Magnus loved every moment of Alec in his world. It had made him swell with pride every time Alec enthused about his aunt's home cooking, or took pleasure in some small part of their lifestyle. By the time they left, Magnus had a sense of understanding from Alec. They didn't speak of it, but Magnus could feel the slight change in his fiance. Magnus loved how well Alec and Aleida were getting along. When they finally had to leave, there were hugs all around, and only a few tears. Magnus was sorry to go, but also excited. It was a strange mixture of feelings that reminded him of growing up. As a child, when he was hurting, it was always Aleida that he wanted, but slowly as he and Alexander had gotten more and more serious, that had shifted. Now when he was sad or having a bad day, it was Alec that he wanted to comfort him. What could pulling away from needing your parents mean, except growing up?
Magnus was on a plane headed to Alec's parents where they were spending the second half of July.
"We just had a vacation," Magnus told Alec as they ate their complimentary snacks. "It's so strange to be on another one right after."
"That's because you work too hard," Alec replied with a smile. Magnus gave him a look, and Alec added. "Think of it not as two vacations, but as one that's half over." Magnus couldn't help but smile at Alec's words. He leaned over to kiss Alec's cheek.
"Do you want to watch a movie?" Alec asked, gesturing to the tiny tvs in front of each of them. Magnus agreed, and the rest of the flight passed quickly with his eyes on the screen, and his hand holding Alec's.
Once they landed and the seat belt sign was turned off, it seemed as if everyone wanted to be first off the plane. Magnus was sitting in the aisle seat and decided he didn't need to beat the crowd.
"Umm Magnus, we're allowed to leave now," Alec who was already standing, told him.
"I know," Magnus replied.
"So why are we still sitting here?" Alec asked.
"Because allowed to, and able to, are two different things," Magnus explained. "So unless you can walk through people..." Magnus gestured to the flow of foot traffic clogging the one small hallway down the center of the plane. Alec chuckled a little.
"Most people barge through," Alec explained, still grinning.
"Well, I'm not most people," Magnus replied.
"Can't argue with you there," Alec smiled. He lightly kissed Magnus's cheek as they waited the extra few minutes for the traffic to thin out. Leaving the plane, they walked down many long boring looking halls with tacky carpets, before reaching the baggage claim. The first thing Magnus saw when they arrived were two women, their hair the same colour as his Alexander.
"Mom!" Alec called, waving to them.
"It's so good to have you home," Maryse said, pulling her son in for a hug. Magnus was then face to face with the other women in Alec's life.
"There are some decent stores around here," Izzy said. "Can I tempt you to a shopping trip?"
"Ummm," Magnus replied. They had after all just gotten off the plane. Not even he wanted to shop.
"You do know, that in marrying my brother, you are going to be stuck with me for a sister-in-law," Izzy stated, without much expression to give away her meaning.
"I was aware," Magnus said, unsure where she was going with this.
"As you know, I can be quite annoying," Izzy grinned. "You sure he's worth it? Forever is a long time."
"I am sure," Magnus replied easily. "Very acceptable compromise."
"Good," Izzy exclaimed sharply. "That was the correct answer. Any other one, and I'd probably have had to bury a body." Magnus was having a hard time figuring out if she was joking.
"I can hear you, Iz!" Alec said, turning out of his mother's hug to face Izzy and Magnus.
"And if I hadn't wanted you to hear me, you wouldn't have been able to," Izzy replied. Alec smiled, shook his head at her, then hugged his sister as well.
They chatted casually as they walked over to where their baggage was being returned. Alec's mother was asking endless questions, from how their trip to visit Aleida had went, to the way Alec had proposed, and what they were planning to do for the wedding. Magnus was smiling the whole time. He and Alec had talked about a small wedding back with his aunt, but Magnus hadn't really been expecting Alec's parents to go along with that, considering all he knew about them.
They were in the car on the way home when the topic turned to their friends at school, mostly Jace and Clary. It wasn't until Simon's name was mentioned that Magnus noticed anything. Izzy stiffened, and stopped talking. It was strange to see, as there was very little in this world that could stop Isabelle Lightwood from talking. Magnus didn't get a chance to inquire before the topic was changed, and she went right back to normal. Maybe he'd imagined it?
The limo stopped, and their door was opened by the driver. Magnus still wasn't used to being chauffeured around, but he was trying. He just kept having to catch himself saying sorry when the door was opened for him, since it always felt like he was the one who should have opened it.
Everyone was out of the car and headed up to the house when Magnus felt a touch on his arm and turned to see Maryse. Alec and Izzy were talking well ahead of them now, close to the front doors and out of earshot.
"Before we go in," Maryse smiled at him. "I must say, I believe I owe you a thank you."
"Whatever for?" Magnus asked stunned.
"Look over there," Maryse pointed to Alec up ahead. "Do you see how blissfully happy he is?"
"I guess," Magnus shrugged, turning to look. Yes, Alec was smiling and almost skipping to the doors, but this wasn't really news. Alec had always chased Izzy a little, and laughed easily.
"You did that," Maryse explained.
"No I didn't," Magnus replied easily, sure she was wrong.
"Alec isn't anything like his siblings," Maryse continued. "He never had the same self confidence. It might be because he's gay, but somehow I doubt it. I feel like if Isabelle had wanted to date girls, she wouldn't have thought twice about it. It's just how he's always been, unsure of himself."
"What are you saying?" Magnus asked.
"I'm saying do you see how he is standing taller now?" she said, with a smile. "I might be too close to realize this, but that only started since you two started seeing each other."
Magnus didn't know what to say, and thankfully he didn't have to because just then Maryse picked up the pace in order to catch up with her children. Magnus stood back for just a moment. He'd been so taken off guard by Maryse's thank you. It was hard to believe he'd created so much change in Alec, but what more reliable source was there for such information, but a mother?
As he jogged to catch up again, they all made it through the doors together. Everything after that was a haze of grand living, laughter and greetings. Magnus hadn't forgotten the estate Alec lived on, but his memory had not done it justice.
"Have you thought of a June wedding," Maryse said, as they all settled in the living room with refreshments. "A year should be long enough to organize everything, I think." She paused to sip her tea and take another cookie from the tray. "Either on the grounds, or we could rent a venue."
"I do rather like having it on the family land though," Robert said. He'd joined them not long after they'd entered the house. "It's tradition after all."
"I know Alec said you guys haven't picked a date yet, and I was thinking maybe you could pick one to match an anniversary shared with an ancestor," Maryse asked. "I do believe Gideon and Sophie Lightwood were married in June, and Gabriel and Cecily were probably married in August, but I will have to look that one up."
"Wow," Magnus said. "I can't imagine knowing my ancestry so well."
"Yeah we are a little odd that way aren't we," Maryse smiled. "What do you know of your family, Magnus?"
"Never met my father," Magnus said. "And I don't remember my mother."
"I'm sorry," Maryse said with real concern in her voice. Magnus had never experience this type of concern from anyone other than his aunt before. It was strange, but in a good way.
Magnus shrugged, "It was a long time ago."
"Well you're stuck with my family now," Izzy said with enthusiasm.
"Don't make it sound so bad," Alec whined. "I didn't force him to say yes." Magnus laugh, and his future in-laws jumped right back into wedding planning.
"Have you picked your wedding party yet?" Maryse asked. "I believe two best men are required, or should we change a few details there?"
"Jace is mine, or will be when I ask him," Alec added. "And I think Magnus wanted to ask Clary. Is that right?" He turned to look at Magnus, who smiled and nodded. They'd talked a little about which people would be invited while they'd been at his aunt's, but never about the venture or anything.
"Then there is the matter of whom to officiate," Maryse said. "When I got married that had to be a priest, but it seems anyone can do it these days. Who would you like?"
"Ummm," Alec said turning to Magnus.
"You two have clearly given this more thought than we have," Magnus laughed.
"And there are the legal details as well," Robert added. "Name changes and such. We can get the prenup out of the way easily enough, but have you discussed surnames at all?"
"Oh yes," Maryse said. "It's not quite as simple with same sex marriage is it, no obvious choice, but we can figure it out."
"You mother's name was Trueblood before we married," Robert explained.
"Florists need to be call and booked in advance of course," Maryse said. "Which can't be done before you pick a date. Oh, and the caterer needs to be booked as well, but again, I need a date for that. What type of food would you like?"
"Small," Magnus said, laughing. "Small food."
"I am not familiar with that style?" Maryse said thoughtfully, to which Magnus had to laugh.
Then Alec's cold voice broke sharply through the easy going atmosphere. "Prenup?" Alec asked. "Name changes?"
"Oh let's focus on the fun stuff today shall we?" Maryse said. "Ignore your father. The paper work can be done later."
"I think Magnus Lightwood has a nice ring to it," Robert smiled. Magnus took a moment to register this fact. He loved Alec, but the idea of changing his name didn't appeal to him. He understood why Alec's parents wanted it though, with their long standing family history attached to that name.
"Um…" Magnus began, not sure how to break it to his future father-in-law that he really wasn't keen on the idea of being Magnus Lightwood.
"Oh alright, fine," Robert sighed, clearly taking the hint. "But if and when there are children, I expect to have the same last name as my grandkids, understand."
"We'll let you know," Magnus laughed, relieved.
"Prenup?" Alec asked again.
"It's just standard," Maryse said with an easy smile. "I signed one when I married your father. It just means I can't steal all his money if we broke up."
"I won't make Magnus sign a prenup!" Alec yelled, suddenly rising to his feet.
"Honestly, the prenup is the least of my worries," Magnus assured him, trying to get back the easy atmosphere from before. "Catered? Exactly how many people are coming to this anyway? I know I'm not inviting enough people to require catering."
"If we broke up, I'd have bigger problems than money, I promise you," Alec told his parents, ignoring Magnus.
"That isn't what we mean," Robert sighed. "Calm down, Alec please."
"You calm down!" Alec yelled.
"It's fine, love," Magnus tried to sooth him.
"If Magnus was after my money, don't you think he could have taken it a long ass time ago?" Alec continued. Magnus was feeling more embarrassed by the second. He wished Alec would just sit back down and relax.
"We know that," Maryse said. "This doesn't mean we don't trust Magnus. It's just a practical legal thing, like having a will in case you die suddenly."
"Love isn't practical," Alec said and with that, he stormed out.
"Hence the prenup," Robert sighed, resting his head in his hands as his son walked out.
"He does love the dramatics doesn't he," Maryse said, shaking her head. "Should I go after him?"
"No, I will," Magnus replied, and quickly stood up. He knew Alec just had his best interests at heart, but he didn't want this to create a rift between Alec and his parents.
Magnus walked the halls, following the sound of Alec's footsteps until he found his fiance sitting alone looking out the window. Alec was holding something in his hands, and seemed intent on ripping it to threads.
"There you are," Magnus sighed with relief as he approached.
"Here I am," Alec said simply. Upon closer inspection, Magnus could tell that Alec was tearing apart scraps of paper. From the texture of the confetti on the floor, Magnus guessed it had once been a napkin.
"It's really okay, Alec," Magnus told him, resting a hand on Alec's shoulder.
"No, it's not," Alec said, his voice soft. Then he turned to face Magnus, and spoke with so much genuine emotion it quite took Magnus's breath away. "I want to merge my life with yours, totally and completely, without thinking or allowing for the possibility that we might one day have to break our life together down the middle."
"Oh Alexander," Magnus spoke gently, walking forward to hold Alec's face his in hand. "I know how you feel, but planning for the worse doesn't bring out the worst. If anything, it can prevent it."
"I just- I love you so much," Alec whispered. "I want to protect you from everything, but I can't. Can I?"
Magnus shook his head. "The point, I believe, is that we can protect each other."
"If you asked me to give all this up," Alec continued. "To leave my world behind and run away with you, I would. You know that right?" Magnus could feel his eyes tearing up, but he didn't speak.
"I'd choose you over anything, everything else," Alec whispered.
"And I believe I am just selfish enough to know exactly what you mean," Magnus whispered after a moment. "The world can burn, so long as you are by my side." Then Alec's arms were suddenly pulling Magnus into a fierce hug. Magnus returned the embrace.
"We aren't going to break up, Alexander," Magnus whispered into his ear. "Not ever." He knew Alec understood what he meant by this. The prenup wouldn't matter unless they split up, and both Alec and Magnus knew with perfect clarity that that was never going to happen. The prenup was to make Alec's parents happy, and Magnus wanted them to support this wedding. He knew Maryse and Robert were good people who only wanted to make sure everything was okay.
And you never know what the future could hold. The way Magnus felt right now about Alec could shift and change over time, but today Magnus could do one simple thing that would potential protect the love of his life in the future. It was a small thing really, though Magnus greatly appreciated Alec's defending his integrity.
So I've been planning the prenup plotline for AGES. I foreshadowed it when Maryse talked to Alec last summer about common law. I am curious what people think of it. One of my friends has known about and been very against it for a long time now, but my beta thought it was reasonable. What do you think?
Also yes the end there is a reference to City of Heavenly Fire when Alec and Magnus are in Edom and Alec chooses the Magnus over the world. Yes I know it's cheesy... but isn't that why you are here? For cheesy romance crack? ^_^
Sneak Peek Chapter 98
"What's up?" Jace asked.
"Oh it's nothing really," Will sighed. "It's just… well…"
"Spit it out," Jace said. Then added with Will wouldn't talk. "Oh come on we're family."
Will laughed quickly. "Strangely enough for me family usually means rarely spoken to."
"I see," Jace said as he rocked a sleep Lucie. "Well tell me anyway."
"My daughter," Will began. "I know it's selfish and petty but I can't help but wish that she that she called me 'da-da.'"
"She doesn't?" Jace asked.
"No," Will sighed. "She calls Jem da-da."
"Ouch," Jace tried to sympathize.