Growing Up Chapter 4: Love is Easy, a mortal instruments fanfic

Congratulations! Your patience has been rewarded. I'm so sorry for the wait xxx GCSEs happened, then I was on holiday so I kinda got distracted from writing this *looks guilty*

The camera was in the doorway of the kitchen, where Alec was clearing the table and two-year-old Max was racing his toy cars across it. Alec was wearing an apron over a blue T-shirt and grey underpants, while Max was wearing his favourite pyjamas with little pirates on them. They were both unaware of the camera's presence.

Magnus had just walked off camera, and the sounds of a radio could be heard – a buzzing sound as he tuned it, a jumble of rapid voices, and then music. Max looked up at the sound of it, and then Magnus returned to the kitchen, resplendent in a silk dressing gown, singing along to the song.

Do, do, do, do-do-do,

Alec grinned, putting down the plate he was drying with a red and green checked dishcloth. "I've heard this before. What's it called?"

"Love is Easy – McFly," Magnus replied, grabbing Alec's hand and making him twirl. "Come on, dance with me."

Today,

I'm laughing the clouds away,

I hear what the flowers say,

And drink every drop of rain,

And I see,

Places that I have been,

In ways that I've never seen,

My side of the grass is green,

Ooh I can't believe that it's so simple,

It feels so natural to me,

"You're not a bad singer," Alec mused, smiling.

"I should do this every morning. I shall serenade you when you wake up," Magnus decided, waltzing him around the room. "Max! Come here, dance with us!"

Alec swung Max around in his arms, making him laugh. "Again, again!" he demanded, and Alec obliged.

If this is love,

Then love is easy,

It's the easiest thing to do,

If this is love,

Then love completes me,

Cause it feels like I've been missing you,

A simple equation,

With no complications,

To leave you confused,

If this is love, love, love,

Hmm it's the easiest thing to do,

Alec joined in, catching on quickly. Magnus beamed, taking both of them suddenly into a tango, his movements slow and graceful. Magnus had been teaching Alec different dances, and in his opinion Alec's Shadowhunter grace and reflexes made him a natural.

Do, do-do-do, do, do,

Do-do-do, do do,

Do-do-do, do you

Feel the way that I do?

Do I turn your grey skies blue?

And make dirty streets look new?

Hmm and the birds sing,

Magnus's voice suddenly went high as he sang the next lines, now dancing with Max, Alec watching in amusement.

Tweeheeheeheeheeheeheet,

Tweedleedeedeedee,

Alec raised his eyebrows. "That was supposed to be bird noises?"

Magnus rolled his eyes at him, and Max giggled as he was twirled around and picked up again.

Now I know exactly what they mean,

Ooh I can't believe that it's so simple,

It feels so natural to me,

If this is love,

Then love is easy,

It's the easiest thing to do,

If this is love,

Then love completes me,

Cause it feels like I've been missing you,

A simple equation,

With no complications,

To leave you confused,

If this is love, love, love,

Hmm it's the easiest thing to do,

Do, do, do-do-do, do, do,

Do-do-do, do, do,

Max suddenly joined in with his parents, making them smile. He was attempting to sing along with the "Do, do, do-do-do-do-do, do, do" part, more saying it than singing it, Alec and Magnus encouraging.

Wooh ooh ooh wooh ooh ooh oooh!

(What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary.)

"That's from a movie called 'It's a Wonderful Life'," Magnus said, smiling as he recognised the voice speaking the lines from the movie. "I've watched it twice with Tessa and once with Catarina, it's quite good. I always thought it was such a pity Shadowhunters don't watch movies."

Oooooh no,

If this is love,

Then love is easy,

It's the easiest thing to do,

If this is love,

Then love completes me,

Cause it feels like I've been missing you,

A simple equation,

With no complications,

To leave you confused, No,

If this is love, love, love,

It's the easiest thing to do,

"Let's just put this song on a loop and sing and dance to it all day," Magnus suggested. "What do you think, Max?"

Max nodded.

"Why do you agree with everything Papa says?" Alec asked him, laughing.

"Because Papa is always right," Magnus said, as though it was obvious. Alec shook his head in mock exasperation.

Do, do, do-do-do, do, do, (Hey!)

Do-do-do, do, do,

Do-do-do, do, (oooh this is love love love love love love)

Do, do, do-do-do, do, do, (oooh this is love love love love love love)

Do-do-do, do, do,

Do-do-do, do

Magnus rushed to the radio when the song was over.

"No, Magnus, we are not playing it over and over again!" Alec called after him.

"Play it again!" Max shouted happily.

"Anything for my little blueberry," Magnus cooed, poking his tongue out at Alec

"Max, don't encourage him," Alec said, pretending to be cross. Max grinned cheekily up at him. "Hey, Magnus, let me choose a song. Please?"

"Okay," Magnus agreed, faking disappointment. He moved to the camera, and the recording ended just as a new song came on.