AN - It's taken me about a year and a half to update this, and I'm sorryyyyy! This took me about 4 months of on and off writing to complete, and I sincerely hope you enjoy it ^.^
chapter 2, finally
A knock came at the door as Magnus was fretting in the mirror. Once Clary and Jace had left he'd began panicking a little and had restyled his hair twice. He palmed his hair, willing it to lay flat, before answering the door, the mask he usually wore dropping into place, so as not to worry Alec with his own panic.
"Alexander," he smiled, grabbing the younger man by the arm and pulling him in, closing door with his foot.
"Magnus, we're going to be late." the Shadowhunter complained, Magnus backed him up against the wall,
"Yes, but Clarissa and Jace were all over each other before they left and I missed your lips." He muttered pressing his lips to Alec's,
"Wait what were Clary and Jace doing here?" He said as Magnus pulled back,
"Doesn't matter. Just stuff." He told him. Alec raised an eyebrow, "Oh, come on, don't do that face!" He sighed, smiling. "You'll find out later," Alec crossed his arms over his chest, Magnus laughed, "Come on, we're going to be late, as you were whining." He backed away, and grabbed his coat from the sofa.
When he reached the door, Alec was already stood on the doorstep, ignoring Magnus. When the warlock came up behind him and slipped his hand into his partners hand, Alec began walking down the stairs, not giving Magnus a look.
"Listen," Magnus stopped him as he reached the first landing, "She was doing us a favour, if everything goes well with your parents tonight, you'll get to see what it is. Its a surprise, okay grumpy?" Alec sighed and nodded. They continued down the stairs together.
When they got outside a cold chill met them, Magnus done his coat up tighter, and squeezed Alecs hand, slipping them both into his pocket, Alec smiled gratefully.
"Nervous?" Magnus asked,
"Terrified."Alec laughed, "My parents are so... normal, and you're so bright and flamboyant, I'm terrified they're not going to approve. Not that I don't think they'll like you, as long as you're not too sarcastic, and as much of a smartass as normal, I think they'll love you. But they're having a hard enough time getting to grips with the fact you're not a woman,"
"Maybe I should dance naked on the table for them, so they know I'm definitely male?" Magnus suggested. Alec raised a disapproving eyebrow,
"Do you want to kill my father?" Magnus laughed and shook his head. "Good. As I was saying, dealing with the fact you're not a woman, so the fact you also look like you fell out of a Pride festival through the glitter section, will make a... not good first impression." Magnus frowned,
"I was wearing normal clothes. Clarissa suggested I change so as not to fool them into thinking I was 'normal'. We've not walked that far, I can go back and change?" Alec smirked,
"No! I like your clothes. It'd be weird seeing you in anything but your clothes. I'm just saying that because they're not used to it, and they're... old-fashioned, they might get the wrong impression. And I really don't want them to. I really want them to like you, and see how amazing you are." Magnus slipped his hand out of his pocket and wrapped and wrapped it round the younger mans waist,
"If its any comfort, what they think of me, wont make me like you any less. You're still my," he paused and counted on his other hand, "16th favourite person." Alec shoved him, raising an eyebrow and smirking, "fine, fine, you're definitely in the top 6." Magnus laughed and pulled the Shadowhunter closer, to kiss him on the cheek.
Magnus began fiddling with his hair as the Institute came into view. Alec laughed,
"I've never seen you nervous before, its strange." he commented. Magnus glared at him,
"Your observation was unnecessary," he snapped. They stopped when they got to the gate of the Institute, Alec turned to face the warlock, the Shadowhunter was dressed head-to-toe in black, tight black trousers that showed the right things to those looking, with a black shirt tucked into it, and a black blazer-jacket. Next to him, Magnus looked like a rainbow explosion.
"Ready?" Alec asked. Magnus swallowed,
"Not at all." he replied. "Hang on." he said as Alex moved to turn toward the front door. He began shouldering off his purple jacket, revealing his white shirt. Alec sighed,
"If you take off that jacket, I swear I'll tell my mother I walked in on you screwing your cat. and then she won't like you even if you are wearing a nice shirt." Magnus frowned, but slid the jacket back on.
Alec smiled and stepped close to him, "They're just as nervous, mother was ordering Max to lay the table with the bone china I've only seen her use when the head of the Clave have visited, and my father was reading 'How to Meet the In-Laws' online this morning. I promise, they're just as nervous as you are, now stop fiddling." the role reversal would've been entertaining to Magnus in any other situation, normally it was him comforting Alec at any given time, while Alec was a puddle of terrified nerves. Alec pressed his lips to the warlocks, quieting his pounding head. Magnus reached to wrap an arm around Alec's waist, and to tangle the other hand in his black hair.
"Now come on," Alec said when they broke apart. "We were running late when we left, mother will be going spare." he slipped his hand into the warlock's hand and half-towed him toward the door.
Magnus had visited the Institute on more than one occasion, but never had he been so terrified. 'I've not met someone's parents formally before,' he rationalised to himself, 'and I've not cared for someone as I do Alec in a long time. Its just because you're new to this.' he tried to convince himself.
The old elevator pinged and the door opened revealing Church, Alec's cat, sprawled in the middle of the corridor, Magnus dropped Alec's hand and went to crouched by the cat, smart cats made him happy, he scratched the cats ear, talking to him, "Did you pee on Jace's bed like I suggested last time I was here?" Alec leant against the wall, watching the warlock fondly, "Did you sit on Alec's face in the middle of the night, so he'd wake up and remember his bed isn't as cool as mine, especially when I'm not napping in it, like we discussed." the cat looked him in the eye and meowed, "Good, good. We'll make a fine evil villain out of you yet, Church."
Alec snorted, "You speak cat now?" he asked, Magnus straightened up and looked at his Shadowhunter,
"I speak most languages, Alexander, I am old enough to have learnt." Alec laughed at him, taking his hand again and pulling him down the hall to the formal dining room where his parents (and Max) had laid the table.
Maryse and Robert were stood together by the mantle piece when they entered the room. Immediately, Alec's mothers eyebrows shot up when she caught sight of Magnus. She'd met him before many times, but a small part of her assumed he'd look less bright for their first formal meeting. Alec pulled Magnus forward and went to greet his parents,
"Mother, Father." he nodded at each of them in turn, he pulled his arm forward to pull Magnus more into their gathering, "This is my.. boyfriend, Magnus." Maryse smiled warily and held out her hand,
"Mr Bane, we've met before, you are as.. flamboyant as ever." Magnus looked at the hand and them back up to Maryse's face then to Alec, he suddenly looked like a rabbit in headlights. Alec squeezed the warlock's hand, when he didn't respond Alec shook his arm. Magnus's eyes got wider, and his eyebrow started twitching. Alec smirked,
"Mother, father, if you'll excuse us for a minute." without waiting for their answer, he dragged Magnus from the room, and into the study across the hall. He backed Magnus up against the table, seeing as the warlock looked unsteady on his feet. "Its strange to see you get stage fright." Alec laughed, "I literally don't think I've ever seen you look so cute and terrified." he teased. Magnus blinked at him a few times, before shaking his head and looking down at their feet. After a couple of seconds he looked back up,
"Sorry," he said, "I've just not done this before, I blanked. I actually forgot how to speak." Alec raised an eyebrow,
"Never done what?" he asked,
"Never met the parents, well I have, but not since meeting the parents meant a fight to the death and some poor girls hand in marriage." Alec snorted,
"I promise they wont eat you. They wont make you fight anyone for my hand. They wont even insult you." he out a hand on Magnus's cheek. He wasn't nearly this touchy-feely when his sister or Jace was around, "I'll be there holding your hand the entire time, I promise." Magnus leant into Alec's hand, he smirked,
"What if one of us has to pee? Will you still hold my hand?" Alec smiled and shook his head,
"I would have no problem holding your hand to the bathroom, Magnus, but I have a funny feeling my parents would have a thing or two to say about it. But fine, I promise I will hold your hand the entire time we're around my parents if it makes you feel better, unless one of us needs to pee, or one of us needs to use a knife and a fork." they both laughed.
"I do love you, Alexander." Magnus announced wrapping his arms around Alec's waist and pulling him close. The hand Alec had on the warlocks cheek slipped to the back of his neck, as Magnus pressed his lips to the Shadowhunters.
Outside the room, Maryse, Robert and Isabelle were peering through the ajar door. Izzy was holding back a giggle, and Alec's parents were looking on their faces soft, approving smiles on their faces. They scrambled the moment the couple pulled apart and began walking toward the door.
Maryse and Robert had barely made it back to the dining room before Alec and Magnus entered the room. This time Mangus walked a little straighter and he was almost beaming,
"Mr and Mrs Lightwood," he reached out and shook their hands in turn, "nice to meet you again, under such calm and civil circumstances." Alec smiled and nodded at his parents in turn,
"Mother, father. This is my boyfriend Magnus Bane." He reintroduced them.
"Mr Bane," Maryse smiled,
"High Warlock," Robert nodded, always one to use titles before names.
"Do come, sit down. We had laid the table so you were sitting opposite each other, but if you would like to sit together you are quite welcome to." Magnus smiled gratefully, and squeezed Alec's hand.
As they sat down, Isabelle and Max entered the room. Max in a little black suit, and Isabelle in a floor length midnight blue backless gown. Alec smirked at his little brother, who was trying hard to look grown up as he held his arm out to his sister and walked them to the fire place,
"Mother, father." Max said staring at his fathers hands dead in front of him, Robert ruffled his hair,
"Mother, father." Isabelle greeted her parents,
"Isabelle, there is a small change to the seating, Jace and Magnus are swapping seats, you're still next to Clarissa, but Max is now next to Magnus." Her father told her, she rolled her eyes but said nothing, instead Max stomped his foot,
"But Jace promised me he'd eat all my vegetables if I sat next to him, and he was going to tell me about how to swim, because him and Clary were going to take me swimming."
"Max you'll sit where you're told."Maryse told her youngest son, "and Magnus can tell you all about swimming, no doubt he knows how to." Max grumbled under his breath, and then slouched to his seat dragging his feet, once settled in his seat, he slid down so he was slouched in his chair and crossed his arms, swinging his legs so he rhymically kicked one of the table legs. Alec leant across Magnus,
"Stop sulking, and sit up properly. Magnus is much nicer than Jace." Max scowled at his oldest brother. Magnus touched Alec's shoulder as if to say move out of the way. He leant down so he was within whispering distance of the young boy,
"Look in your left trouser pocket." Max frowned and slipped a hand in his pocket, eyes wide he pulled out a bar of chocolate, Magnus winked and put a finger to his lips, "Now come on shorty, sit up straight." Max wriggled in his seat till he was sat up straight, under the table his little fingers were making light work of unwrapping the chocolate, casting a quick look to his parents he snapped a bit off and popped it in his mouth.
Alec smiled at the warlock, and squeezed his hand as Jace and Clary appeared at the door, both red faced, Magnus noted that the perfect edges of Clary's lipstick were now not-so perfect. The quickly greeted Jace's parents and then took their seats, Magnus caught Jace's eye across the table, smirked and then wiped the side of his mouth indicating the Jace should do the same. Jace picked up a spoon and used the back as a mirror, before wiping away the smudge of lipstick.
Maryse and Robert took the seats at either end of the table, and the group began their meal.
The conversation had waned and a contented silence fell in the room,
"Jace, Isabelle, clear the table please." Maryse instructed, Jace rolled his eyes, and Isabelle huffed as they stood up and took everyones plates.
"The meal was, I think, the best I've ever had Mrs Lightwood." Magnus complimented Maryse as Jace and Isabelle left the room, Maryse smiled,
"Thank you Mr Bane. Isabelle offered to help, but I'm sure Alec's told you how... experimental her cooking habits are." Everyone around the table laughed. Magnus noticed Clary staring at the spot where her plate had been, looking nervous. He didn't blame her, if Alec wasn't next to him, holding his hand under the table, he'd be stumbling over his words and looking as nervous as she did.
"I had the pleasure of styling and dressing Clarissa this afternoon, she looks stunning don't you all think." Magnus told the remainder of the table, Clary blushed,
"The dress and hair reminds me of her mother at her age, both are very beautiful." Robert commented, "You are growing into a beautiful woman with the same grace and air of sophistication as your mother Clary." he added smiling at her. She blushed more, and smiled, not sure whether to say thank you or deny she had any grace or sophistication like her mother. "Shall we move to the library, its warmer and more comfortable in there?" he suggested, looking up at his wife, she smiled and stood up.
Alec and Magnus stood up together, their hands still interlocked. Max jumped off his chair and followed them out of the room, Magnus looked back,
"Clary, aren't you going to join us?" he asked her. She turned on her chair,
"Nah, I think I'll help Jace and Izzy wash up." she said sliding out of her chair and going the opposite way to the library, toward where Magnus would assume was the kitchen. Alec tugged Magnus along,
"Maybe they'll have made a decision about whether I can stay with you tonight?" he said explaining his eagerness to rejoin his parents. Magnus smirked,
"Patience grasshopper." he teased. Alec poked his tongue out, Magnus made to bite it, and they both laughed, before Max made the fact he was still there known with a 'gross',
"Max, go to the library first, me and Magnus have some adult things to do really quickly before we go in." Max grumbled and huffed, as he flounced off down the hallway to the library. Alec dragged them both into one of the bedrooms that were on the corridor,
"Alexander, I will not have sex with you so soon after we have eaten." he teased again, "Shut up." Alec smirked rolling his eyes and slapping the warlock's arm, "I think that went quite well don't you?" he smiled,
"Still didn't stop me crapping myself for the majority of the time." Magnus laughed. Alec jumped up to perch on the chest of drawers so they were the same height.
"They wouldn't've noticed, don't worry. You were amazing." he put his legs around Magnus's hips and pulled him close, pressing his lips to the warlock's, tangling his fingers in his dark hair. Magnus slid his hands along the waistband of Alec's wonderfully tight trousers, dragging his knuckles over the bulge. The shadowhunter parted his lips, and slid his tongue into Magnus's mouth as Magnus undone the button of Alec's trousers and slipped his hand into the younger mans underwear, palming him as his other hand slid up the back of Alec's shirt, running his nails up and down his back. Alec moaned quietly into Magnus's mouth, biting down on the warlock's tongue when Magnus squeezed his shaft.
After a couple of minutes Alec reluctantly pulled back,
"We, we should-d go join my parents." he stuttered out, breathing heavily. Magnus slipped his hand out of Alec pants and left it resting on his thigh,
"To be continued then." he said taking Alec's hand and helping him jump off the drawers.
"I suppose so," Alec murmured adjusting his shirt and trousers.
Alec and Magnus entered the library and found only Mr and Mrs Lightwood,
"We sent Max to help wash the dishes, no doubt he'll find our conversation boring." Robert told the pair when Alec quirked and eyebrow and scanned the room. He checked his watch, "It's getting late, so I suppose you'll want to know our decision, so you can make what ever plans you need to. Bane," he turned to look directly at Magnus, "I was worried when Alexander told us about your relationship, that you were using our son as a toy, or a distraction, your... exploits are famed throughout Downworlder communities. But I think Maryse will agree that it seems you are genuine." Maryse nodded, "So, if you two want to... spend the night at Magnus's together, we don't have an, ahem, problem with it." Alec, who had been holding in a smile through his fathers entire dialogue, regardless of his comment on Magnus's past, let him face split open with a beaming smile. He stepped forward to hug his father, and then thought better of himself and grasped his forearm to shake his arm.
"Thank you father, mother." he stepped back to take Magnus's hand back. The warlock smiled,
"Thank you both, I'll take care of him." he promised. Maryse smiled back,
"I know full well you will, Mr Bane." she told him.
"I need to grab a few things from my room, so we'll be going." Alec smiled at his parents and began pulling Magnus from the room.
In the hall, Magnus tried to pull Alec to a halt, to celebrate their small victory, but Alec dragged the warlock onward,
"I want to hurry up and grab a change of clothes, and get back to your apartment." Alec told him turning corners until they reached his room, "Wait out here, my rooms messy." He instructed, Magnus raised an eyebrow but didn't comment, and instead leant against the wall by the door, while Alec ran in his room.
After a few minutes, Magnus remembered his visit to Clary's, and pushed the door open to call through, "Bring-," Alec flung himself across the room and slammed the door, Magnus quirked an eyebrow and smirked at the door, but continued, "Bring your spare steele, I think Chairman Meow is hoarding again, I've run out of spoons, and the one you left behind at the weekend has gone missing. And if you're getting changed, you know, I'm not shy. Also, I sort of want to take those fiiiine trousers off for you later." He waited a few seconds to see if Alec would reply, but he remained silent, "If you don't assure me those trousers are staying put, I'm gonna strip off and kiss Jace, and maybe even see if your dad will-" a laugh came from the room followed by a,
"Alright, they're staying on! Just stop trying to give my dad a heart attack!"
Magnus laughed, "Good," he considered for a moment, "maybe you can even do a strip tease for me later, as I've been /such/ a good boy." He added.
Alec opened the door, a backpack on his shoulder, he pecked Magnus on the lips, "Maybe if you play your cards right, and pay me of course," he sashayed down the corridor, "Strippers get paid." He finished. Magnus caught up, eyes shining,
"Perhaps the little gift Clary gave me will be payment enough swee'heart." He suggested.
Alec jutted his bottom lip, "Please tell me what it is." He begged, trying to make puppy eyes at his boyfriend. Magnus laughed and shook his head,
"Nope, but you'll see reeeeeally soon." He blew a kiss at Alec and then skipped off down the corridor, passing an amused Jace and Clary as he skidded toward the elevator door.