace but I assumed they were canceled and didn't set an alarm before bed.

"(Y/N), wake up," I groaned as someone shook me lightly. I squinted, pained by the burning light. "You awake?"

"What the hell do you want Jace?" I groaned as I rolled over to sleep again.

"I need to talk to you. Wake up. Please," he sounded desperate. I turned to look at him and his eyes looked redder than normal. "You've got to believe me,"

"Believe what?" he was still wearing the same clothes from last night but now his jeans had dirt on them, and some weird stain was on his t-shirt.

"I lied. I'm not a detective. I'm a shadowhunter,"

"You're what?"

And that was when I learned my boyfriend was crazy. He went on and on about Downworlders and angels and demons and weird sounding weapons and a clave?

Once he was finished, he looked at me, "You need to be locked up, "I said. "something is seriously wrong with you,"

"You've got to believe me,"

"How am I supposed to believe someone who says fairies are real? Huh, Jace? How are you going to prove any of that?"

Jace rolled his sleeve up and pulled out some stick thingy. "watch this," he ran it over one of his tattoos. It started lighting up and my eyes bulged, "See? And watch when I do it to this one," he did it to another one and he disappeared.

"Jace? Jace!? Where the hell did you go?!" I yelled.

He reappeared, drawing on another rune, "see? I can't make that up,"

"Oh my god, I'm crazy,"

"You're not crazy. We're just not allowed to show mundane this,"

"Then why are you telling me? I don't want to be labeled some crazy whack!"

He sighed and sat next to me, "Last night, in the bar, I saw a demon. I'd been on a mission early with Alec and one got away. It followed me. That's why I hide my runes when I'm with you. I don't want people who know what I am to see me. It would put you in danger"

"But surely telling me puts me in danger too?"

"I couldn't protect you if you didn't know. When we first started talking it wasn't meant to be serious. I was sick of the shadow world and you gave me an out. I can't risk someone coming after you,"

"Who'd want to come after me?"

"Do you remember when I said families complicated?" I nodded, "Alec and Izzy aren't really my family. Not by blood anyway. I went to live with them after my dad died. But he didn't really die and now he's back. I didn't come from nice people. Shadowhunters aren't meant to mingle with Mundane because it isn't safe. If the silent brothers found out they'd lock me up at best,"

"who are the silent brothers?"

"That's an even longer story,"

"Okay so if I know about the shadow world but I can't tell anyone, and you can't tell anyone about me what am I meant to do? Hide in my apartment?"

"No. I've got a plan,"

Why don't I like the idea of this?

[bytheangell]

Dreaming Wide Awake - Ch 4

(read on AO3) (read from the start)

The weekend home before his trip with Alec is a whirlwind of events. With so little time to spend with his friends and family there he’s out from dawn until well beyond dusk, grabbing coffees or dinners or hitting up the local bars… even making time for the bowling alley with Cat, Ragor, and the rest of their friends from home who are all equal parts disappointed to wait an extra month to have him back properly and eager to hear all about his vacation with his new boyfriend when he does get back. 

For the sake of avoiding awkward (and potentially incriminating towards their story) comments on any social media posts he might make, Magnus decides it’s easiest to just tell everyone he and Alec recently started dating. Only Ragnor and Catarina know the truth. He figures he owes that much to them, as they’ve put up with much of his lamenting over dating not being the case ever since he developed feelings for Alec. 

“You’re positive you want to do this?” Ragnor asks one last time as they have a parting drink the night before Magnus leaves. 

“Am I positive I want to spend a month in Italy with the gorgeous guy I like?” Magnus turns the question around on him, eyebrow arched. 

Ragnor rolls his eyes. “You know that isn’t the part I meant. And, for the record, I still think this is a terrible idea.” 

“Yes, I’m aware. You’ve managed to say it about a dozen times a day since it happened. And for the dozenth time in today’s batch: yes, I’m positive I want to do this. I’ll be fine.” Even as he says the words out loud he feels the swell of doubt rise up around them. 

“We’re just a skype call away if you end up being wrong,” Cat reminds him reassuringly. 

“You mean when he ends up being-” Ragnor starts, much less reassuringly, before Magnus cuts him off. 

“Thanks. Both of you, I suppose, but mostly Cat who is my only true friend here it seems.” He sniffs dramatically in feigned affront. 

They finish their drinks and turn in early so Magnus isn’t a walking zombie while meeting Alec’s parents for the first time the following morning. As his 4 am alarm goes off he hits it without even opening his eyes, cursing the Lightwoods for having such an early flight. He has enough bags to carry without worrying about the ones under his eyes, which he does his best to mask with concealer on the cab ride to the airport. 

The only good thing about this hour is the general lack of traffic. He gets to the airport early, which means he gets there extra early, as he already planned on making sure to beat the Lightwoods to make a good first impression. He winds up falling asleep in a chair that should, realistically, be too uncomfortable to actually nap in, only to snap awake at the sound of his name. 

“Magnus!” 

His eyes open to the sight of Alec, a coffee the size of his head held tightly in one hand while the other wheels luggage behind him in addition to a duffle over his shoulder. Next is Isabelle who - like Magnus - clearly gave herself some extra time to get ready this morning, looking a vision in strappy heels and a red dress. Bringing up the rear are who Magnus can only assume are Maryse, Robert, and Max. 

“Alec!” Magnus greets, forcing the enthusiasm through his hazy sleepiness as he stands up and takes a few steps toward Alec to meet him. Once they reach one another, though, they both freeze. They didn’t consider this part of things, which in retrospect is a terrible mistake. Do they hug? Kiss? Continue to stand there staring at one another like they never met before in their entire lives? 

Magnus knows what he’d like to do. That much is easy enough: he wants to use this as an excuse to greet Alec with the sort of soft, lingering kiss he never gets to during their hookups. And if he knew Alec would be okay with it right off the bat he’d have no trouble doing it now. The problem is that he doesn’t want to overstep - how much of a show is he supposed to put on before Alec might grow uncomfortable with how eager Magnus is to play this role? How many not-strictly-necessary kisses would it take before Alec would realize--

“You don’t have to not kiss on our behalf,” Maryse says, coming up behind Alec (who turns rather red at the comment and suddenly grows extremely interested in his shoes). It’s difficult to read her tone - she seems like the sort of person who is curt and to-the-point more often than not, but her words feel almost dismissive. 

Of course, he could just be reading too much into it. It’s early. Everyone’s tired, and he’s a stranger among their family. Of course she’s going to sound a little distant… right? 

“Duly noted, Mrs. Lightwood,” Magnus says with a small, nervous laugh. He’s glad that any nerves will be chalked up to meeting the parents for the first time - which they are not about - and not the fact that he has no idea how to comfortably act like Alec’s boyfriend - which they are 100% about. 

“How do you look so perfect for 7 am in an airport?” Alec asks, and Magnus laughs genuinely this time, dispelling any awkwardness from a moment ago. 

“A cab ride full of concealer and eye cream,” Magnus admits. 

At that Maryse turns back to properly take in his appearance, lingering on his eyes which are done up with liner and a touch of shadow. For a moment Magnus is afraid she’s about to make some comment about boys and makeup. 

She looks him up and down, considering, and then says, “I don’t suppose you have any to spare? As the driver this morning, I didn’t get that extra hour some of us did for makeup.” The last bit is added very pointedly in Isabelle’s direction. 

“I offered to drive-” Isabelle starts, but is quickly cut off by a chorus of frantic, “No!”s from the rest of her family, Max included, leaving her to drop her bag next to a chair and sit down with a pout. 

Magnus barely hides the look of pleasant surprise from his face, but manages to only allow Alec to catch the brief flicker of it before he turns back to Alec’s mother. 

“Of course! Let me find it…” Magnus doesn’t have to do much digging in his bag, as it was recently used and still at the top, before pulling out the product and hanging it over to Mrs. Lightwood with a smile. “Here you go, have at it.” 

“Thank you, Magnus. You’re a lifesaver. All of mine is buried in the very bottom of my luggage, it would be a disaster to try and get to it without ruining the entire suitcase.” 

“Which I barely managed to close as it is,” Robert points out. 

Maryse rolls her eyes before wandering off towards the nearest restroom to use the mirror, and Magnus looks down to see the practically bulging bag in question. It looks one wrong move away from exploding the contents out of it cartoon-style. 

As far as first impressions go, Magnus thinks to himself that this one is probably one of his better experiences with someone’s parents. Alec sidles up to him, arms now free of luggage and coffee, to wrap one of said free arms around Magnus’ waist; Magnus tenses instinctively before allowing himself to ease into it. 

 He questions whether he’ll ever get used to such casual moments with Alec, only to find he’s more afraid that he will, and that’d be an even bigger problem when their month is up and it’s back to the way things were before. 

“She likes you already,” Alec says, grinning. 

“She loves that my makeup was at the top of my bag,” Magnus corrects, but secretly hopes Alec is right. “Your father’s been suspiciously quiet, though,” he adds, glancing in Robert’s direction. 

“...that’s probably for the best. He doesn’t have much good to say when he does speak around me these days…” Alec mutters, and Magnus feels an immediate pang of sympathy. 

Alec doesn’t talk about his family too often, and when he does it’s usually to vent. Which makes sense, given their usual turn of events from venting angry frustrations to relieving that stress via spectacular sex.  So of course Magnus knows when Alec is stressed out about his family or having a fight with his parents, but everyone has those days. He didn’t realize it was as constant of a tension as Alec hints. 

Before Magnus has a chance to say anything about it Alec’s younger brother is standing in front of him, eyeing him curiously. 

  “You’re wearing girl makeup.” Max states simply. Magnus cringes internally but manages to keep a diplomatic smile on his face all the while. 

“Max!” Alec hisses, not quite as patient while his face betrays his instant mortification. 

“Actually, Max, it’s just makeup. It doesn’t have to be for girls, boys can wear it, too.” He gives the correction gently, doing his best to make this a teachable moment. After all, one is never too young to learn the importance of-

“Max, why don’t you come over here? I need help with something.” Robert calls over suddenly, and though Max sees nothing suspicious about the sudden and vague request that draws his attention away from Magnus it’s very clear to the rest of them why Robert called him away. 

“Sorry about him,” Alec says, and if Magnus isn’t mistaken he thinks he can hear a slight shake to his words. “I didn’t think he’d be this much of an ass right away.” 

“No apologies necessary, really,” Magnus reassures him. “It isn’t your fault. And a little avoidance is hardly the worst I’ve had to suffer in my life.” It’s sad, but true, that situations such as this one hardly phase him anymore. The only reason he cares at all is because he really wants Alec’s parents to like him… and so far that judgment seems to be very up for debate. 

The time before boarding passes quickly with Alec and Izzy talking to him for most of it, as well as some generic (and slightly forced) get-to-know-you lines of questioning from Alec’s parents (mostly Maryse). 

It’s a relief when they board and he gets a row with Izzy and Alec, leaving the others behind them where he doesn’t have to talk to them for the next 8 hours. 

“Want to share?” Alec asks, holding out one of his wireless headphones for Magnus to take. Magnus doesn’t even question what music Alec is listening to - over their year and a half of friendship the pair of them often traded music and movie recs, to the point that for the most part each has a good enough idea of what the other does and doesn’t like without having to ask. There isn’t a doubt in Magnus’ mind that he’ll enjoy whatever is playing - Alec wouldn’t hand it to him otherwise. 

He wonders briefly when he started trusting Alec so implicitly.

He wonders if it wouldn’t be wiser to try and stop that instinct while he’s ahead, before he’s entrusting Alec with more than he means to. 

Taking the headphone, the sound that reaches his ears startles a laugh out of him. 

“You’re really listening to Simon’s band on your phone?” Magnus questions, giving Alec an incredulous look. 

“Oh, but not just any of Simon’s music; what’s gracing your eardrums right now is one of six previously unheard, unreleased tracks from his upcoming project. He wants my - which by association is now our - quote: ‘honest, unforgiving feedback’.” 

“...we’re going to tell him we love it no matter what, aren’t we?” Magnus asks, and Alec nods emphatically. 

“Oh, absolutely.” They share a knowing grin before both fall silent, listening to over 30 minutes of what ends up being a surprisingly promising sample of new tracks. When they’re finished Magnus tries to stay awake to talk with Alec a little longer, but despite his best efforts that early morning wake-up finally gets to him and he falls asleep. 

Alec shakes him awake for lunch and they make it through part of a movie before it’s Alec’s turn to give in to sleep, eyes drooping once, and then twice, before his head drops to the side and falls onto Magnus’ shoulder. Magnus shifts slightly so that Alec’s head can rest more comfortably for both of them and catches Izzy’s gaze in the process. She smiles at him, something soft and appreciative over the sight of Alec curled up against him. He should feel reassured that she seems to approve but all he can feel is a twinge of guilt. He doesn’t deserve that look - he isn’t taking care of Alec, not the way she thinks he is. 

Not the way he wants to. 

 He isn’t tired anymore but he also isn’t up for the ‘so, you and alec…’ line of questioning he can see on the tip of Izzy’s tongue, so he closes his eyes before she can start and leans his head over to rest against Alec’s. Out of sheer force of will he manages to fall asleep on and off again the rest of the flight. 

The plane lands on time and they grab their bags out of the overhead compartments before shuffling down the aisle and out of the plane. 

“Holy shit, even the airport is gorgeous,” Magnus says, eyeing the impressive arched ceiling of the airport which is a far cry from the ones he’s used to in New York and Jersey. The black and off-white sleek design is strikingly modern, with the second floor visible from the first through curved walkways and carved out flooring, giving the building an open feel not normally associated with the rushed, cramped image of an airport full of people and lines and chairs crammed together for efficiency, not style. 

Alec laughs. “If you’re that impressed already I won’t even have to try the rest of the trip.” 

Magnus knows Alec’s only joking, but it’s enough to make him rethink the way he’s reacting to the things around them. He wants to make a good first impression, after all, not highlight how entirely uncultured he is every time he opens his mouth. The difference between him and the Lightwoods is… well, it’s a lot. His family never hurt for money but they weren’t particularly well off, either. Magnus lived a comfortable life growing up, traveling abroad once for a school trip and once on a ‘vacation’ to Indonesia to visit family there. 

His comfort ran out his senior year in high school, unfortunately, when Magnus didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the Army like his father, and his father before him. They were a proud line of military commanders and Magnus wanted no part of it. The only reason he’s in the same college as Alec is because of his scholarship - his father made it very clear if Magnus wanted to ‘waste his studies’ focusing on human rights law then he could support himself. 

So he did. 

He imagines he will be for the rest of his life now, estranged from the only father he ever knew over something as petty as not wanting to go into what had become somewhat of a family tradition… and that’s a train of thought Magnus is quick to cut off, knowing that Alec is very likely going to enter into his own family’s firm after graduation next year. It’d make sense - the money and status right off the bat would be impossible to beat anywhere else. 

“Magnus? You alright?” Alec asks, and Magnus realizes he’s been lost in his thoughts long enough that he blindly followed Izzy to the baggage claim without even noticing he was walking. 

“Yeah, sorry. Just thinking.” Magnus says, and the answer is so pointedly vague that Alec just makes a noncommittal noise of understanding but doesn’t pry. 

“Come on everyone! The car is waiting!” Maryse calls out to get everyone’s attention, and Magnus is thankful for the immediate distraction from his drifting thoughts. It’ll be another few hours of travel to Sperlonga, where the villa they’re staying in is located. 

Magnus grabs his bag and turns to follow Maryse with Alec right beside him, heading towards a six-seater van that takes them to the house on the coast. It’s evening in Italy already so the drive isn’t much for sight-seeing. Magnus mostly regrets falling asleep on the plane for as long as he did because now he knows he’ll be awake most of the night and half-asleep tomorrow for their first proper day here. 

Then again, with the whole month in front of them, maybe he can just sleep in and not do anything tomorrow. He realizes that he hadn’t spoken with Alec much about plans for the trip - are the Lightwoods the sort to have every moment already scheduled to a T, or could he spend every single day inside of the villa if he wanted to (not that he ever would, but hypothetically)? 

“So what’s on the agenda for tomorrow?” he asks casually. 

“Whatever you want,” Alec replies almost immediately.

“And if I want to sleep in and get breakfast at noon?” Magnus offers as a test. 

“Then mid-day mimosas it is,” Alec agrees without missing a beat. “We usually take the first few days to adjust to the time change anyway - unless you want to do something right away, which we totally can. It’s all pretty relaxed, I think my mom booked a vineyard visit one day next week, maybe? But there isn’t an itinerary or anything like that. And we don’t all have to do the same thing - if you want to skip out on something at any point just say the word. I want you to have fun this month, not just feel like you’re tagging along.” 

It’s a nice sentiment and all, but Magnus can’t imagine a scenario of this where he doesn’t feel exactly like that. It isn’t as if Alec’s family knows him at all so of course he’s mostly going to feel like an outsider... which he knew going into this, of course. In fact, Magnus is counting on it to work in his favor - the more he can remind himself of that, the less likely he is to grow too comfortable in a role that isn’t really his. 

“Of course,” he says out loud, with a forced smile Alec can’t see in the dark anyway. 

“If you think I’m going anywhere besides the pool tomorrow, you’re sorely mistaken,” Isabelle chimes up from the seat in front of them, and they chat a bit amongst themselves the rest of the ride over places they might want to go throughout the month. There are quite a few places he rattles off, some he’s mentioned to Alexander before like Matera, and others he’s sure the Lightwoods have seen a million times over like Siena and Cinque Terre. 

Despite his previous concerns over sleep Magnus finds himself surprisingly travel-worn by the time they arrive. Even in the dark he can tell that the place is impressive; and when Alec said coastal he meant coastal - Magnus can hear the crashing waves close by even if he can’t see them and can only imagine the view the morning will bring. 

Magnus does his best not to gape when they step into the house itself. It has more than enough space for the six of them and the kitchen and dining area is the size of Magnus’ entire apartment back home. 

The Lightwoods are immediately at home the moment they walk in the door, with Max making a bee-line for the kitchen and Robert heading off towards what Magnus assumes is his and Maryse’s bedroom with their luggage in tow. Isabelle looks about to do the same when Maryse stops her. 

“Isabelle, Alec, the two of you should switch rooms this time,” she says, a suggestion which garners immediate disapproval from both siblings. 

“What?” “Why?!” 

“I know Alec doesn’t mind the smaller space for himself, but considering he has a guest this time I think it’s only fair to give the two of them the larger room. Don’t you?” Maryse points out, and though she words it like an option the tone behind her words makes it very clear that this is happening, one way or another. 

“Oh, I’m sure it’s fine, Alexander and I can make do with-” Magnus begins, not wanting to be the reason for a family spat this early in the trip, but Izzy is already relaxed beside him from her original outburst. 

“No, it’s fine! I didn’t even think about that. Alec always gives me the room with the bigger bed because he knows I’m the spoiled little sister. But you two need it much more than I do.” Izzy adds that last part lower so Maryse doesn’t hear, coupling it with a suggestive wink as she passes by the two of them. “Enjoy!” 

Well, she might not know the true nature of their relationship but she isn’t wrong about every aspect of it. Magnus does his best not to laugh at the look of pure mortification on Alec’s face.

“Something wrong?” Maryse asks, but the strange look on Alec’s face passes just as quickly behind a flash of a smile. 

“No, nothing- come on, Magnus, I’ll show you to our room.” Alec says quickly, turning away from his mom and starting off in the same direction Isabelle just went. 

Our room , Magnus thinks, thankful Alec can’t see the small smile that tugs involuntarily at the corners of his lips before he can hide it. 

Magnus doesn’t know why he didn’t consider it before. Of course Alec’s parents would expect them to stay in the same room - they aren’t high schoolers who need to be separated and checked in on before bed, after all. 

It’s a nice sized room, with more than enough closet and dresser space for the two of them and a television mounted to the wall in front of the king-sized bed. Alec is already looking from the bed to Magnus, biting down on his lip for a moment in thought. Instead of asking what he’s thinking Magnus simply waits for Alec to say whatever’s on his mind. 

“You can take the bed,” Alec says finally. 

Magnus furrows his brow and looks at Alec like he has seven heads. “What?” 

“I just - I was going to offer to stay in the spare room but that’s weird, if we’re dating. So I’ll just crash on the floor.” 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Magnus says, very aware of the effort it takes for him to keep the conflicting emotion he feels out of his tone.  “We can share the bed.” 

“Are you sure?” Alec asks, eyeing Magnus carefully. Of course Magnus isn’t sure. Magnus is the one who makes it a point to practically jump out of bed the moment they’re done having sex because the idea of lingering where he wants to stay, but knows he isn’t wanted, is too painful. For him to be the one to insist is a strange turn of events, one that clearly catches Alec off guard. 

“I’m certainly not about to let you sleep on the floor all vacation in your own house ,” Magnus points out, rolling his eyes. “What kind of a friend do you take me for?” 

Even saying the word friend hurts, but Magnus hides it well behind a laugh. 

Alec still hesitates and Magnus does his best to keep the smile on his face despite the fact that he can actively feel his spirit being crushed with every second Alec remains silent. Is the idea of sharing a bed with him for more than just sex truly that unappealing of a concept? 

“Alright,” Alec says, dropping his bag next to the bed and sitting along the edge of the mattress. 

“Great. Now that that’s settled, I’m going to hop in the shower and get a day’s worth of travel makeup off me before I break out. Care to point me in the right direction?” Magnus asks, and doesn’t know why he’s surprised when Alec points to a door to his right. Of course they have their own ensuite. 

He showers quickly so Alec has time to do the same before bed but by the time he’s done he finds Alec already passed out on top of the covers, still wearing the clothes they traveled in and sprawled haphazardly across three-fourths of the bed. 

Magnus considers waking him up so he can change - and also so Magnus can squeeze into his side of the bed properly - but a moment later Alec is snoring and it’s the most adorable noise Magnus has ever heard. Since they never spent the night together he’s never actually seen Alec sleep before. 

Thankfully Alec is a pretty deep sleeper, because Magnus stands there and watches him for a bit longer than he’d be comfortable admitting, even to himself after he realizes what he’s doing. 

Instead of waking Alec up Magnus just quietly walks to the edge of the bed to slide Alec’s shoes off before moving as gently as he can onto the bed beside Alec. Alec might be spread out but there’s enough room for Magnus to comfortably fit next to him, so long as he sleeps on top of the covers too, despite the slight chill to the night air and the fact that he always runs cold. Alec would almost positively wake up if Magnus attempted to pull enough cover free to slide himself under.  Magnus tries to convince himself he’d sacrifice the warmth of covers to not wake up any sleeping friend, though he knows for a fact he’d show zero hesitation in shoving Ragnor awake  to claim his half of the bed and the warmth of the plush comforter. But for Alexander? Laying on top of the sheets and falling asleep to the sound of Alec’s quiet snores, Magnus is surprised to find this is a compromise he’s more than willing to make.