A week later:

"Why are we going again?" Alec asked, tugging a t-shirt over his head.

Magnus sighed, falling back on Alec's bed and curling into the pillows. "We have to go into town because you don't own a scarf."

"Why does that matter?" Alec groaned, rolling his eyes and running a hair through his already messy hair. "Why do I even have to own a-"

"Because it's ridiculous!" Magnus exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air and letting his hands fall down on the bed with a thump. "Everyone has to own a scarf. It's one of those things that everyone owns. Do you have underwear?"

"Well, yeah-"

"Same thing." Magnus said, not even bothering to let Alec finish. "You need to wear a scarf."

"You're crazy."

"Indulge me."

Alec rolled his eyes but didn't say anything else, holding a hand out to drag Magnus off the bed. Magnus didn't bother to try and get up and eventually slid off the bed, almost hitting his head on the bedside table and falling to the ground with a wince.

"That sounded painful." Alec grimaced, pulling Magnus up.

"It was." Magnus sighed, fixing his hair in the mirror next to Alec's bookcase. "But it was worth it because we're going to go and buy you a scarf." He grinned, grabbing Alec's hand and pulling him out of the room behind him.

"You're actually going to get him to buy something that isn't replacing something that he's basically destroyed?" Isabelle asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Magnus with something akin to awe. "You work magic."

"Shut up." Alec said, digging around in the fridge. "We're just going into town and Magnus wants to buy me a scarf while we're there."

"No," Isabelle shook her head, a grin spreading across her lips. "You're going into town because Magnus wants to buy you a scarf. You're actually letting him tell you what to do."

"That's not-"

"You're so whipped." Jace grinned, wandering into the room with Clary and Simon. "It's pathetic."

"I thought you were supposed to be protecting my honour." Alec grinned, trying to take a sip from the juice carton.

"No!" Isabelle screamed, snatching the carton away and practically dumping it into a glass. "And we are protecting your innocence. But, you can't just drink out of the container like that. Someone else might want some."

"You don't like orange juice." Alec said slowly, raising the glass to his lips regardless.

Isabelle sighed and slammed the fridge door closed, "I said someone. I never said me."

"Wow," Magnus snorted, "that was amazing. Let's talk about that again. It was so fascinating."

"Shut it you." Alec smiled at him and Magnus held his hand out for the cup. Alec handed it to him, no questions asked and Jace pointed his finger at them triumphantly.

"I fucking told you." Jace grinned, "whipped."

"Asswipe." Magnus muttered into the juice and Alec laughed.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing." Magnus said innocently, smiling over the rim of the cup at a irritant Jace. He dropped Alec a wink.

"Anyways," Isabelle said, turning to Simon and Clary, "Magnus has actually managed to convince Alec to buy clothes for the sake of fashion. Can you believe it?"

"No." Simon said, turning to Alec with faux despair plain across his face, "Alec! How could you? We were fashion-less amigos in it to the end."

Alec shot him a strange look, shaking his head and taking his juice. "I'm going to go talk to Mum quickly. Tell her we're going and see if she needs anything." Magnus nodded and kissed him softly, Alec smiling into it and practically beaming when they pulled away.

Jace booed from the corner, throwing a grape and very nearly missing Alec's head. "No PDA in the kitchen or in front of me. Ever." He added, prepping to throw another grape as Alec flipped him off.

"I think it's cute." Clary defended, giving them a smile that Alec returned. As Alec left the room, Simon let out a melancholy sigh.

"I don't think Alec understands my humour." Simon said, helping himself to a pop from the fridge and offering one to Clary - who declined. "He always gives me the weirdest looks."

"People are a foreign subject to my brother." Isabelle said seriously, though Magnus snorted. "He doesn't really like big crowds, only tolerates parties and to be totally honest, he'd rather have his books than actual people."

"I hate people." Magnus said, grinning.

"A match made in heaven." Jace deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "You two should get married."

"We can't." Magnus frowned, "Not here."

"That's bullshit." Simon sighed, "You guys deserve equal rights! You deserve to be heard! We should start a revolution! VIVA LA- " Simon raised a fist into the air, getting weird looks from everyone. Dropping his fist with another exaggerated sigh, he dropped the act. "None of you get my humour do you?"

"Not really." Magnus smirked, "I have no idea what you're talking about. It's a little weird. Besides, I'll just get Alec to move back to New York with me. It's legal there."

"You're going to marry my brother?" Isabelle asked, bouncing childishly, "That's so cute!"

"You're not marrying Alec." Jace said firmly. "Seeing as Isabelle has completely abandoned our goal of protecting Alec, I'm going to stand my ground."

Isabelle rolled her eyes, "You're so weird. You have some serious problems. We're not stopping you from dating Clary."

"Isabelle." Jace hissed, glancing at Clary quickly.

Magnus sighed, "I'm going to go now." He gestured to the doorway and put Alec's now empty glass in the sink. "We'll be back soon."

"Don't deflower my brother!" Jace called from his spot where he was leaning on the counter, trying to look unaffected by Isabelle's comment.

Magnus turned back to wink at them, "No promises."

"Bane!"

Laughing to himself and letting their chatter fade into the background, Magnus looked for Alec. Then he heard them, presumably Alec and his mother, but he couldn't quite make out what they were saying until he got closer.

"-I'm not going to pretend." Alec sounded angry and almost hurt.

Maryse sighed and Magnus caught a glimpse of her through the door which was cracked open a touch. She was sitting behind an enormous wood desk, littered with pens, papers and a large desktop computer. "I'm not saying you have to-"

"And I'm saying I won't!" Alec's voice rose slightly, though Magnus still couldn't see him.

"Alexander." Maryse's voice was low, serious and almost pleading "You've seen the way those girls get treated, are you ready to take that? I don't want you to suffer and the people in this town are not as kind to those who are different. I just want what's best for you."

"Magnus is what's best for me." Stiffening at the mention of his name, Magnus slinked closer to the door, curiosity peaking.

"You can't know that."

"But I do."

"Be rational. Please." Maryse had her head in her hands, her dark hair loose around her face and when she looked up, Magnus was reminded how much she looked like Isabelle. But her blue eyes were all Alec and all desperation.

Alec didn't say anything and Magnus backed away from the door, wandering up the stairs to find his camera and trying not to let the conversation weight too heavily on his mind. He found the camera and went back to the kitchen where the others were still waiting.

"I thought you were leaving?" Isabelle asked, concern spreading over her features as she looked at his worried face.

"Uh," Magnus was jolted out of his thoughts and tried to plaster on a convincing smile. "We are, but your darling brother is just talking to your mother. I figured I'd give them a few more minutes before I went barging in there and demanded to take him shopping." He held his camera up and snapped a quick picture of them there.

"How polite of you." Jace snorted, though there was - surprisingly - equal concern on his face. "We were just talking about maybe doing the splatter painting next week."

"Yeah," Clary grinned, having bought Magnus' fake smile and seemingly unperturbed by everyone else's unease. "My mum said that you guys could all come over and we'd do a giant canvas one so you could take it back to New York. If you wanted." She added, looking suddenly a little nervous as the smile on her face faltered.

"I'd love to." He smiled and she smiled back, bright eyed once more. "I think that sounds like a ton of fun-"

"Are you ready to go?" Alec was back, looking more than a little annoyed and upset. He didn't bother to address the others and Magnus could feel the worry bubbling up in his throat.

"Sure." Magnus said, mouthing sorry to the others and rushing after Alec when he stormed out of the room. Isabelle looked like she wanted to follow, but Jace shook his head no and they let them leave.

"What was that?" Magnus asked as they sped down the road. He hadn't dare break the silence until the house was a spot in their rearview mirror. Alec's hands tightened on the wheel and his knuckles started to go white. The truck went faster and Magnus braced his hand on the door. "Alec." Magnus said slowly, fighting to keep calm. "Slow down."

"They just-" His voice was thick and Magnus put a hand on his on the wheel.

"Pull over."

And so they did. They pulled over in the middle of nowhere, Alec turned off the engine and Magnus unbuckled to scoot a little closer. Brushing a piece of hair behind Alec's ear and simply looking at his boyfriend with as much affection as he could muster, Magnus waited.

"They want me to pretend." Alec said suddenly, his voice only backed by the wind brushing over the fields.

"Who?" Magnus said, despite already knowing the answer to that question.

"My parents." Alec leaned back on the seat, letting his hands fall to his lap where Magnus automatically reached for them. "They want me to pretend that I'm not gay."

Magnus was more than a little surprised, especially after Robert and Maryse were rather easy to accept their son. "I thought they were okay with it." Magnus said slowly.

"They say that they are," Alec laughed bitterly, "but they're still so-" Alec groaned. "It's awful. They say that they're okay with it and I know that they're trying but I feel like the second that I walk away, part of them is disappointed and they're just not telling me."

"Alec-"

"And then they come around with this bullshit!" Alec practically yelled and Magnus could see that his eyes were wet. "They want me to pretend that I'm not gay, that we're not a couple. Because they think that people are going to treat me differently."

"They will." Magnus rationalized, "are you ready for that?"

"I want to be." Alec sighed. "Now that they know, I just want the world to know. I mean fuck whatever they think. I'm still going to be gay whether some old lady likes it or not. And I'm still going to be with you."

Biting his lip and turning his boyfriend's head to face him, Magnus sighed. "You don't have to tell everyone. I'm not going to leave you. You told your parents and that's more than I should have asked of you."

"You deserve better." Alec bit out, jerking his gaze away to look out the front windshield. "You deserve someone better."

"Hey." Magnus said and when he couldn't get Alec to turn towards him, Magnus huffed and crawled into his lap. Crammed between Alec and the wheel, Magnus straddled his boyfriend. "You're not allowed to decide that." Magnus said firmly, "you don't get a say in what I deserve."

"But-"

"But nothing." Magnus said, a little softer this time. He pressed his hand to Alec's mouth, "I'll decide what I deserve and more importantly, what I want." Leaning in to kiss Alec softly and slowly, Magnus murmured, "and I want you," into Alec's lips.

"Okay." Alec whispered, bringing his hand up to tangle in Magnus' hair and pull him closer. Magnus moaned softly, sliding closer so they were pressed chest to chest and he could feel Alec's heartbeat race as his mouth dipped lower to kiss along Alec's jaw.

"So," Magnus said breathlessly, pulling away. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." Alec admitted, gnawing on his bottom lip. "Maybe we'll tell some people."

"I'm desperate to tell Helen and Aline," Magnus grinned, "and I kind of want to tell Maia."

"You're not still jealous over that, are you?"

"I was never jealous."

"So that time when you tried to take a bite out of me because I smelled like her?" Alec smirked, "what was that then?"

"Shut up." Magnus groaned. "I get jealous easily, okay? I don't know what it is. I just want the whole fucking world to know that you're mine. And they can keep their grubby hands off." Alec laughed, blue eyes sparkling in the early afternoon sunshine. "You're mine." Magnus repeated, bringing Alec in for a bruising kiss.

"Fine, fine."

"Fine?"

"I'm yours." Alec rolled his eyes, "I get it. No getting cozy with Maia, etcetera, etcetera."

Magnus nodded, sliding off Alec's lap. "Good. Now drive."

"You know," Alec said, starting the truck as Magnus buckled his seat belt. "I'm beginning to think that Jace is right."

"Those words can't mean anything good." Magnus laughed, grabbing one of Alec's hands and twining their fingers together. "What exactly has your brother said that might have a tiny grain of truth?"

Laughing, Alec shook his head. "I am totally whipped."

"This one!" Magnus exclaimed, holding the garment up in triumph. Alec looked at him dubiously.

"That's what you said about the last fifty." His boyfriend sighed, shuffling over to where Magnus was standing. "I think this is way too much effort. I don't go shopping because there's so much trying on."

Magnus rolled his eyes, "how would you know it fits otherwise?"

"It's a scarf!" Alec exclaimed, waving his arms at the offending object.

Maddie smiled at them from over the counter, shaking her head. "Magnus is right, you should try it all on. And that will make your eyes look amazing."

"Exactly what I was thinking." Magnus nodded, dragging Alec closer by the collar of his shirt and gently wrapping the scarf around his neck. "It looks perfect." He insisted, "matches your eyes like magic."

"It does look good." Madeleine offered, smiling at the hesitant Alec.

"Isabelle is going to be so happy!" Magnus clapped his hands, "ring that one up Maddie, it's the one!"

Madeleine laughed, "so, you and Isabelle must be close then. I can't imagine the two of you bein' anything other than best friends. If you've managed to convince Alec to go shopping for a second time, you're a miracle worker."

"Everyone keeps sayin' that." Alec shook his head, "y'all are conspiring against me."

"We mean well." Magnus grinned, pinching his cheek as Madeleine rang up the total.

"I'll charge it to your mama's account darlin'." She smiled, "you two head out and enjoy the day. It's shaping up to be sunny, but not too hot to be outside."

"Thank goodness for that." Magnus cheered, pulling out his camera and snapping a picture of Alec rolling his eyes but wearing the scarf nonetheless. Grabbing his boyfriend's hand, they dashed from the shop, giggling all the way. Madeleine hadn't commented on their sudden closeness or the way that Magnus had been shamelessly ogling Alec anytime he tried on anything, but Magnus got the feeling that was more out of politeness than actual ignorance to their relationship.

Alec squinted into the sunshine and tucked the scarf in his back pocket, making Magnus wail in protest.

"You're just going to have to put it in the truck."

"Why can't it stay in my pocket?" Alec asked, looking extremely confused as Magnus snatched the scarf back from him and marched off in the direction of where they parked.

"Because you can't treat a scarf like a handkerchief." Magnus huffed, "it's for fashion, not nose wiping. Which means it doesn't get crammed in your pocket." When he shot Alec an indignant look over his shoulder, his boyfriend was smiling brilliantly. "What?"

"Nothin'," Alec shrugged, the grin not budging from his face, "you're just the cutest person in the entire world when you get all worked up about fashion."

"I am?" Magnus grinned back, fake anger dissipating as he folded the scarf and placed it on the truck's bench.

"You are." Alec grinned, "now how about we go spread the news?"

"Sounds amazing." Magnus said, resisting the urge to grab Alec's hand and reminding himself that it would be better for Alec if this stayed slightly under the radar. He didn't want his boyfriend to be the subject of hate from one hundred Sebastians.

"I have something I need to tell you." Alec grinned at Aline who raised an eyebrow but shrugged.

"Sure." She nodded at Helen, "the both of us?"

"Yep." Magnus couldn't help but grin as well.

"Mum!" Aline shouted, "I'm takin' a break."

"With Helen?" Jia asked.

"Yes?" Aline bit back, annoyance plain on her face. "And Alec and Magnus." She added.

"Oh?" Jia stuck her head around the corner, "Alec, that's nice sweetie. Hello there." She gave them all a beaming smile which they returned somewhat awkwardly. Aline snorted and gestured for them to follow her. She led them back to a tiny room that was a cross between a locker room and a break room. There were couches and a small TV but also a line of cubbies that were labelled with different people's names and teaming with stuff.

"This is the elusive back room." Aline grinned, spreading out over one of the couches. Helen laughed and sat down next to her, pulling Aline's feet into her lap.

"Is there any reason your mother is suddenly my biggest fan?" Alec asked, grabbed a coke out of a mini fridge and offering one to Magnus and each of the girls. He sat down on the couch and Magnus stayed standing.

Aline snapped open her can with a hiss. "She thinks I'm going to become straight and marry you. I mentioned seeing you the other week when you got those lovely locks cut." Aline leaned across to yank on a strand of Alec's hair. He gave her nothing more than a playful glare and a laugh. "She practically fell over herself suggesting that you and I hang out."

"He's got to be with Maia." Helen said, "they're too cute."

"That's not totally going to work out." Alec ran his hands through his hair sheepishly.

"Which one?" Helen asked, raising an eyebrow. Magnus resisted the urge to laugh as Alec flushed deeply.

"Either? Both?"

Aline was confused as well now, "why?"

Giving up with a dramatic sigh, Magnus plopped himself down on the couch next to Alec and grabbed his chin. Pulling Alec in for a deliciously passionate kiss, Magnus revelled in the gasps from the girls across from them and the looks on their faces as he pulled away.

"Because of that." Alec stuttered as they gaped and Magnus sniggered. "We weren't going to tell you like that." Alec muttered, giving Magnus a half-hearted glare.

"I was always going to do that." Magnus grinned, blowing him a kiss. Alec groaned, leaning back into the couch and sighing.

"You can't be with Maia because you're-"

Aline slapped her hand over Helen's mouth. "I'm assuming that we're back here because you don't want the whole world pounding down your door."

"More my parents then me, but yeah." Alec shrugged, wincing. "Sorry."

"Don't be." Helen smiled softly, taking her girlfriend's hand off her mouth and pressing a soft kiss to the back of her hand before letting their clasped hands fall into her lap. "It's hard for us sometimes, I can understand why you wouldn't want anyone to know."

"So you're officially together then?" Aline grinned, "boyfriends? The whole shebang?"

"The whole shebang." Alec nodded.

"Cheers." Helen said, lifting her coke can before putting it to her lips, smiling over the rim. "I'll stop asking Maia to date you now. I guess."

Alec snorted, "thanks."

They were leaving the diner, waving to Jia politely while Magnus mentally murdered her for the look she cast Helen. And then Magnus saw Rebecca through the shop window. So, he raced out of the diner like a madman and yelled her name.

"Rebecca!"

She turned around, face breaking into a toothy smile. Magnus wondered in that moment if it could be any more accurate to compare Rebecca to chocolate. She was sweet, easy to talk to and filling you with warmth. She was the kind of sister that Magnus would have liked to have.

"Well, if it isn't our big city boy?" Rebecca teased, her brown hair getting caught in the wind and whipping across her face as she held it back with one hand. The other was carrying shopping, though it wasn't much. Magnus snapped a picture of her standing there and wondered if anyone would believe that it wasn't posed. "What brings you to the hustle and bustle?"

Magnus took a look around at the smattering of people along street corners and in the diner and snorted. "You've been to New York now. I'm a New Yorker. This is nothing compared to Black Friday."

With a laugh like melting caramel, Rebecca nodded. "I suppose so. How's it goin' Alec?"

He shrugged, giving Rebecca a toothy smile that Magnus wished he'd show off more often.

Rebecca just sighed, "I'm loving the warm weather, though I've gotten sunburnt more than I'd like to admit. How do you stay so pale?" She asked, looking incredulously at Alec's complexion. Magnus laughed, because it was true. Alec had remained pale as ever, no matter how many days they spent sitting in the sun and soaking up the heat. Rebecca had tanned considerably since that first plane ride.

"I don't think I'm physically able to tan." Alec sighed, looking at one of his pale arms in disappointment. Magnus held up an arm next to Alec's and Rebecca almost gaped.

"That's a little weird." Magnus had tanned, quite a bit. So Alec was positively white in comparison.

"Here." Rebecca said, snatching the camera from around Magnus' neck. She took a picture of their arms, but then stepped back a few paces. Holding the camera up to her eye, almost all they could see was her brilliant smile. "Smile. You need a picture of the two of you."

Magnus felt himself melt a little inside as Alec threw an arm around his shoulders. And then, after the first take - and with a quick glance around them - Alec leaned in and pecked Magnus on the cheek. Rebecca caught it and Magnus felt himself gasp a little. Magnus flushed, but pretended to brush it off. Rebecca walked back over to them beaming, handing the camera to Magnus and shaking her head.

"I take it everything worked out?"

"Better than expected." Magnus grinned and Alec shot him a confused look.

"You're not telling everyone are you?"

Alec, who'd clued in at this point shook his head. "No, It's staying within the family for now."

"I'm family?"

"Always have been." Alec smiled and Rebecca sent him a grateful - though surprised - look. "Simon already knows I think. Jace and Isabelle must have told him and Clary, because Clary didn't seem all that surprised and Simon's started asking for my opinion on what he's wearing."

Rebecca giggled. "That does sound like my brother doesn't it? Goodness, he's hopeless that one." Glancing at her watch she sighed. "I should leave though. Mum's expecting this ricotta to help her make lasagne." She gave each of the boys a quick hug, whispering in Magnus' ear. "Told you to be patient."

Magnus grinned at her, but stayed quiet.

Then, just as she was walking away, Rebecca turned around. "Oh! Alec invite your mother over to dinner would you? Tomorrow night at our place? Mum's making her famous pie!"

"Pie?" Alec laughed. "We wouldn't miss it for the world!"

The bell rung slightly as Alec opened the door. He held it open for Magnus who squinted as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the bookshop. The shop was silent and Alec gently fingered the pages of a book that was lying open on the front table.

"It's Maia on shift for sure." He grinned, gesturing to the book title. "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. She loves rereading that series."

"I've never read them." Magnus said softly, coming over to look over Alec's shoulder.

Alec recoiled from him, giving Magnus a look that his boyfriend was becoming far too familiar with - a look of complete disbelief. Stifling a laugh, Magnus raised an eyebrow as Alec spluttered.

"You're kidding."

"No, I never really saw the point. I just watched the movies."

"Oh my god." Alec muttered, his mouth gaping, "I can't believe that you actually haven't read them. I mean, it's Harry Potter."

"Yes," Magnus rolled his eyes. "And the movies were perfectly good. As far as I know, they followed the story line close enough. Besides, Tom Felton was sort of hot."

"I can't believe you." Alec shook his head, "that's not possible. You can't have not read Harry Potter. It's such a classic series… I can't imagine it. And Tom Felton was not hot."

"Without the dyed hair he is."

"I'm more of a Daniel Radcliffe kinda guy."

"Am I not short enough for you?"

"Shut up."

"Anyways," Magnus smirked, "I'm not really a book person. I try, but they never hold my interest for as long as I'd like. I'd rather read someone's biography, if I'm reading at all. There's no weird fantasy bullshit in that kind of thing."

"I thought you liked romantic comedies." Alec smiled. "Aren't those mostly made up?"

"Yeah," Magnus shrugged, "but they're not talking about dark wizards and things. I'm hoping for the existence of a happy ending, you're hoping for the existence of another world."

Alec shook his head. "I love the idea of there being other worlds. Imagination is important and all that-" he waved a hand around and Magnus laughed.

"All that?"

"All of it."

"Maybe I'll read it someday." Magnus shrugged.

Alec's eyes lit up. "Really?" He was biting his lip, looking like Magnus had announced that Christmas was coming early. It was too cute for words.

Sighing dramatically and shaking his head, Magnus leaned in and pressed a hard kiss to Alec's lips. Pulling Alec closer by the pockets of his jeans, the edge of the counter was pressing into Magnus' back but all he could focus on was Alec's lips and the way his hands found their way under his shirt. Alec let out a small groan and Magnus slipped his tongue into Alec's mouth, Alec's mouth stifling his groan.

"Well shit."

Alec and Magnus sprang apart, Magnus with a smirk and Alec with a bashful smile. Maia was standing there between the stacks, hands on her hips. She shook her head, walking over to the counter and spearing a receipt on the tower next to the cash register.

"I knew the two of you were getting a little cuddly, but I didn't realize that you were going to come and try and bang on my desk."

"We weren't-" Alec floundered, his blush deepening.

Maia laughed, "Oh don't you worry about it. I think it's cute." She turned to Magnus, a grin spreading across her face. "I told him to ask you out, did ya know that?"

"Is that so?" Magnus raised an eyebrow, laughing at the flush on Alec's cheeks and gently squeezing his forearm.

"It is." Maia said proudly, jamming a bookmark into her book and setting it off to the side.

"Is that what you were whispering to him the first time we met?" Magnus asked, pieces clicking into place.

"Yes." Alec groaned. "She was being horribly embarrassin'."

"I was not!" Maia protested, though the wink she shot Magnus said otherwise. "I was just telling you to nab that-"

"Hot piece of ass?" Alec snorted. "Weren't those your words?"

"They were." She nodded. "I told you so."

"You told me what?"

"That he liked you!" Maia yelled throwing her hands up and startling Luke who was walking through the door.

"I'm not sure I want to ask." He smiled at that boy warmly and shook his head fondly at Maia who was standing with her arms up in the air. Magnus wondered if Luke was a little more onto them then he thought, which was probably true going by the way his eyebrows shot up at the sight of Magnus' hand resting comfortably on Alec's arm.

Huffing, Maia put her arms down. "You're probably better off just staying in the dark about this one. Just know that I was right and Alec was wrong."

"I wasn't wrong."

"You were in denial." Maia shook her head, tucking a stray curl into her loose bun. "It's not just a river in Egypt you know."

Alec groaned while Luke and Magnus laughed.

"Oh!" Maia called suddenly, turning to Luke. "How's Amatis?"

"Good I guess." He shrugged. "She doesn't really like being home I don't think. But she's willing to stay here until the wedding."

"What, like a month to go?" Alec smiled. "You must be excited."

"I can't really believe it's happening." Luke admitted, running a hand through his hair. "It feels like something that was never really going to happen and I'd accepted that. But now that it's so close - I just don't know."

"I think it's cute." Maia said. "You two are probably soul mates." She said it flippantly, but it brought a smile to Luke's face that made Magnus wonder. He wondered what the story really was to Luke and Jocelyn. What happened when no one else was there. The kind of moments that couldn't be captured by words or movies or retellings of that same magical story. And somehow, Magnus found himself looking at Alec from the corner of his eyes.

Was this one of those moments? He could feel Alec's hand brushing his arm, could see the light catch his eyes and dust caught in his eyelashes. And when Alec caught him looking, Magnus couldn't help but feel his heart race and feel the smile coming to his face.

He couldn't help but wonder.