A/N: In my fanfic "Malec Moments," Magnus and Alec get married on a beach in mid-October, three years into their relationship.
This is for Nellie2011. Thanks!
"Wake up." Magnus's voice reached Alec through his sleep-induced haze. Alec felt like he was on a ship in the ocean as he woke, rubbing his bleary eyes. The gentle rocking turned out to be Magnus, lightly bouncing on the bed. Alec rolled onto his side, looking incredulously into the green-gold cat eyes of his husband.
"What the hell are you doing, Magnus," he said, exasperatedly.
Magnus's eyes were shining with excitement. "Oh good, you're awake!" he said delightedly.
"You woke me up," Alec muttered grumpily.
"Do you know what tomorrow is?" Magnus said, nearly bursting at the seams.
"Tomorrow? Of course I know what tomorrow is. What does that have to do with you waking me up today?" Alec was fully awake now, and despite himself, was beginning to catch some of Magnus's infectious enthusiasm.
"Well, since tomorrow is the first anniversary of our wedding, I have something special planned for this weekend," Magnus said, all in a rush, as if the words were refusing to be held in any longer.
Alec grinned. He remembered a time when he had hated surprises, but now that was a distant memory. Magnus's surprises were almost always fun, and were always memorable. Getting into the spirit of things in earnest, he said, "What's the plan?"
Magnus leaned in and kissed him. Then, lightly tapping his index finger on Alec's nose, he said, "Get dressed and I'll show you."
Alec hurriedly showered and dressed in his customary black long-sleeve tee, jeans, and boots, and met Magnus in the living room. Magnus was wearing something Alec had never seen him wear before, and didn't even know that Magnus owned. His pants were black, late-19th century style breeches, his white shirt was frilly at the neck and was tucked under a black waistcoat and an outer jacket. Magnus completed the ensemble with a black top hat and a cane and heeled black patent leather shoes.
"Where's the glitter?" Alec said, taking in every inch of Magnus's appearance.
"Glitter hadn't been invented in the late 1800's," Magnus replied.
Alec raised an eyebrow at this. "Have you figured out how to time-travel?" he said evenly, not quite sure what was going on yet.
Magnus laughed. "Sort of." He grabbed their overnight bags, handing one to Alec and slinging the other over his shoulder. He held out his arm in a gentlemanly way, and said, "Our chariot awaits."
Alec hesitated for only a moment before taking the proffered arm and letting Magnus lead him out of the apartment.
The 'chariot' turned out to be a modern, convertible rental car, whose top was already down and ready to go. Magnus heaved his bag into the trunk of the car, then took Alec's from him and placed it next to the other bag. He closed the lid, then walked around to the passenger side of the car and opened Alec's door, giving a little bow. Alec nodded his thanks before taking his seat. He knew better than to not play along when Magnus was in a romantic, chivalrous mood; if he didn't, the results were usually a very whiny, moody warlock, which was no fun at all.
Magnus skipped to the driver's seat, stowed his top hat securely behind his seat, flashed Alec a quick grin, and away they went. As they merged onto the Garden State Parkway, Alec quirked a questioning eyebrow at Magnus, who was still not forthcoming with their destination. Alec shrugged, deciding to sit back and enjoy the ride. Alec rested his arm on the center console of the car, his fingers dangling lazily over the edge. Magnus slyly slid his arm next to Alec's, his fingers gently brushing Alec's before finally lacing them together. The sweet gesture sent tingling sensations through Alec. By the Angel, I love it when Magnus is like this, he thought happily.
Magnus drove for hours, leaving behind the big city, passing fading gardens and meadows of flowers gone to seed. Several times they caught glimpses of the Atlantic Ocean, and other smaller waterways. The further south they traveled, the more sparse the population seemed to be, until finally, Magnus turned the car off the highway and onto smaller side streets.
Alec saw a colorfully painted sign that read, "Welcome to Cape May, New Jersey." As they entered the township, Alec felt he had stepped back in time. The sleepy little beachfront town was lined with Victorian era homes, painted in various colors, with their grand porches and long, sweeping gables.
Magnus stopped the car at one such building, too large to be a single family home, with a sign in the yard designating it as a Bed and Breakfast. The pristine gardens lining the sidewalk were still lively with autumn flowers. The building itself was painted a deep green, almost gray, color with white accents and trim. There were several wooden swings suspended from the ceiling on the porch, as well as a line of old rocking chairs and a few tables, each with a small vase and fresh-cut flower on it.
Magnus donned his top hat and, for a moment, in this setting, Alec thought he looked like he belonged. If not for the cars and the flashing blue television sets in some of the windows, Alec could almost believe it was the late 1800's and Magnus was a dapper young gentleman courting his sweetheart.
They checked in and were shown to their room on the third floor of the building. The room was plush and antiqued from top to bottom. A four-poster queen size bed was the focal point of the room, complete with period bed covers, pillowcases, shams and a lacy bed skirt. In one corner sat a Queen Anne style table with two high-backed chairs. A vintage oil lamp, full of a thick red oil, adorned the table top. An antique telephone sat upon the bedside table next to a Tiffany lamp. Paintings, with scenes of ancient buildings and streams and horses and lady's in gowns with petticoats, hung from the walls.
The only items dating the place as modern were the flat screen television attached to the wall, and the en suite bathroom. The bathroom, itself, was decorated in turn-of-the-century style, with a claw-footed bathtub, decorative plumbing fixtures and curving wall sconces.
Alec let out a low whistle. "This place is amazing," he said exuberantly.
Magnus had a reflective, nostalgic expression on his face when he said, "This is one of my favorite periods in the four hundred years of my life."
"It's when you knew Camille and Will and Tessa, right?" Alec said.
Magnus glanced at Alec. "Yes, but that's not why I loved it so much. It was so different than things are today. Everyone always dressed up. There were fancy parties to attend where women wore beautiful ball gowns and carried parasols, and the men dressed similar to how I'm dressed now. They wore top hats and long coattails and pocket watches and monocles. Everyone traveled by horse and carriage. And the buildings and architecture and furniture…well, just look at this place!" He gestured around the room to prove his point. "I wanted to show it to you."
After settling in and unpacking, Magnus led Alec to a cobblestone street lined with shops. The street was decorated for fall with bales of hay, pumpkins, dried cornstalks, and chrysanthemums in various colors. Large bay windows in the storefronts displayed the wares with a festive fall décor. Even some of the shop owners were dressed in period costumes.
They perused a bookstore, with floor to ceiling shelves exhibiting thousands of new and used books. They ended up buying several books. Magnus was particularly interested in a book full of local ghost stories, having known several ghosts in his lifetime and wanting to see if any of the 'hauntings' were remotely plausible.
Next, they visited a sweet shop. There were copious amounts of candies, blue and green and purple and white, lining the shelves and bins. A large glass case displayed various types of fudge, including chocolate and peanut butter and peppermint. Alec bought a pound of mint chocolate fudge to satisfy his sweet tooth. Magnus was fascinated watching the clerks create their own pulled taffy in a rainbow of colors, and couldn't resist buying some.
There were clothing stores and antique stores, stores full of baby items, stores selling women's purses. Magnus, being known for liking shiny things, was intrigued by the shop that sold only light fixtures, table lamps, floor lamps, chandeliers, and colorful pendant lights. The store seemed to glow with all the lights and Magnus looked like a little kid in a candy shop, all wide eyes and smiles.
In the evening, they retired to their room. The room had a private balcony overlooking a beautiful English garden. They didn't have a view of the beach, but were close enough to hear the waves lapping the beach and taking the detritus of the day back out to sea. They sat on a wooden porch swing, suspended from a metal frame, Magnus playing idly with Alec's fingers.
"I think we should spend every anniversary on the beach," Magnus whispered in Alec's ear, just before kissing the hollow beneath his ear and sending a shiver down his spine.
Alec leaned into Magnus, suddenly forgetting about the beautiful, chilly evening, the balcony, the waves. He brought his hand up to Magnus's cheek, gently caressing the warlock's cheekbone and brushing his hair from his eyes. As he turned to kiss Magnus, Magnus met him halfway, their lips colliding in a heated kiss. Alec's strong arms encircled Magnus's waist, lifting him bodily onto his lap. Magnus seated himself, draping his arms around Alec's neck, and kissed him with deep, slow, loving kisses.
After a time, when neither could hold back any longer, Magnus rolled off Alec's lap, bringing his Nephilim with him. On the spur of the moment, Alec scooped Magnus into his arms, which was not easily done given how tall and lanky Magnus's body was, and carried him into their room, gracefully depositing him on the bed. Magnus looked up at him with dreamy, bedroom eyes, his pupils dilated, and he reached up, fisting Alec's shirt and pulling him down on top of him.
Alec responded clumsily, falling onto Magnus as if he didn't have the grace and stability of a Shadowhunter. At times like this, he frequently seemed to lack those qualities born of his species. He harbored a few moments of embarrassment, but quickly shed them when Magnus's lips found his again. He slid his hands between Magnus's warm body and the bed covers he rested on, wrapping his strong, muscular arms around the warlock.
Magnus did not seem to be in a rush to get Alec undressed tonight. His fingers crept up Alec's arms, exploring and savoring the tight muscles and dark lines of his runes, and the faint scars of old Marks. His fingers played across Alec's shoulders, and danced along his chest, his green-gold cat eyes following their progression.
He flicked his eyes up to meet Alec's and Alec grinned a slow, confident, seductive smile at his husband. Alec had been watching Magnus with interest, waiting to see what he would do. He loved the feel of Magnus's fingers on him, but he would love it more if they were under his shirt. He didn't like barriers between him and Magnus, not when they were like this.
Magnus seemed to read this feeling in Alec's eyes, for his fingers moved gracefully over Alec's chest and down his ribs, brushing along his flat stomach. He reached for the hem of Alec's shirt, and Alec let out an involuntary sigh. He pulled away, allowing Magnus to drag his shirt over his head, and shook his head to right his hair, letting it fall into place around his face. Magnus grinned up at him.
Alec descended on Magnus, recapturing his lips. His fingers found the buttons on Magnus's shirt, slipping them through the holes one by one, his hands shaking slightly with anticipation, as they always did when he was about to make love with Magnus. Even after a year of marriage, Alec still couldn't help how Magnus made him feel in that moment, how much making love meant to him.
Magnus's shirt fell open, exposing his warm, honey-colored skin, and Alec took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the warlock he loved. His hands slid beneath the edges of the fabric, smoothing along Magnus's slender shoulders and down his long arms, until the shirt released Magnus's body. Magnus arched his back, allowing Alec space to pull the shirt from beneath him and discard it on the floor.
Then they were kissing again, and this time, with their bare chests pressed together, and heat radiating between their bodies, the kiss caught fire. It was heated and passionate, an outflow of emotions, of love and desire and need.
"I love you," Alec whispered between kisses.
In response, Magnus held him closer, pressing every inch of their bodies together, and kissed him again. Their self-control was rapidly dwindling. Their hips rocked together, their arousals brushing whenever they moved. Magnus moaned against Alec's mouth at the contact, the anticipation, and tossed his head back, exposing his throat.
Alec wasted no time attacking Magnus's neck, planting hot kisses along the sharp edge of his jaw, the gentle curve of his neck, the bounding pulse in his throat. Alec arched his body away from Magnus's, allowing their fingers access to belt buckles and pants buttons. He wasn't entirely sure who was removing whose pants, but it didn't really matter. Magnus sat up, following Alec's lips, not breaking the kiss for a second while they shed their remaining clothes.
When at last they were naked and could concentrate on kissing and touching and not worry about clothing, Magnus curved his body around Alec's, gently guiding him back among the blankets and pillows. He rolled his body to cover Alec's, letting his shoulders and chest and the sharp points of his hips contact those same places on Alec, and Alec's body responded with fervor. Alec pressed back against Magnus as his arms wound around his waist, and crawled up his back.
Magnus moved into position, applying a generous amount of lubricant, and slid inside Alec. Alec's eyes rolled and fluttered closed as a soft moan escaped his lips. Alec loved the foreplay, the kissing and touching and playful nips, the build-up to this, the culmination of their shared love and lust and longing for each other. He loved the moment when Magnus was finally inside him, that initial feeling of coming together, of Magnus completing him. Magnus was the other half of him, of his soul, he was the only thing that made Alec feel whole, unblemished, unbroken.
Magnus moved against him and Alec pushed back, giving Magnus better, more complete access to his body. He let Magnus in, let him reach into the depths of his body and his soul. Making love with Magnus was about so much more than just pleasure.
Magnus's lips found his again, but they both struggled to concentrate on the kiss. Their bodies were spiraling out of control, reaching a height of pleasure that they could only find together. Magnus kissed his lips, his neck, his jaw, whatever he could reach. Alec kissed and licked and bit at Magnus's chest and collarbone and neck. They sighed together, and panted together, and moaned together as one.
Alec searched for Magnus's hand, and Magnus repositioned himself so he could lace their fingers together and still move with ease. Magnus drew Alec's hand above his head, pinning it there with his own as he continued moving within him. That simple gesture, their entwined fingers, and Magnus using them as leverage and pressing Alec's hand into the mattress, severed to increase their passion even further.
Magnus continued kissing Alec's cheek and neck as his movements became more rapid. Alec moaned something that resembled Magnus's name, but was incomprehensible, and felt himself throbbing and pulsing and shooting warm, sticky fluid against his own taut, flat stomach. And Magnus, has he so often did after watching Alec come undone, thrust a few more times, and found Alec's mouth again as he released deep inside him. Alec swallowed Magnus's moan of release, and felt his warm tongue inside his mouth, and his pulsating erection inside his body, and he clutched at Magnus, pulling him deeper inside and pressing their bodies close.
And when their bodies finally recovered and Alec finally loosened his grip on Magnus, Magnus moved to lay beside his beautiful Nephilim husband. They gazed at each other as if they each were a precious gemstone, or a star in the heavens, or some other unique, wonderful, mesmerizing thing. With their passion temporarily sated, their lips collided in slow, lazy kisses long into the night.
Alec awoke early, again, thanks to Magnus. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, as Magnus pranced around the room, quickly dressing and throwing clothes at Alec for him to wear.
"Hurry Alec," Magnus said excitedly.
"Aren't we on vacation," Alec groaned as he hurriedly dressed.
Magnus kissed him on the nose. "Come on. You'll love this," he said, catching Alec's hand and pulling him toward the door.
It was a brisk, cool October morning, and Alec shivered slightly at the breezing blowing in off the ocean. Magnus dragged him across the street, pausing momentarily to discard their shoes and roll up their pant legs. Then, Magnus took Alec's hand again and walked toward the edge of the crashing waves.
Cool water lapped over their feet and ankles as they walked along the beach, hand in hand, leaving footprints that were quickly washed away by the incoming tide. The indigo sky was gradually lightening, turning a pale blue as the stars winked out overhead. Gold and purple and pink streaks joined the blue as the couple sat against a washed up log, Alec leaning back against Magnus's chest, watching the sun rise.
"You're right, Magnus. I do love the sunrise. It's beautiful," Alec said in a awed voice.
"Not as beautiful as you," Magnus whispered in his ear. "Happy anniversary, my love."
In reply, Alec turned in Magnus's embrace and kissed him, a long, sweet, kiss full of love.
They were completely alone on the beach, not a single person visible in either direction. When the bright orange crescent became a full circle, then swiftly disconnected from the horizon, Alec pulled Magnus to his feet and the couple took a leisurely walk along the beachfront.
As the sun began its ascent across the sky in earnest, people flooded the beach. Some were walking alone or in groups, some with dogs, some on beach bicycles or four-wheel vehicles. Alec and Magnus discovered they preferred the solitude that sunrise had offered them and made their way back to the inn, where they dined on crepes and fruit and coffee.
They then took a walk through the scenic, historic town. The ornate architecture combined with the brilliant color schemes of the Victorian era houses was even more obvious and spectacular up close.
"I see why you love these houses. Maybe we will live in one someday," Alec said as they passed a particularly nice home with large bay windows and a circular room on one end.
Magnus scoffed. "Please, city boy. I'll never drag you far away from Manhattan."
"You got me to Brooklyn," Alec replied pointedly.
"Still in the big city," countered Magnus.
"What about you? I can't imagine the Magnificent Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn, living in a sleepy little town like this, even if it does bring back memories for you."
"I haven't lived in a house like one of these since they were brand new," Magnus admitted. "But, I would happily leave New York, if you wanted to." He squeezed Alec's hand and planted a kiss of his cheek.
Alec wasn't sure how he felt about that. New York was his home, the only place he had ever considered home. All Nephilim consider Idris home, at least in the abstract form, but having left there for New York when he was two, it wasn't really home for him. He really couldn't imagine living anywhere else at this point.
They headed back to the inn before lunch to gather their belongings. Before leaving the picturesque town, Magnus and Alec took a slight detour to the Cape May Lighthouse. The old, white cylindrical structure towered over the surrounding beach and park-like setting.
They climbed the spiral staircase to the top and were rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding area. Seagulls, which had been flying overhead, where now at eye level. The sun was high in the sky, but Alec had no trouble imagining what the view would look like at sunrise or sunset. He watched the waves, white-capped today, crash onto the sandy beach. The lighthouse wasn't as magnificent as the Eiffel Tower had been, but in it's own way, was just as beautiful.
They were alone at the top of the lighthouse. Alec pushed Magnus against the red metal wall of the top of the lighthouse, wrapped his arms around him, and kissed him. Magnus, taken slightly off-guard, gasped, allowing Alec free-reign to explore his mouth. Alec didn't quite known what had come over him in that moment, but he suddenly needed to be close to Magnus, needed him in his arms. Perhaps it was the ancient romance of the lighthouse, or of the town they had just spent the weekend enjoying. Perhaps it was something more. Regardless the reason, he felt the urge and acted on it in this private haven atop the world.
Alec's hands were busy, finding all the places that made Magnus tremble, shudder, or gasp, searching for those special, sensitive places he had spent the last four years mapping on Magnus's body. Magnus was melting, yielding to Alec's touch like putty in his hands.
Not to be outdone, Magnus recovered, slightly, from is original surprise, and set to work sending shivers down Alec's spine, moaning as he trailed kisses along Alec's neck and nipped at his earlobe. Magnus's hands were lifting Alec's shirt when they heard footsteps clanging on the metal landing and the door to the top of the lighthouse open with a clunk.
Abruptly, the broke apart, straightening their shirts and coming to their senses. Alec's face was flushed, and to his surprise, so was Magnus's. They both gave a nervous little laugh, as a family of four spilled onto the deck of the lighthouse, slightly out of breath from the climb and taking in the scene with fascination.
Magnus nodded politely toward the newcomers, took Alec's hand and started for the door. The two young children followed them with their eyes, and gave them a friendly wave. Alec waved back, momentarily struck by the sweet youthfulness of the children. The only child he'd really been around was Max (Izzy was too close to his age to count). He had a wistful, nostalgic feeling that he did not completely understand as he looked at the little boy and his slightly younger sister.
He let Magnus lead him to the car, lost in his own thoughts.