Snowflakes - the large and heavy, wet kind - swooped over the city as Alec made his way to the bar. He was determined to surprise his husband on New Year's Eve, blizzard be damned. His flight had been delayed twice, but he would make it to Magnus before midnight, and that was all that mattered.

The falling snow muted everything around, quietening the city blocks. As he walked on, Alec admired how the already-forming blankets of white made the entire night brighter, reflecting the orange glow from the lamp posts that dotted the streets. The magical scene softened the irritation from the biting snowflakes hitting his face as he pressed forward.

He was a couple of blocks away when Jace called. "Come pick up your man, Alec."

"I'm on my way. You didn't tell him I'm coming, right?" Magnus expected him to be out of town through the first week in January for a business summit. It would have been their first New Year's Eve spent apart. Alec had moved mountains at work to get back home early.

"No. But he … um, well, he's had a lot to drink."

"Magnus can hold his liquor."

"Yeah, not the case tonight."

Alec picked up his pace. "Why? What happened?"

"It's not rocket science. I'm fairly sure the fact he had to spend New Year's Eve hearing Simon's band instead of being with you had something to do with it. I've never seen him get this drunk actually."

"Is he okay?"

"He's fine. In better spirits than when the night started even. He's happy." There was a pause as if Jace was pondering his response. "Yeah, happy … if not a little sloppy."

"Magnus is never sloppy," Alec said matter-of-factly. He could practically hear Jace's eyeroll through the phone. "What? It's true."

"But you're biased."

"No. It's simply not possible."

Jace snorted at Alec's utterly genuine tone. "Well, I just saw him, and sloppy is the word that comes to mind at the moment."

"Never sloppy," Alec reiterated. "Even when he's had a lot to drink... A little uncoordinated, maybe?"

Jace only laughed. "That too. He convinced Simon to let him on stage earlier. He belted out a killer version of Eternal Flame. I've got to admit, he was pretty good for how wast-… Oh, wait…" Another pause. Simon's keyboard could be heard in the background. "Don't be mad, but I think I lost him."

"Jace," Alec warned as his strides grew longer. He bundled his coat and hurried over the slushy payment until he reached a pocket-sized neighborhood park, its trees and swing set already covered in rapidly accumulating snow. He could see the street on the other side, his destination. The 'Live Bands' neon sign flickered in the distance like a beacon through the ever-growing snow flurry.

"Relax, Alec. He's around here somewhere. I had eyes on him just a while ago. Are you close?"

"Yeah. Almost there." He decided to save time and cut across the park instead of rounding the full block. He ended the call just as his shoe caught under something and tripped. On his tumble to the ground, he heard something grunt. The landing was soft, at least, thanks to a cushion of feathery snow.

"What the hell?" he grumbled, jumping back up to his feet and brushing his pants off. He squinted down to see what he tripped over, shocked by what he saw. "Magnus!"

He dropped back to the ground when he realized the 'something' he had stumbled over was actually his husband, lying there in the mounting snow, sprawled flat on his back like a starfish. "Magnus, are you okay? What happened?"

"Alec?" Magnus lifted his head with a crooked grin and a dreamy gaze. "You're here!"

"Yes, and you're outside in the snow. On the ground, in the snow. Are you okay?" He reached for Magnus' hand, too panicked to move him. A hazy blur of scenarios funneled through his mind. Had he been mugged? Had he fallen and broken something?

"Snow angel," Magnus said, his voice thick yet giddy.

"What?" Alec started patting him down, checking for any signs of injury.

"'m making a snow angel."

Alec stared at him blankly.

Magnus slipped his hand out of Alec's grasp and began flapping his outstretched arms, dragging them back and forth through the snow. His legs followed suit, flattening the area to form the shape of an angel.

"See?"

"Snow angel?" Alec let out a breathy laugh and smacked Magnus' shoulder. A faint smile played on his lips after the panic tapered off. The urge to scold his reckless husband simmered beneath the relief, but he was too enamored in the moment to do anything about it. He missed him too much.

"My Alexander the Great," Magnus said in a sing-song voice. "You've been off at war but have come home to collect your dazzling husband!"

"I was in Chicago for a business convention," Alec corrected as he slid an arm under Magnus' back, lifting him from the ground and gathering him against his chest. He could tell by how heavy he was in his arms that Magnus wouldn't be able to stand on his own if he let go. So, Alec didn't let go. He squeezed just a bit tighter instead.

Once folded up in his husband's arms, Magnus started to get a bit handsy. His fingers fumbled around Alec's belt buckle.

Alec yelped, pleasantly startled. He plucked Magnus' hand off his crotch as he gave him a disbelieving smirk. "Easy there, snow angel. Not in public."

"Even-in my dreams, I can get'ya to blush," Magnus drawled, the alcohol making his words slush together in a very non-Magnus way. He tried shooting a seductive wink at Alec but only managed a series of uncoordinated blinks.

"Dreams, huh?" Alec chuckled. "I'm not blushing, by the way. I'm cold."

"You're not cold 'lec you're warm." Magnus burrowed further into Alec's chest, trying to fill every bit of empty space between them. "H-how are you so warm?"

"You must be frozen after lying in the snow like that. I'm cold just standing here."

"No, you feel warm. Like a blanket in front'f a flaming fireplace." Magnus' eyes lit up. "You're my eternal flame, darling."

Uh-oh. "Jace told me I missed quite the performance tonight."

"I'm happy to give an encore."

"At home. I'll be all ears, Magnus."

"Close your eyes, give me your hand, darling," Magnus began to hum out a line from the song, but Alec promptly shut him down with a finger over the lips.

"Shhh. You start singing to me right now, and I really will blush. Serenade me at home with all the 80's power ballads you want. We still have time to make it back before the ball drops."

Magnus broke into a fit of giggles at that. "We don't have to wait till midnight for that, my dear."

Alec huffed in exasperation as he rearranged his grip on his unbalanced husband. "You want to tell me why you wandered out into this weather alone while drunk?"

Magnus' laughter trickled off, and his eyes flashed in a mix of guilt and defensiveness.

"I am not drunk," he said even as his head bobbled around like a tethered balloon, seemingly too heavy for his neck to support. He didn't let it stop him from rambling, "If you must know I was sad b'cause if I can't be with you at midnight I don't wanna be with anyone so I left and then the ground came up to my face and since I was already in the snow I just thought I'd stay down there."

Magnus' frenzied slur of words tugged at Alec's heart as much as they made him chuckle. "I love you," was all he could say as he leaned down and kissed him. Hard. Magnus swooned a bit, but Alec held him safely as he dipped backward.

Magnus' skin felt icy cold, but his mouth was gloriously warm. His lips tasted of vodka and home. Alec breathed in the hints of sandalwood, blended into the familiar scent that was distinctly Magnus. "Gawd, I love you… Now let's get us home."

He pulled them both back upright and fished out his phone. With one arm expertly wrapped around Magnus, he used the other to summon an Uber before hitting number one on his speed dial list. As it began to ring, he found Magnus with a dopey smile on his swollen lips, seemingly still stunned by their sweeping kiss. His eyes shimmered; even while intoxicated, they never dulled. Something fond clenched in Alec's chest.

"Who are you calling?" Magnus squinted suspiciously.

"You."

Magnus's face became utterly bewildered. "But, I'm right here."

An abrupt laugh escaped Alec's lips at seeing the downright confused expression.

"You become a space cadet when you drink. Where's your phone?"

"Alexssander, love, you wound me."

"Magnus, I know you," Alec clarified as he put the call on speaker; Jace answered. Magnus' eyes grew wide in surprise.

"Yeah, Jace. I found him. We're right outside. Will you bring me his phone? Okay. Thanks."

Magnus' mind seemed full of syrup, the gears sticky and slow. He was still trying to make out what was happening when Jace ambled out of the bar and across the street to join them.

"Where'd you take off to, buddy?" Jace asked. He slipped Alec the phone and patted Magnus' back. It was a light tap but enough to send Magnus staggering; thanks to Alec's tight embrace he didn't sway far.

"Snow angels," Magnus mumbled drowsily, his head sliding down onto Alec's chest. It dawned on him that the warm and fuzzy feeling that had fueled him most of the night had ebbed away, now replaced by something quite cold and damp. He shivered, pressing himself further against Alec.

Jace's forehead wrinkled but he shrugged it off, turning to Alec. "Okaay. You sure I can't take you guys home?"

"Nah. I already ordered a ride. Stay with the others and make sure they get home safe."

"But I wanna go with you, Alec," Magnus piped in, too exhausted to care that it sounded like a whine.

Jace snorted at his brother-in-law's inability to track the conversation.

"Magnus, you are coming with me," Alec said.

"Oh. Okay. Good." He was running out of what little steam he had left. "Ssorry I was a sloppy date, Jace."

Jace raised his hands in victory. "Ha! See? From the very lips of your true love. Sloppy."

Alec shook his head and threw a sideways glare at his brother, all while he struggled to keep Magnus from slumping completely down his front. "No, not sloppy," he told Magnus. "You've just had too much to drink. It happens to all of us. Jace more than most."

Jace scoffed as he pushed his hair back, shaking the snow from the blonde strands. "All right, all right. I see your Uber just pulled up."

Jace grabbed one of Magnus' arms and helped Alec steady him enough to make it to the car. "Hey Magnus, how about you sing a verse or two of Eternal Flame to Alec on the ride home? He'll love it. The driver too, I'm sure."

Alec's eyes shot up to Jace in a death stare as he unloaded Magnus into the vehicle. "I will find a way to get you back for that."

Jace grinned, thoroughly amused. "I'll wait for that. Seriously, though. It's good that you're back. I'll catch you both tomorrow at the family dinner." Jace headed back inside the bar as Alec piled into the car.

Fortunately, Magnus only made it through two lines of his song before puddling limply into Alec's lap and falling asleep.

Unfortunately, they didn't make it home by midnight.

Sure, when the night had begun, Alec had expected everything to go quite differently. To surprise Magnus and spend the evening with their friends and family. Then kiss at midnight, watch fireworks, and go home to ravage him until Magnus was nothing but sweat and sass.

Instead, Alec rang in the new year with Freddy, the Uber driver, and a slumbering Magnus, who barely shifted when Alec leaned over and kissed his forehead.

Alec couldn't help but feel joy anyway. Because he was with Magnus, which meant he was home, and that was all that mattered. Plus, it didn't hurt that he picked up a funny pet name along the way to lovingly tease his husband with when he was sober. Oh, how he loved his snuffling snow angel.