Chapter Text
"Oh, by Lilith I guess this will have to do." Magnus huffed looking at himself in the mirror. He took a deep breath and turned around. "How do I look?"
The demon in front of him made a strange rumbling noise and tilted his head. Magnus rolled his eyes.
"Oh you've always been too indecisive." Magnus said with a dismissive tone and waved to send guard away. The demon made a kind of disappointed noise and sluggishly walked away. Magnus frowned after him and almost felt bad. He sent the thought away and turned back to the mirror.
"Why am I even making an effort?" He said to himself. "This is just a shadowhunter!" Magnus walked away from the mirror and started pacing around his room. He had been telling himself those same words for the past two hours. But he couldn't get the thought of those beautiful blue eyes out of his mind. Alec was gorgeous, there was no doubt about that. And unfortunately Magnus had become rather enamored. It wasn't exactly in his plans to organise a date with a very charming shadowhunter, in a group of people who he was supposed to send onto his father, Asmodeus, so they could be killed. And oh boy did his father give him a mouthful. It had not been pleasant.
But Magnus was about 72% certain it would be worth it. Even if it meant there was a chance he would get shouted at again.
His phone started buzzing suddenly, his alarm going off.
a gorgeous shadowhunter is waiting for you NOW so you’d better be hurry up!
"Oh god it's time already!" Magnus took one last look it the mirror and nodded once. "You look amazing Magnus, don't forget that you always do."
He waved his hand to summon a portal, and jumped through it.
Magnus landed on a firm concrete floor, and stumbled, almost falling over. It had been far too long since he'd stepped on Earth, New York to be precise. The affect of gravity was different to how it was in Edom. He immediately felt like there was a heavy weight on his shoulders, which did not help his already growing nerves. Hopefully he was outside of the right restaurant. Especially after checking, and re-checking the address that Alec had sent him. He turned to the restaurant window and saw Alec sitting at a table, tapping his fingers nervously, occasionally ruffling his hair as if trying to make it look more perfect than it already was.
Magnus' smile softened at the sight and his heart warmed. He took a final deep breath and waltzed into the restaurant. The sound of the door caught Alec's attention, and his cheeks immediately flushed red when he saw Magnus, but a smile also crept slowly onto his face. He stood up and walked to him.
"H-Hi Magnus." He stammered, holding out his hand.
"Oh I think we're far past hand shaking Alexander." Magnus chuckled and pulled him in for a hug. He felt Alec froze, but eventually hug back, to Magnus' delight.
"You look..." Alec stopped mid compliment, struggling to find the right words. "Amazing."
Magnus looked down at himself. He was wearing a plain black button up, tight black trousers with some black leather dress shoes, and a black patterned blazer over his shirt that was decorated with deep red arrows. A few silver necklaces hung low on his chest. He had decided to go for a much more sophisticated look than the one he wore back in Edom when he and Alexander had first met. It didn't seem appropriated to be wearing a very low cut shirt when walking around Brooklyn.
"You clean up pretty well yourself." Magnus retorted with a wink.
Alec blushed and looked away for a few seconds. He was wearing a dark blue denim shirt, with his sleeves rolled up and a black pair of jeans, paired with some black boots. They looked like the kind that he would wear when hunting demons (they probably were). Magnus looked slightly behind Alec and saw a shimmer in the air. He rose an eyebrow.
"Alec? Is there a glamour on you?" He asked in confusion.
Alec looked around nervously.
"Uh, I'm sorry Magnus..." Alec's gaze fell and he suddenly seemed very interested in his shoes.
"What is it?" Magnus' golden cat eyes darkened slightly. He hated it when people lied to him and he really didn't expect Alec to be that kind of person.
"Wait no!" Alec said hurriedly. "It isn't anything bad!"
Magnus crossed his arms and waited for an explanation.
"I know you can protect yourself, I mean, you're a Prince of Hell!" Alec said. "But I don't go out very much, and I was worried about demons, so I brought my bow and arrows with me, just in case anything happens."
Magnus' face calmed.
"I've um..." Somehow Alec had left Magnus lost for words. "I've never had anyone care for me like that before. I'm sorry I got mad. Thank you Alexander."
Alec's breathing fell to a steady pace and smiled brightly.
"I should have told you. It's my mistake." Alec apologized. He found his composure and gestured to the table. "Shall we sit down?"
"I suppose we should have done a while ago." Magnus chuckled. He took at a seat and Alec did the same.
They fell into a normal conversation after a few unfortunate moments of uncomfortable silence. But when Magnus asked Alec about his family they sparked up a discussion. Alec told Magnus all about his family. He learnt that Alec had a sister and two brothers, though one, that blonde boy from the past mission, Jace, was adopted and dating the little ginger girl, Clary. The sister was Izzy, who was dating that vampire fledgling, who was called Simon. And then his youngest, ten year old brother was called Max. Izzy, Jace, Clary and Simon were the only people, apart from Magnus himself, who knew that Alec was gay. In Alec's own words, announcing it at the Institute would be considered "Clave suicide". Plus, his parents were apparently terribly homophobic, which made Magnus' fists clench under the table. But watching Alec's face light up when he told funny anecdotes about him and his siblings made him forget all about that. Magnus could easily get distracted but Alec's radiant smile.
At some point, after they'd finished their first round of drinks and was waiting for their meals, Alec hand had found itself palm facing up on the table. And Magnus had found his hand falling on top of it. The moment they touched Alec lifted up his hand and curled his fingers down, linking their hands together.
"Always full of surprises." Magnus sighed in happiness, partially to himself. But judging by the light dusting of pink on Alec's cheeks, he had heard it loud and clear.
"Tell me about yourself hm?" Alec said with a smile. "What about your life?"
Magnus was rather reluctant to talk about it. But after seeing how willing Alec was to open up, he felt that it was only right to do the same. He started off with his childhood.
"I was born in Indonesia, with just my mom with me. Obviously Asmodeus was down in Edom, and clearly didn't care about either of us so I never really knew him as a child. I had a step father but he was terrible. It wasn't easy living in the poor parts of Indonesia, and my mother always seemed reluctant to be with me. It took me a while to notice it was because of my eyes. One day I went to my mom's room to visit her and she was lying in bed. I thought she was just sleeping but-" Magnus' voice cracked.
"Magnus you don't have to." Alec's hold on his hand tightened.
"No, you told me so much about you, it's only fair." He took a deep breath. "When I pulled back the cover I saw a dagger in my mother's chest. She'd killed herself because show couldn't bear the fact that she'd giver birth to a demon like me. At my scream, my step father ran in and saw me holding the bloody dagger. He yelled at me, accusing me of killing my mother, and he didn't listen when I told him I didn't. So I lashed out, with everything I had, and I burned him. Right where he stood. I was there, next to two bodies of people I called family. I was only 7. That's when Asmodeus turned up. He grabbed my arms and dragged me in to a portal. I ended up in Edom with him and he taught me... things" Magnus hung his head in some kind of shame.
"What do you mean?" Alec asked, tilting his head.
"I lived with him in Edom for years..." Magnus said.
"How many years?"
Magnus took a deep breath and scolded himself inside. He wanted to tell Alec, to trust him. It had just been so long since he had trusted anyone.
"Seventeen-" Magnus stopped short.
"Oh!" Alec exclaimed. "Seventeen?"
Magnus looked to the side and almost felt himself blush.
"S-Seventeen hundred?" Alec stuttered. At Magnus' face his eyes widened. "Seventeen thousand?!"
"Years don’t mean the same in Edom as they do on Earth. Really I’ve only been there for about 400 Earth years.” Magnus rushed, sensing Alec's uneasiness. It seemed that 400 was still quite a large number "I'm just trying to take every day at a time, making the most of it and spending time with as many good people as I can find. People like you." Alec was about to speak but Magnus quickly interjected. "I've done some bad things. I've hurt people, done terrible things to all kinds of creatures and I wish I could take it all back. But I've been stuck in the vicious circle with my father and I can't get out. The worst thing is that sometimes I enjoyed it. Sometimes I have bad days where I think why not just give up? You unfortunately caught me on one of those days. But you've done something, you've-"
"Unlocked something in you?" Alec finished, looking at Magnus with soft eyes.
“H-How did you know?” Alec had caused Magnus to be lost for words once more.
“Because you’ve done the same for me. I never thought I’d meet someone like you. Let alone a warlock who had lived in Edom for centuries. But I have, and I’m having the best evening of my life with him.”
“But, I’m a monster. A demon.” Magnus spat.
“You may have done things to make people think that way, but there’s a difference between you and demons. You are showing remorse for your actions Magnus. Behind that mischievous, evil-doing smirk that you hold in Edom, you’re just a normal warlock who is still part human.” Alec learned forward and stared Magnus in the eyes. “Don’t let yourself be defined by something you hate. You are not your father.”
Magnus could’ve cried. He almost did. It had been far too long since any care had been given to him.
“Hey, how about we skip dinner?” Alec said. “We can go back to the Institute. We can go in my room, no one will interrupt us in there.”
“Please, no one will let me in there.” Magnus laughed without humour. “The alarms will start blaring straight away.”
“I’m the head of the Institute. People will do what I say.” Alec smirked. He stood up and gestured to a waiter to cancel their dinners and bring them the bill.
“Are you sure? This was supposed to be a perfect date and I just ruined it with my sop stories.” Magnus rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
Alec leaned down and pecked Magnus on the cheek.
“It’s fine.”
Magnus was stood still. Then he smiled. It seemed that Alec hadn’t even realised what he’d done.
“Okay then.” Magnus said, feeling much happier.
Once everything had been payed for, they took to the street and started walking through the dark night, the stars glowing bright above them. Their hands were linked and Magnus made sure there was minimal space between their bodies. He stared up at Alec’s face as they walked. He had a content look on his face, and the harsh stress lines that he had seen on his skin in Edom were gone. His dark brown hair was fluffy and sat perfectly atop his head, a few stray parts hanging down on to his forehead. Blue eyes shone in contrast with his pale skin. And he shamefully couldn’t stop his eyes drifting down to Alec’s lips; he could still remember to feel on them on his own, even if it had been a whole week. Magnus was sure he’d never seen a being so gorgeous in all his life. He slowly rubbed the back of Alec’s hand that was holding his with his thumb. It caught Alec’s attention and Magnus watched as he smiled.
“It’s nice, walking like this. I hardly get to be outside when it’s quiet and there aren’t any demons involved.” Alec took a deep breath and shut his eyes. “I’ve never seen this side of Brooklyn before.”
“Me neither. It’s gorgeous.” Magnus agreed. He still felt tense however. Something had been bothering him all night. He stopped in his tracks. “Can we sit for a second?”
Alec stopped too and nodded, though he looked rather confused. He led them to a park, where they sat on a bench.
“What is it?” Alec asked.
“About last week, in Edom. When I kissed you.” Magnus had to take a shaky breath. “I never asked, and it was wrong of me to just jump on you the way I did. I never asked for your consent, and I never checked whether you even wanted to and-“
Magnus was shocked to feel Alec’s lips on his own, stopping his words. After only a moment of hesitation, Magnus started to kiss back. This kiss was completely different to the first, almost on a different plane of existence. While the first had been heavy, sudden, fast and fiery, this one was soft, slow but full with no less passion. Magnus’ hands snaked up Alec’s arms and found his face, holding it in place.
They pulled away after a long while of kissing and Magnus felt like he wasn’t taking in nearly enough oxygen.
“Does that convince you that I didn’t mind what happened in Edom?” Alec whispered in the dark.
“But you pushed me away and you looked scared and-“
“Picture my situation Magnus.” Alec said, facing him. “I was in an unknown dimension, faced with this gorgeous man, but almost completely closeted, and then suddenly said gorgeous man kisses you and he’s your first kiss and it’s better than you could have ever imagined. Then you remember that you are still in hell and there is death from a Greater Demon on the horizon. Mix that fear with how hot and bothered you made me, and you’ve got one overwhelmed nephilim on your hands.”
Magnus laughed, the noise echoing through the silence.
“You really mean it? You don’t mind?” Magnus whispered, his hand stroking Alec’s cheek.
“I really don’t mind.” Alec’s own hand found the one that was on his cheek and pulled it down so they were linked on his lap. “I really like you Magnus.”
“I really like you too.” Magnus said back. Oh Lilith, he had butterflies in his stomach. He felt like a young hormonal teenager who had found his first love.
They leaned towards each other and just as their lips were about to touch, a sudden spark of fire appeared in between their faces. Both jerked back and watched as the spark grew into a flame and a piece of paper flew out, hitting Magnus in the face. He groaned and picked it off to read it.
MAGNUS BANE GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW.
“It’s from my father.” Magnus assumed. “I’ve got to go. I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to be. I’ve had an amazing night.” Alec grinned. “I haven’t felt this happy in ages.”
“Me neither.” Magnus confessed as he stood up. “Can we see each other again?”
Alec rose and pulled him in by the hips. He kissed him firmly and put his hand on the back of Magnus’ neck. Magnus went limp in Alec’s hold and the only thing he could physically do was kiss back. When they separated Magnus could say he was thoroughly flustered.
“Right. Well. Yes, okay um-“ For the third time that night, Alexander Lightwood had somehow rendered Magnus Bane speechless. “I guess I’ll see you next week?”
“Or sooner?” Alec suggested.
“Send me a fire message and we’ll find out.” Magnus shrugged. But of course Magnus knew that whatever time Alec said, he would happily drop anything to be with him.
Magnus sent one final wink and opened a portal, leaping through it and landing back in his room.
He did get shouted at again.
But after that night, he knew it had been 100% worth it.