Hi. First story, don't kill me yet. Not beta-ed. Apologize for grammar/spelling errors/lack of creative writing. But I hope some may enjoy. Cheers.
-tooru
Brooklyn, New York
The walls of an apartment belonging to the High Warlock Magnus Bane echoed with loud, devastating screams.
Screams that were in so much of pain.
Screams that intwined with pleas for mercy.
Screams of a... five year old.
Those were the screams of the little warlock, Max Micheal Lightwood-Bane.
A loud exhausted sigh escaped between Alec's lips as he swung a patterned towel of bright yellow ducks over his shoulders while he ran after the screaming child. It was Friday evening and right now was not exactly how he would have pictured himself doing on his day off today was not a good one.
Why?
Well, first, Magnus had a last minute appointment with a usual client in Japan, which Magnus could not refuse but Alec tried not to think much about it, it was his lover's job. The High Warlock.
Two, his son is refusing to take a bath after a long day spent outside in a beautiful park called Prospect park. Alec and Magnus both wanted Max to keep up his glamour longer on his own without Magnus's help which Max was at this point progressing. So, going out today served like a practice for Max and he did well. He was able to keep his glamour on and play with the rest of the mundane kids at the park today.
But now, forget glamour. The stubborn child coated with dirt,grass and all sorts of bacteria is refusing his bath time. Usually they would have no problems in getting him to bath except on several days.
" NO ! NO! NO ! I said, NO, Daddy ! ", pleaded the blue skinned child who with all his might ran away as much he could from his daddy with his tiny legs. Brows furrowed, nose scrunched, eyes were with fury and his hands were curled to a small fist when he found himself reaching to a dead end. There was no where to run now.
" Max, come on. You need to shower right now. We both know you were playing with mud in the playground earlier today.", reasoned the taller male to the smaller one as he now slowly approached his son who pressed his back angrily towards the wall. The little head tilted down facing the floor, as Alec could only see a pair of horns among those strands of dark blue hair. Only soft unhappy murmurs were heard.
" Max? ", Alec tried again, hoping to calm his son.
Max only looked up to face his daddy for a moment before looking aside.
"No. I don't want to bath." he replied.
Max's lips pursed close to a stubborn frown, eyes wide not focused on his daddy but around him, looking for any entry for his escape.When you think you are trapped, look again. That was something his Uncle Jace thought that he did. His daddy was really tall, taller than his Ayah. He would definitely fit between his daddy's legs which provided some sort of creak of space just enough for him to slip through. His lips now curled to a mischief smile once confirming the opening which he would dice into.
His squatted slightly, dirt coated-feet pressed firmed on the floor, all ready to leap as his daddy approached closer, and closer, and- NOW !
Escape !
Max sprung forward, his arms brought closer to each other as attempt to reduce this space occupied, just right enough of him to slip between his daddy's legs.
Alec raised a brow noticing his son's pair of blue eyes narrowed to a side then to another, then above to then below,basically everywhere except him, must be looking for a way to escape, guess reasoning with a five year old would not work easily as he thought. But Max is already trapped, so he should act quick but too sudden to get a hold of him before he gets away, he thought as he approached his on closer.
" Now look here, Max. Just one short, quick bath. You have no idea how much of germs could be sticking all over you right now, from playing outside today. ", he said in a soft calm tone, his hands now reaching out to Max who still remained leaning against the wall.
" You can even bring your rubber duckies inside while you bath, okay? So, let us both go and have a bath and be all squeaky clean before your Ayah gets home."
Noticing how Max remained silent and with his head tilted down for a moment there, Alec too unconsciously relaxed his shoulders to bend his knees slightly, hands reaching out to carry Max away when suddenly, a loud scream of escape came out from the little mouth as the corner where Max stood was empty with Max slipping between his legs him.
" Arrgghhhhhhhh- I'm free ! Hooray ! No baths !", squealed the little warlock who burst into a fit of giggles when he successfully managed to slipped between the Shadowhunter's legs escaping from the evil bath time.
" Oh-! By the Angel's - Max Micheal Lightwood-Bane ! Get your dirty bum here. We are going to get you clean right now ! " exclaimed Alec who turned around quickly to then sprint after his son. Obviously, he caught after him quickly which is very much to Max's surprise. Alec was a Shadowhunter afterall, with years of training there was no way he could not get a hold of Max. Guess that was the end of being a patient dad, Alec thought to himself, feeling slightly guilty. His attempt to try out the understanding approach recommended by Izzy sort of failed. Apparently, getting Max to understand the need of his bath was harder than it was suggested.
Oh well.
" Gotcha ! You naughty smelly blueberry." he laughed heartily remembering Max's surprised look when catching a hold of him. Swinging the child over to his hip and he held him close to then press a firm affectionate peck over Max's cheek.
" Okay, now come on, no running away. Let's go get you all nice and cleaned."
" But, daddyyyyy..." he whined rubbing his nose furiously against his daddy's shoulder then looking up angrily at his dad.
" I still want to play ! We can bath later. Pleaseeee, daddy? ", Max pleaded again with his bright blue eyes, glistening under the lights. Alec has to applaud his son's resilience but those cute pair of eyes won't work this time.
" Nuh uh. Max, baby. You need your bath right now. No arguments, young man. ", With that, Alec gave the boy a soft pat over his bottom, hoping Max to admit defeat.
" Fineeeeee. " And so he did, Max gave up. He let out a dramatic sigh, falling into a silence as he then, slumped over his father, allowing himself to be carried away. Alec shook his head at Max's dramatic act. Really, ever the dramatic like his Ayah, Alec thought. His hands ran smooth circles over the small back of the upset warlock as he walked away to the balcony.
" Oh hush, it's just a bath. I promise it will be fun." And Alec remained silent later on as he kept Max in a tight but no crushing hold, walking now past the living room to then curl his fingers of his free hand over the handle of the door to the balcony.
"Bath's are always boring daddy. No way it can be fun. And why do we have to bath ? Like, I'll get dirty again anyways ! And we can always ask Ayah to teach me how to use magic to clean me up ! ", Max tried reasoning but then he started noticing that they weren't heading to the bathroom. Rising up, straightening his back to observe that they were at the balcony.
"Huh?", Max was confused." Hey, Daddy why are we not going to the bathroom? " He looked at Alec for a moment to then look around finding this light blue plastic kind of tub. Woah, what the heck is this? Max thought.
" WHAT IS THAT ? Daddy! Daddy !", Max asked excitedly bounced in Alec's hold, squirming to be let down.
Alec could only smile at the bouncing child in his arms. Clearly he was excited by the surprise. He slide down Max who jumped towards to the middle of the balcony space.
Max quickly ran around the inflatable pool with much of excitement, his palms then brushing over its surface which made some sort of squeaky noise and squeezing the plastic surface lightly.
"Woah ! there is water inside, is this a tub? How come its squishy? Oh this is so so cool ! ". Max exclaimed happily.
" And I wondered who said that baths are always boring, huh?" Alec teased before running his fingers along Max;s hair, ruffling it before continuing to speak. " It's called an inflatable pool. Pretty cool, huh? Me and Your Aunt Izzy found it stashed in my old room and I thought we could use it today. Want to give it a go? "
Max was very impressed. His daddy was indeed the coolest. He was not sure what it was but it was like a tub but plastic and there was water inside. He quickly slid off his shirt off, ready to jump inside the plastic looking tub.
" Yes ! " he squealed in delight. And that was it, Alec's weakness. That precious smile of innocence and happiness by his adorable son.
The sun was already beginning to set, might be quite late for a pool activity but he couldn't help it. He only had one whole day off during this week. There was an odd increase in demon activity these days and the Institute needed all hands on deck. Luckily for him, Magnus's schedule is not so pack as his at the moment so Max always had his other father around him while Alec is away. Oh well, hopefully Magnus would not be so against this idea? he thought silently as he picked up the tosses shirt over the floor, to hand it over his forearm to then help Max undo his pants, leaving the little warlock in his yellow-pikachu patterned boxers which Magnus has gotten Max last two weeks from his visit to Japan.
" Alright, jump on in ! " With that, Max quickly did so, followed by a loud splash sound as some of the water sprayed over Alec. Alec simply laughed as he too then slipped off his black shirt putting it aside with the rest of Max's cloths over a chair beside and the getting into the pool as well.
" Daddy ! Let's play pirates ! Arrrr ! " Max had one of his eyes squeezed closed, attempting in a pirate voice as well.
" Pirates? - Hm, I was thinking how about water guns ! ", Just as Alec said that, he shot some water against Max's chest with a water gun in his hand before handing out a similar one to Max as well. Max could only get more excited, afterall he always wanted to play with a watergun before. He only once saw other mundane kids play with them and been asking his dad for one of his own.
The little warlock nodded enthusiastically. " Yes ! Take that Daddy ! ", exclaimed Max before shooting out water from his gun as he waded towards his Daddy in the pool, occasionally tripping and landing on his knees while trying to walk to his dad. However the resistance from the water from allowing his to run as fast as he could on land did not stop him.
"Oh no. Blast ! I have been hit. Send me back up ! ". Alec too slowly pretended to fall down, and sat down in the pool.
" Haiyaa ! " Max keep shooting water over his Daddy's direction as he noticed a couple of his rubber duckies floating around. Quickly grabbing a hold of them, as he gave his dad another shot.
" I will rescue these duckies from you ! I'm Super Max ! " he squealed as Alec, teasing tried getting one of the ducks back and avoiding each shot of water from the gun. And so they played on for a moment then, with the shower gel bottle still neatly placed over the chair by the inflatable pool, for later.
Whooosh. Or so, the sound of a portal appearing was not heard by the father and son who were at the balcony. The portal opened in the living room to which then Magnus Bane walked out from it.
" My loves, I'm back !", exclaimed the warlock in the empty living room, to which to his disappointment was unanswered. He pouted.
This was not the welcome he was expecting.
Ayah - Father in Bahasa Indonesia