Acceptance

Summary: Alec gets into a fight with his father about his sexuality. Robert Lightwood says some horrible things and Magnus is worried Alec will start to believe them.

I'm losing myself

Trying to compete

With everyone else

Instead of just being me

Don't know where to turn

I've been stuck in this routine

I need to change my ways

Instead of always being weak

-Demi Lovato

Alec was in his room, packing his bags for another night at Magnus' apartment when he heard a light, but stern rap on his door. "Come in," he called out, assuming it was Jace and not bothering to turn around when the door opened.

"We need to talk." The voice was deep and firm, and Alec knew that the intruder wasn't Jace. He turned his head to look into his father's fierce eyes.

Alec swallowed, knowing this wasn't going to be pretty. He nodded slightly, absent-mindedly placing his bag on the bed. He then stared at his father, waiting for the man to speak.

"I heard you were going over to that warlock's house again." It wasn't a question, more of a statement, but Alec nodded anyway.

"Yes," he answered. "He invited me over for the night again." Alec tried desperately to read his father's face, but as always Robert was a complete stone. Alec had seen statues with more expressive emotions.

Robert sighed. "What exactly to the two of you do when you are over there for the night?"

Alec felt his body stiffen. He and Magnus had yet to have sex, and he wanted to tell that to his father, but he didn't necessarily want to bring up the topic. "We just. . . hang out." He mentally cursed himself, knowing how truly suspicious that sounded. "Watch movies, go out to eat," he added quickly.

"Guys shouldn't just hang out together," Robert said. "Girls hang out."

"You never hung out with your friends?" Alec asked, getting defensive. He was sick of his dad comparing him to girls.

"When I wasn't training, I was with your mother," Robert answered, sounding angry. "But she's a woman."

Alec couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes. "It doesn't matter what I do, you always bring up my sexuality into every conversation we have."

"You think this is all about you, Alexander," his father began, "but just remember this is hard on your mother and I, too. We are now known as the two parents with the gay shadowhunter as a son. Did you even think about her and I when you and that warlock decided to publically disgrace yourselves in front of the clave?"

"Publicly. . ." Alec trailed off, astounded at his father's choice of words. "It was a kiss."

"One that should never have happened," his father added. "I don't understand why you're like this. What exactly went through your mind when you decided to like boy-"

"I didn't decide anything," Alec interjected. "I didn't just wake up one morning and say, 'hmm... I think I want to be gay'. Everyone assumes it's a choice, but it's not."

"I don't believe you," Robert challenged. "I think this is just a cry for attention."

Alec shook his head, grabbing his bag off the bed. "You go ahead and think what you want to. Meanwhile, I'm going over to my boyfriend's house." He brushed past his angry father, and was almost out the door when Robert spoke up again.

"You leave the Institute right now, don't bother to come back until you've straightened out."

Alec didn't turn around. "Then I guess I'm never coming back." With that, he left his father standing in his bedroom.

~TMI~

Alec stepped into Magnus' apartment with his bag and was greeted by Chairman Meow who was brushing up against his legs.

"Aww! My two babies!" Magnus exclaimed looking at Alec and Chairman Meow. Alec smiled at Magnus, feeling nervous because he had no idea how to tell his boyfriend he got kicked out.

"Something the matter?" Magnus asked, turning his head to the side slightly, his cat-eyes glowing beautifully.

Alec shrugged. "I need to tell you something."

Magnus beckoned him over to the couch and had Alec sit next to him. "What's going on?"

Alec drew in a breath. "I-I need to stay here for a little bit longer than you were expecting me to." Magnus look confused, so Alec continued. "My dad and I got into a fight and he kicked me out so I need a place to stay."

Magnus looked shocked. "I'm sorry, but sometimes I really want to feed that man to my cat. I never would though, because all the hatred in him might turn my Chairman into something evil. Of course you can stay here, Alec. I would love for you to."

"Really?" Alec asked.

"Absolutely," Magnus insisted. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Magnus looked at him and sighed. "What did that asshole say to you?"

Alec shook his head. "The usual." He laid his head on Magnus' shoulder and sighed with content as the warlock ran his fingers through his hair. "He wants me to choose not to be gay anymore, and until I did, I wasn't welcome back at the Institute."

Magnus scoffed. "That's absurd. I hope you don't listen to a word he says." Alec's lack of a response seemed to upset his boyfriend. "Alec, don't ever believe anything he tells you, okay? Promise me."

"I promise," Alec mumbled.

"Be proud of who you are," Magnus said. "You're always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company."

"Where did you hear that?" Alec asked curiously.

"It was in a Cosmopolitan magazine. Ironically, it was right after a makeup ad about making yourself look younger and more beautiful."

Alec laughed. "Which you probably ordered in the dozens."

"I don't need makeup to make me look young. I'm eternally beautiful. I did, however, order NYX's Frizzy Spots nail polish which I will definitely be putting on once it arrives." He jumped off the couch and walked over to his TV. Magnus didn't always have a television in his house, because he only had one if it fit the current theme. Last week was victorian goth, so the only modern thing he had in his house was his cell phone. Apparently this week, however, was a modern setting, complete with a television, stereo, and actual kitchen supplies like blenders and juicers that he would probably never get around to using anyway.

"Want to watch a movie?" Magnus asked.

"Sure. Put whatever in."

Magnus smiled and put a DVD in the player that Alec couldn't see from his spot on the couch. Magnus sat back down next to him and pressed play.

"What are we watching?" he asked.

"You'll see."

The menu popped up and Alec smiled. "Pretty Woman?"

"I know you love it." The two watched the movie, hand-in-hand, bodies pressed up against each other, kissing whenever they felt they needed to. They were just at the part where Vivian was trying to convince the bitchy shopkeepers that she needed a dress and could afford it, when the door buzzer sounded out.

Magnus sighed and paused the movie. "If that's a client, I am going to jump into a portal to China."

"As long as you take me with you," Alec said as Magnus headed for the door. "It's probably Jace or Isabelle. They were bound to find out about the fight my dad and I go into eventually."

Magnus shrugged and headed for the door. He opened it, but Alec couldn't see who it was from his spot on the couch. "I don't think we ordered a terrible father with extra hate and a boring fashion sense. Try next door, perhaps?"

Alec jerked up from the couch. He had no doubt that it was his father Magnus was talking to. Why had he come here? Alec waited for Magnus to get yelled at, but was surprised when a tired voice just said, "I'm here to see Alexander. I need to speak with him."

"I don't think he wants to speak with you," Magnus argued. Alec prayed to the angel that he would stop being so rude around Robert, who had absolutely no tolerance for disrespect. However, his father still didn't say anything. Not until Magnus said, "besides, I hate to disappoint, but Alec is still with me and hasn't magically turned himself straight yet, so just go back to your Institute and fu-"

"Magnus!" Alec called out, heading for the door, not being able to take much more of this. "Magnus, please." He looked over at his father standing in the doorway. "What do you want?"

"I want to speak with you," Robert repeated.

Alec sighed and looked at Magnus who very reluctantly stepped aside and gestured Robert in. He shut the door and crossed his arms, cat-eyes glaring at the man.

"I was hoping we could speak alone," Robert said with a look toward Magnus.

"No," Alec protested. "Maybe that would work back at the Institute, but here Magnus and I do things differently. Whatever you say to me, you can say to him." Magnus had a mixture of both surprise and thrill on his face at Alec's statement. Robert, however, was stone-faced once more.

"Very well." Robert cleared his throat. "I was informed that perhaps things went a little. . . far between the two of us, and I may be the one to blame for that."

"Who informed you?" Alec demanded.

"Your sister. She told me I needed you at the Institute as much as she and Jace did. I suppose she is right. I always compared you to Jace, I don't mean to, but I do. I always thought that Jace was always a superior shadowhunter because he seemed to be the one to come home with the prize of killing a demon and I noticed you seemed to always come back empty-handed."

Magnus opened his mouth, looking angry, but Robert held up a hand. "Please, let me finish." Magnus obeyed, but not looking too pleased about it. "Anyway, Alexander, I realized that it was because your goal was to never kill the demon, it was to keep the ones who did safe. Both your sister and Jace have killed plenty of demons in their short lifetimes, but I know that neither of them would probably still be here today if it weren't for you. You're the protector, Alexander, and that is by no means a bad thing. The Institute needs someone like that more than someone who just goes out and kills demons."

"So you want me back?" Alec asked, surprised and touched by his father's speech. "You want me back at the Institute?"

"You seem to be happy here, Alexander," Robert began, "but gay or otherwise, you are a good shadowhunter. If you want to stay with your. . . boyfriend," the word seemed to cause Robert a great deal of pain, "then I understand. But please come back on the occasion to hunt and train with Jace and Isabelle. They need their older brother to protect them. They also need someone they can look up to. You've always had a great deal of acceptance for yourself when no one else did, and that is a very admirable trait, Alexander. I also think that someone like you might make a great head of the Institute someday, so I hope you consider that as well." With that, Robert turned to leave.

"Wait," Alec called out, and his father stopped. "I-I don't know what to say."

His father shrugged. "Say you'll come back to the family, son."

"I will. Of course I will." Alec hadn't heard Robert call him son since he came out of the closet, and the word felt unfamiliar, but it gave him a spark of hope.

Robert gave a firm nod. "Good. I'm glad." With that, he left the apartment, leaving Magnus and Alec to just stare at the now closed door incredulously.

"Wow," was all Magnus said to break the silence.

"Yeah," Alec added. "That was. . . unexpected."

Magnus scoffed. "I knew he would come around eventually."

Alec raised his eyebrows. "Really? Five minutes ago he was a hateful asshole with bad fashion sense."

Magnus seemed to consider this. "I believe the word was boring. He's not necessarily un-fashionable per say. By the way, do you want to go back to the Institute then?"

Alec shrugged. "If it's all the same to you, I would still like to stay here for a while. I'll go back eventually, but I still love to spend time with you. If you'll have me."

Magnus grabbed Alec's hand and practically dragged him back to the couch. "Darling, I will always have you."

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