Alec had never understood how Magnus could compliment him so honestly. Calling him such crazy things as "beautiful" and "perfect." Hah. Alec was nothing beautiful, he was … Alec. The boy constantly standing in the shadows of Jace and Izzy. They were both so flawless, they were the sort of people that others stopped in the street to stare at. They were also social butterflies in their own ways, they managed well with people … They were everything Alec was not. Alec was self-conscious and plain. He liked to hide behind everyone else watching their backs since that seemed to be the only good thing about always being behind them. He wore sweaters that Magnus had once referred to as "hideous" … though that had eventually turned into "cute." Apparently, the sweaters were ugly but when Alec wore them they instantly became cute to match the cuteness Alec was told radiated off of him. Basically, Alec saw nothing Magnus saw. He was forced to assume that Magnus was just lying to make Alec feel better. He would never be able to comprehend as to why Magnus loved him so much. He was so … ordinary. He wasn't supposed to be ordinary. He was supposed to be a Shadowhunter. Strong and brave, both of which Alec did his very best to be…but he still felt like he wasn't doing it well enough. There were always people better than him no matter what Magnus said…He just wished Magnus would understand he was anything but beautiful and perfect. If anything, it was Magnus who was beautiful and perfect. Alec knew his boyfriend was who knows how many centuries old but you'd never know. He just looked well…as perfect as he claimed Magnus was. And he certainly had a better wardrobe than Alec's which was mainly dark to help him blend in and hide from the world. Magnus was the absolute opposite usually wearing outfits with bright colors or covered in sparkles so that he demanded the attention of anyone who may be so lucky as to look at him. That was what Alec considered perfection. The exact opposite of himself.
Magnus meanwhile never understood how Alec could never see how beautiful he really was. Alec was perfect, absolutely and completely perfect. Magnus could never understand how someone like Alec could be so insecure. Alec was absolutely flawless in Magnus's opinion. He had such beautiful blue eyes, Magnus could get lost in those eyes. There was so much depth in them, something you didn't often see in someone Alec's age. And his hair was so soft, Magnus loved to touch it. It felt like silk under his fingers, wonderful, perfect silk. Alexander Lightwood was just absolutely and completely perfection in Magnus's eyes. But his appearance wasn't all that Magnus loved. He was an absolute enigma, one that Magnus was determined to figure out. One moment he could be hesitant barely willing to touch Magnus the next he could be engaging Magnus in a steamy make out session. That would have been enough to keep Magnus interested but of course there was more, with Alec there was always more. He was so unlike the other Shadowhunters Magnus had met. He didn't think he was better than everyone else, he loved Magnus unconditionally even though Magnus was a downworlder. It was like Alec didn't even notice … and Magnus loved that. Alec was so amazing, so absolutely perfect. If only the boy would notice. Shadowhunters had always acted so important, so stuck up. Magnus had grown to hate them about them over the years and he was glad those weren't qualities of his beloved Alexander. He knew that was the reason for his confidence issues. Everyone around him was so important, so seemingly perfect. Had they just taken a moment to look out for Alec instead of ensuring that perfection then maybe, just maybe, Alec would be happier with himself. The very idea of the other Shadowhunters treating Alec differently because he was quieter or that he had gone so long without killing a demon…But what really got Magnus's blood boiling was what he knew Alec was given the most trouble for. Being gay and dating a Downworlder. He just wanted to protect Alec from his own kind. His beautiful, lovely, perfect little Alec who needed him oh so much. He wanted more than anything to just fix him. To take away all the mean words that had surely been thrown at him, to replace them with all the nice ones he knew Alec had never been graced with.
Magnus just didn't know how to do that…
But he knew he'd figure it out eventually. He'd do anything for Alec.
"Alec darling, where would you like to eat tonight?" Magnus asked though he didn't entirely care about food. Alec was cuddled up against his chest breathing in and out calmly it was just so … perfect.
"I dunno." Alec replied sleepily "Where do you want to eat?"
"Adorable." Magnus chuckled trying to ignore the way Alec tensed at the word "Would you like to go out or stay home?"
"Which do you want to do?" Alec asked
Magnus wanted to groan but instead he just smiled "Come on now Alexander, you must have some sort of an opinion on this."
"I'd like to stay home." Alec admitted after a moment "I just wasn't sure you wanted to."
Magnus smiles softly kissing Alec's forehead "I want to do whatever you'd like to do."
Alec tries to hide his blush by shoving his face into Magnus's chest though he failed at completely hiding it. Magnus couldn't help laughing at that, honestly, Alec was so adorable.
"Come on, let me see your beautiful face." Magnus hummed trying once again to ignore the way Alec stiffened at the word "beautiful."
"Don't say that!" Alec hissed, alright, Magnus couldn't take this.
The Warlock lifted the boy's face to look straight at his "You're so beautiful."
Alec's face flushed "Magnus I-"
"Do not argue with me Alexander." Magnus warned leaning in to kiss Alec's nose making the boy turn even redder "I have seen many beautiful people in my long life, I've met some who any person would happily kill to get one night with." Magnus paused to kiss Alec's forehead "But you Alexander Lightwood, you trump them all. You're not only beautiful on the outside, but the inside too. You're perfect Alec. I want you to remember that."
It seemed that all the blood had left Alec's body in favor of flowing up to his face "I…Err…Really?"
Magnus smiles and nods "Of course."
Alec smiled "Whatever you say Magnus…" much to Magnus's disappointment the boy slipped out of his arms "Can we please eat now?"
Magnus frowned, he had really hoped that his litter speech would get through to Alec. At least a little bit. But it appeared Alec was the same as ever – uncomfortable in his own skin "Of course, but you still haven't told me what you'd like."
"Err…fast food!" Alec replied clearly not putting much thought
"You're going to get chubby if you keep eating that stuff." Magnus teased immediately regretting his words after seeing the look on Alec's face "Don't fret darling even if you do you won't be any less beautiful."
Alec blushed again glancing down "Whatever you say."
"I'm sorry." Magnus mumbled walking forwards to wrap his arms around Alec's waste "You're so perfect you can eat whatever you want."
Alec made a soft "hmph" noise leaning back against Magnus.
"Alexander Lightwood you are perfect." Magnus paused to kiss Alec's cheek "Handsome." Another kiss "Brave." Yet another kiss "Kind." Kiss "Beautiful in every possible way." Kiss "And I love you." One final kiss "Sorry if I made you upset, clearly I'm not very good at helping your self-confidence."
"You're doing a pretty good job." Alec mumbled "I love you too."
Magnus grinned "You didn't deny any of that."
"Nothing I say will convince you of otherwise." Alec replies "Now can you please go get food. I really don't get what you get to be completely honest."
"Well whatever it is I can assure you it will be more romantic than fast food." Magnus responds a grin on his face as he lets go of Alec to head to the kitchen "…Just got to figure out what that is…"
Magnus eventually decided on spaghetti, that seemed romantic enough. If he was going to spend an evening trying to repair what remained of Alec's self-confidence as he planned to then he'd have to do it with as much cushy romance as he possibly could. Spaghetti seemed pretty romantic … even if it was very unlikely he'd get to do that Lady and the Tramp spaghetti bit. Though he would surely try if it meant getting another kiss.
"Did you steal this?" Alec asked in a monotone voice sitting down at the table.
"What would make you say that?" Magnus hummed turning out the lights in favor of lighting a candle.
"You never left the apartment and this food is from Oliver Garden." Alec replied
"…I'm only borrowing it Alec." Magnus replied
"But we're going to eat it, that's not borrowing." Alec sighed
"Would you rather I just gave it back and we eat the leftover Chinese food from what … a week ago?" Magnus questioned.
"No, no of course not!" Alec exclaimed "I'm perfectly fine with eating the stolen Olive Garden! …And we should really throw that out its probably bad by now."
Magnus shrugged "I could always fix it with magic."
"Just eat." Alec laughed quietly sitting down and taking a breadstick.
"I like your laugh." Magnus comments beginning to eat "It's just as beautiful as you are."
Once again Alec blushed clearly wanting to deny the compliment but he settled with "Would you let that go already?"
Magnus shook his head "No."
Alec just sighed nibbling on the end of his breadstick and tried his best not to turn this perfectly nice dinner awkward, it was such a romantic setting and everything was perfect he didn't want to ruin this.
Most of the dinner was eaten in comfortable silence. Magnus spent most of it admiring how much more handsome Alec looked in this dim lighting. Little did he know Alec was doing the same … only much more discreet. It was pretty hard for him not to be noticed though considering Magnus's bright catlike eyes never left him the entire time. The only time he was given a chance to glance up without Magnus's knowledge was when the Warlock looked down to give pieces of his meatball to Chairman Meow who was pacing under the table clearly annoyed he hadn't been fed yet.
"Hey Alec," Magnus grinned deciding maybe his idea was worth making Alec just a little bit uncomfortable.
"What?" Alec asked glancing up finally meeting Magnus's gaze.
"Put this in your mouth." Magnus ordered handing him an especially long looking piece of spaghetti.
Alec stiffened, the wording was a bit weird but he still obeyed the order putting the end of the pasta in his mouth unsure what Magnus was trying to do. Shadowhunters never really got to watch Disney movies as a kid. So of course Alec had no idea what was happening. Nobody had ever explained this sort of classic romantic thing to him. His confusion continued when Magnus put the other end in his mouth and began eating the pasta moving slowly over the table towards Alec careful not to break any plates. Alec just made a soft squeaking noise looking on completely frozen and confused as Magnus finally managed to place his lips on Alec's, half of the Warlock's body was on the table and it was an absolute miracle he hadn't knocked anything over. Alec wasn't frozen for long though, this was a kiss, he knew exactly what to do with a kiss. It was only a short kiss at first lasting all of 20 seconds as Magnus deciding to quickly bite the pasta that had connected them originally and leaned back in his chair looking at Alec was a small smirk.
"What was that?" Alec questioned.
"Should've known you were deprived of such cool romantic things." Magnus rolled his eyes sliding out of his chair to walk up to Alec's and wrap his arms around the younger boy "Doesn't matter…you look really nice in this lighting."
Alec sighed why wouldn't Magnus just give this up?!"
Magnus in turn laughed "What's wrong? Irritated at me Alexander?" Magnus questioned tilting his head.
"Maybe a little." Alec huffed
"Aww, don't be!" Magnus exclaimed leaning up to kiss Alec's cheek.
Alec smiled slightly "Alright, I guess I'm not anymore…"
Magnus grinned "That's what I thought." He planted another soft kiss on Alec's cheek before wrapping his arms around the blue-eyed boy's waste and dragging him off the chair.
"Let go, what are you doing?" Alec questioned though he wasn't exactly struggling
"You're perfect." Magnus hummed yet again ignoring Alec tensing in favor of leaning forwards and kissing his cheek lightly "Remember what I said earlier darling?"
"I remember." Alec mumbled.
"Then why don't you believe me?" Magnus questioned kissing his cheek again.
"It just … seems like you're trying to make me feel better." Alec replied after a short pause "I know I'm not beautiful or perfect or any of those things, I'm ordinary."
Magnus felt a frown tug down his lips "I'm not just trying to make you feel better. I'm trying to show you how wonderful you are because no matter what I do you won't just believe your absolute perfection."
"Because there's nothing per-"Alec began
"Don't you dare finish that sentence." Magnus hissed "Don't even try."
"Bu-"Alec was once again cut off.
"Alexander, darling, please." Magnus whispered pleadingly "I know I might be the first person to make you realize how absolutely wonderful you are but you need to believe me. I love you more than I have ever loved anybody else and I would never lie to you. And I'm not lying to you when I say that you're the best Shadowhunter I've met in all my many centuries…Scratch that…You're the best person I've met. I think that's really saying something about your perfection."
Alec was quiet for a moment, letting the words sink in "Really?"
"Of course." Magnus grinned squeezing Alec tightly and kissing his neck snickering as the Shadowhunter shivered "Believe me yet?"
"Maybe a little bit…" Alec mumbled "Just a little bit."
"I'll have you believing me completely soon, just you watch." Magnus declared letting go of Alec so he could turn him around.
"That'll be a challenge." Alec replied his voice barely over a whisper as he stared up into Magnus's eyes.
"Everything about you is a challenge Alexander." Magnus smiled cupping Alec's cheek gazing back lovingly "And I accept that challenge because you're worth it."
Alec smiled "Thank you…I love you…"
Magnus smiled back "I love you too."
"Can we get dessert now?" Alec asked tilting his head slightly his blue eyes widening slightly (this caused Magnus to squeal internally. Why was this boy so adorable!?)
"Of course." The Warlock chuckled "Anything for my perfect little Nephilim."
Alec didn't stiffen at all at the word perfect. He wasn't going to argue with him anymore. If Magnus felt so strongly then … maybe … just maybe … Alec was just a bit perfect. Just a bit…