Welcome back, my bros, to the epilogue of this evil little fic, that escaped from the darkest depths of my soul. But the darkness is balanced with some fluffiness, so enjoy Malec's happy ending. ;)
Warning: a few slightly sexual references, but ya know, there's actually nothing warning-worthy in this one other than that. Damn. I mean, my authors' notes have swears, but we know there's no changing that.
Disclaimer: the MidnightBean of New England, USA, does not own anything from this fanfic, other than what the characters do in it. Malec was created by Cassandra Clare, and the song from this epilogue was sung and written by Christina Perri, who has an amazing vocal range, so please, go listen to her songs. They're beautiful.
Heart beats fast
Colours and promises
"Alec, my love, you are my whole heart. Being able to spend the rest of my afterlife with you- I know I am the luckiest man ali- well," Magnus chuckled, "we're not exactly alive"
Five months ago- the one year anniversary of Alec's proposal to Magnus, but also the one year anniversary of Alec's death- Magnus had commit suicide. His life had been unbearable without his lover, spending his days wallowing in self-pity, and emptying out his very expensive collection of alcohol. But that day, something had snapped inside Magnus. He missed Alec too much, and would've done anything to be with him again. So he joined Alec, in Qui Paradisus Caelestis Vocandus, a heavenly paradise for the deceased. But no one there bothered with the long name; they just called it home.
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?
Alec took a deep breath, his chest rising, then falling, the front of his tuxedo following suit. He stared in near-disbelief at Magnus, at their clasped hands. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then quickly shut it. He tried again;
"Magnus," Alec began, "you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I know we've never been a normal couple, but every moment I spend with you is amazing."
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt
Suddenly goes away somehow
"For the longest time I was afraid. Afraid that once you got to know me, you wouldn't want me. I questioned myself, I questioned you, and I had never been more scared. And that fear drove us away from each other. But I was so wrong. Magnus," Alec and his companion's gazes met, both pairs of eyes, blue and green-gold, shining. "I love you, with all of my being." Magnus was on the verge of tears, and Alec couldn't stop smiling.
One step closer
The pair took a step closer to each other, their hands joined, but having no room between, settling at their sides.
"Alexander Gideon Lightwood," whispered Magnus
"Magnus Bane," Alec mumbled, blushing faintly
"You are, and shall forever be my husband," they finished in unison.
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid
Some random man said something behind the couple, but they couldn't even notice him. All they could see was the other's eyes. The second their lips met, the whole world melted away, nothing left but the sensational feeling they shared. Standing there, being with Alec, able to call Alec his own, Magnus knew it had all been worth it.
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
Several months later, Alec heard a knock at the door. He and Magnus' new house was well, new. Alec had never lived anywhere where there wasn't a constant danger of everyone he loved being ripped away from him. But here, safety was a guarantee. Nothing evil made it into Paradisus. The grey portal one enters before coming into the afterlife burnt it away, and this included demon blood. Unlike his siblings, Alec wasn't fueled by the fight. Before the Mortal War, he hadn't even killed a demon! He liked peace, and was eternally grateful for the lack of imminent death. But he still wasn't prepared for what was waiting outside his door.
Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
When Alec opened the door, the sight that greeted him made his heart drop into his stomach. Right in front of his eyes stood Max.
"Max?" Alec choked out, his eyes filling up with tears, unwilling to believe that it was his baby brother at his doorstep. He looked a little bit older. Maybe fourteen, taller and Max's hair was a few inches longer, beginning to resemble Alec's.
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Max walked toward Alec with a stern determination in his eyes, seconds before Alec pulled his younger sibling towards him.
"I missed you, Alec" Max sobbed into the front of Alec's sweater, his strong, independent, young adult persona dropping.
"I missed you too, Max," Alec whispered, one lousy tear slipping down his face. Mentally, Alec kicked himself. Everyone that died came here. How had he not thought to search for Max? But before Alec could continue hating on himself, Magnus interrupted.
Every breath
Every hour has come to this
"Alec, darling, who's that at the door?" Magnus rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, even though it was noon. Then he saw Max. Magnus blinked once, and gave himself less than five seconds to fully process the situation.
One step closer
"It's Max, right?" Magnus gently asked the younger Lightwood. "I'm Magnus, Alec's husband. He's told me so much about you." Max's sniffling stopped long enough for him to look up at Magnus, and pull him into Alec and his hug. The trio stood there embracing, for who knows how long.
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
The Lightwood-Bane household was hectic, per usual. Max was- unsuccessfully- trying to get his adoptive nephew, Rafe, to eat his breakfast. The baby had shown up a few weeks ago while Magnus and Alec were out in the Grey Room- where the dead arrived to be purged of any impurities- doing their job (among other things...) when they had stumbled on a little cloth bundle. The poor thing must've died shortly after being born, but neither Magnus, Alec or Max could decipher how he'd died, the only clue being a jagged scar down his stomach. So the couple had adopted him, named him Raphael, or Rafe for short.
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
Max took to Magnus quickly after the two had met. They became thick as thieves, occasionally pulling elaborate pranks on Alec. The demons he had thought he was free of in the world of the living, had quickly been replaced by the nightmare of his younger brother and his husband. There had been one time when Alec was taking a shower, and instead of the shower head dispelling water, to Alec's horror, it sprayed out worms. Live, moist, wriggling worms. He had screamed, as if he was being murdered, jumped out of the shower, threw on the closest article of clothing, and ran. Unfortunately, the clothing he'd chosen was a pair of Magnus' sparkly and unreasonably tight pants, there were a few worms clinging to Alec's hair, and Max was waiting in the kitchen with a camera.
One step closer
One step closer
Alec blushed fifty shades of red that day, but Magnus made it up to him later that night. That made it slightly better, but Max still made references to "The Worm Incident" every so often. He'd had to bribe Max with comics to never mention the incident to Rafe, for fear his son would be as ruthless as his brother. This new life, so simple, so mundane, was something to get used to, but Alec wasn't complaining.
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid
Then there was the first night Rafe had fallen asleep instantly, no fuss whatsoever, and Magnus and Alec opted to celebrate. Max was sleeping over at his friends' house, so they brought out a bottle of champagne, since drinking no longer made Magnus feel guilty, and got a tiny bit drunk. Magnus pushed Alec up against the wall, and began kissing him with fervor. Alec instantly reciprocated, planting a messy love bite under Magnus' collarbone. Magnus groaned, and accidentally bit down on his husbands' bottom lip. He pulled away, and started to apologize, when Alec let out the lowest, dirtiest moan Magnus had ever heard. Even through his drunken haze, Alec had the piece of mind to blush, putting his face between his hands. Magnus wasn't having any of it.
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
He gently removed Alec's hands from his face.
"Alec," he started, but was interrupted by a dehumanizing laugh.
"Am I an embarrassment?" he mumbled through his hands, an edge creeping into Alec's voice, as if he feared the answer.
"Oh, my love, you shall never be an embarrassment, not to me." Alec minutely lifted his face. "And I beg of you, don't be ashamed. In my opinion," Magnus grinned devilishly, "that may have been the sexiest, dirtiest thing you've ev-"
He was cut off by Alec fisting the front of Magnus' shirt, pulling him into him, and pressing Magnus against the wall he had previously been pinned against. He slowly, deliberately, teasingly, leaned towards Magnus, before swiftly capturing his lips. Magnus mumbled something, but if Alec wanted to know what it was, he never got the chance.
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
"Hell no." the front door was whipped open revealing Max, who stood, frozen in the doorway. Then he burst into laughter, staring at the messy state the pair was in. Alec chuckled, faintly blushing, and leaned his head against his husband's chest.
"Wait, aren't you guys supposed to be watching Rafe? God, are you drunk?!"
Max started laughing again, bent over in a feeble attempt to contain it.
"Begone, child, we're busy." Magnus commented, a joking sense lighting up his eyes. Nonetheless, he waved the teen over, no doubt for their new tradition; hugging. Max wrinkled his nose, probably from the lingering scent of alcohol that plagued his family, but he still leaned into the embrace. They were comfortable, they were home.
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
I hope y'all enjoyed that! I feel bad, I made Magnus and Alec seem like irresponsible parents, getting tipsy. (But I needed an excuse to put in a makeout scene. At the part where Magnus pushed Alec against the wall, I just thought: it's an inverted version of S3 E12 of Shadowhunters! *shrug*) Huge thank you to lilagrace2008, for being my official unofficial beta; mysteryssister, AngelOfAshesAndTears, and SereneCalamity for being such fantastic and inspiring people for me to lean on. I know, I know. I said I'd have the epilogue up in a week, and it's been more than two. Please put away the virtual knives, I mean no harm. On the other hand, I have a few ideas floating around my head for…
A CHAPTERED MALEC FIC.
Sorry. I'm just excited to write it. If y'all are like: "I must have MidnightBean add *insert your demand* to this fic," shoot away. Gotta please the masses, cuz I piss them off more than half the time. "Perfectly balanced, as all things should be." (Thanos, Infinity War) I like Marvel, but this quote is bull. I'm more hetero than I am homo, so no balance there. But you need a teeny smidge of balance, or else everything goes haywire. Looking back at this, this is actually a bit of a rant. Get used to it, darlin'. Welcome to the Screwed Up World of Midi-B.
Oh! Below are some notes about the afterlife you might wanna reference.
-You age in this afterlife, but really slowly. Like, Silent Brothers-aging-level slow.
-Magnus doesn't have his magic anymore, but it's the same story for everyone who goes to Paradisus. Shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, warlocks, etc., are all mundies now. Makes it safer. And also so the real mundanes don't get freaked out.