Flowers covered every surface. Live music was playing from somewhere out of sight. As he listened, Magnus remembered all the energy that had gone into choosing that band, including the long conversations with his future-in-laws. Speaking of his in-laws, they were sitting just feet from him in the audience. Maryse was crying, her eyes red, while Robert looked so proud he didn't have the words to speak. Izzy was, of course, in the wedding party along with Clary, Jace, and Tessa; so they weren't among the audience. The rest of Magnus's new family was there though, Aline and Max sitting in the crowd. Even so, many more chairs sat empty. As the room filled with people, Magnus became more and more gleeful with anticipation. In moments he'd stand in front of all these people and vow to love Alexander for the rest of his life. It was terrifying and amazing all at once, and Magnus wanted nothing more than to be here in this moment, marrying the man of his dreams.
The music shifted, and all eyes turned to the end of the hall created by the chairs. There was a collective pause as everyone waited. As best women, and best man, Clary and Jace entered first, closely followed by Izzy and Tessa. Then came Lucie in the most adorable little dress Magnus had ever seen. In her hand, she held a basket of rose petals, though she seemed rather reluctant to start throwing them on the ground. As all the members of the wedding party came to stand on either side of Magnus, his eyes remained fixed at the end of the hall. Alexander would be walking through those doors any second now.
As the seconds ticked by, Magnus's glee faltered. Had there been some mistake with the time? Was he being held up by some major crisis? What if there'd been an accident or something? It wasn't until a stranger appeared where Alec should have been, walking down the hall to speak to him, that Magnus knew the truth. His heart broke. There hadn't been an accident or crisis. Alec just wasn't coming.
The grief hit him like a punch to the gut, and all at once Magnus was buried in some combination of shock and horror. Not again. Not Alexander, for with Alec it was so much worse. He'd rather experience every one of his previous heartbreaks at once then what he felt right now. For none of them were as painful as losing his soulmate. The powerful feelings of anguish engulfed and overwhelmed him, as Magnus sunk to the ground, tears streaming down his face. He couldn't breath; he was drowning in despair. Rather than feeling like his heart had been ripped out, it was as if someone had cut Magnus completely in half, leaving just pieces behind.
The sorrow overwhelmed his reality, and Magnus woke from the dream breathing hard. The emotional impact of the dream still fresh in his memory, Magnus reached out franticly feeling for Alec beside him, but the bed was empty. Worse than that, the bed was cold.
Unable to truly move on from the grief of his dream until he saw Alexander, Magnus jumped out of bed at once, and left the room calling out his fiance's name.
"I'm over here," Alec's voice lightened Magnus's heart. Following the sound, Magnus found Alec in the kitchen putting coffee on. Without a second thought, Magnus pulled the other man into a fierce hug, basking in Alexander's mere presence. The sheer shock of relief was enough to make him giddy.
"Good morning to you too," Alec said dubiously.
"Overly emotional dream," Magnus grumbled. "Requires hugs."
"Oh?" Alec chuckled, his arms already returning the hug.
"You know those dreams where even when you wake up, the feeling of the dream lingers for longer than the events of the dream?" Magnus asked. "I don't get them very often, but they totally suck."
"I'll have to take your word for it," Alec smiled. "Coffee?"
"Yes please," Magnus answered.
"So, are you going to tell me more about this dream?" Alec said as he poured the coffee. Magnus shook his head vigorously. "Oh come on!" Alec whined.
"It's silly," Magnus said, still shaking his head. "Just pass the coffee, and we shall forget it ever happened."
"I think not," Alec said holding his coffee up and away from Magnus.
"Hey!" Magnus objected. "I thought you poured that for me."
"I did," Alec said grinning. "After you tell me what your dream was about."
"What part of no did you not understand?" Magnus grumbled giving up on his coffee. He was taller than Alec, though not by much, even so, the only way he saw this ending involved either him or Alexander getting hot coffee poured over them.
"Please," Alec tried, setting the coffee down and looking at Magnus intently. "We're getting married, Magnus. You can tell me anything, no matter how embarrassing. You know that."
Ignoring the now within reach coffee, in favour of gazing into his fiance's deep blue eyes, Magnus finally spoke. "I dreamt… well… I dreamt that that you left me at the altar," he finally said somewhat awkwardly.
Slowly a smile spread over Alec's face. "I love you," he whispered, reaching forward and pulling Magnus into a tight hug.
"I know," Magnus replied easily, returning the hug. "Told you it was silly." He was speaking into Alec's shoulder.
"I think I've had a dream like that too," Alec said, easily as if this wasn't a big deal. "Though if I recall correctly, it went more like you running off with a bridesmaid." Magnus pulled away to look Alexander in the eyes.
"Really?" Magnus asked.
"Yeah," Alec shrugged. "This wedding is stressful, and honestly if I had to start again we'd just elope and tell mom after."
"What bridesmaid did I run off with?" Magnus grinned at Alec. "Because neither Tessa nor Izzy quite float my boat." Alec laughed, a deep sound that lighten Magnus's heart.
"A generic dream bridesmaid," Alec explained. "You know how sometimes in dreams, you can't really see some peoples faces well, it was one of those."
"Well, no matter how hot the the faceless bridesmaids are," Magnus began, smirking. "I'd never run off with one."
"And I'd never leave you at the altar," Alec replied, grinning. "I mean it's only polite to do the leaving before you've paid the caterer."
Magnus hit Alec playfully in the shoulder for that comment, and collected his coffee as spitfully as he knew how. The anguish of his dream faded from his memory slowly as the day continued.
It was two weeks until April the 19th. Two weeks before his wedding, and Magnus knew all his worries and anxieties had nothing to do with Alexander, or how much Magnus loved him. It was only natural to be a little worried before such an event. Sometimes the stress of it all made Magnus almost more excited for the honeymoon. Four months in the caribbean was something Magnus couldn't even imagine, but on the other hand, four months on the beach with Alec was as welcome as water in the desert.
To help him keep his cool, sometimes Magnus tried to focus on how everyone else's life was going. He knew from Izzy that Maia had started dating some guy named Bat, though that was really all he had on the subject. Magnus didn't know Maia well except that she was close with both Simon and Izzy. Speaking of Sizzy, there was a little more spring in their step, the reason for which was confirmed one day when Magnus walked in on his fiance with his fingers in his ears as his future sister-in-law was rather descriptively describing sex with her boyfriend to her brother. The whole scene had made Magnus chuckle after promptly leaving the room.
Magnus couldn't claim to be close with Jace, but through Clary he'd come to know the man fairly well, and he could tell that Jace was nervous about Clary leaving. Despite having to be officially pro-Clary in this situation, Magnus couldn't blame the guy. That was a long time to be apart from the one you love. Magnus remembered when he'd been about to graduate and looking for work, there had been a few things he'd just outright avoided applying for because of how far away they were. He'd been scared of being in the very situation Clary and Jace found themselves in now.
"Do you think I'm being unreasonable?" Clary asked Magnus one day when they were alone in his apartment. Alec was at the library trying to study for his exams. It seemed being at home was far too distracting for him with everything going on.
"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," Magnus assured her. "It's unreasonable not to go."
"I know that," Clary replied. "I mean is it unreasonable to expect him to wait for me? Maybe we should just break it off cleanly now, and then when I get back if you're both still single…"
"Isn't this a conversation you should be having with Jace?" Magnus asked kindly.
"Yeah, but I know what he'll say," Clary sighed. "It's just that I don't think he gets how hard it's gonna be, staying together while being so far apart. It's like I'm chaining him to me, then running off with the key or something."
"If you two had just started dating, maybe," Magnus continued. "But Biscuit, you've been together two years. You can get through this."
"I know," Clary said softly. "It's been a wonderful two years it's just.. I worry, you know."
"I know," Magnus replied, with a smile. "And I think you should tell him about your worries."
"Thanks, Magnus," Clary said, looking a little lighter than when she'd arrived.
Magnus really hoped Clace managed to work everything out in the end. Magnus couldn't imagine being apart from Alexander for ten months, then again he was sure if they ever got in a similar situation, Alec would have just followed Magnus where he went. It was amazing the kind of freedom having money gives you. Alec could have just followed because his education wasn't dependent on a scholarship. This was not a mindset Magnus had been in when he'd avoided applying for those far away jobs before grad. Being engaged to Alec, and planning this ridiculous wedding with the Lightwoods had taught him quite a lot about the way this family approaches money.
The week before the wedding, relatives descended upon them like vultures. Maryse and Robert stayed in a hotel, but Max wouldn't hear of being apart from Alec, so they got a new house guest. When his aunt arrived only a few days later, she also stayed with them, taking the spare room while Max slept on the couch. At night, Magnus lay in bed beside Alec marvelling at how full their house had suddenly become. The cats didn't like it at all. They'd taken to spend most of their time in the master bedroom away from all the company. Only Chairmen sometimes ventured out to be social, but even he didn't stick around for long.
With a house full of family, time flew by, and before Magnus knew it, his wedding was tomorrow. He had no plans apart from getting a good night's sleep, but it seemed his friends had other ideas. Alec and Magnus found themselves suddenly kidnapped hours before dinner. Jace and Izzy dragged Alec off before Magnus's eyes, and then Tessa and Clary did the same with him. It was only when they got outside, and Magnus saw Will's truck with it's owner sitting in the driver's seat that Magnus really started to wonder where they were going. As they left the city limits, Magnus started to ask the group at large where they were going, but of course, no one would answer his questions. When they finally stopped, Magnus could describe it only as the middle of nowhere. They all got out, and Magnus saw the edge of a hill looking out of the wilderness. Thin trees stretched as far as the eye could see in every direction. The sun had starting setting, throwing pinks and oranges cross the land. It was a stunning sight to see, and Magnus hadn't know such a place existed so close to home. Together, they walked to the edge of the hill, and Magnus saw what could only be a fire pit. Next Clary, then Tessa, tried in turn to light a fire with minimal success.
"As much as I appreciate the surprise bachelor party," Magnus began. "We could really all just go home and watch a movie or something."
"I'm the worst best man ever," Clary grumbled as she fought with the kindling.
"No you aren't, biscuit," Magnus tried to assure her, smiling.
"Just because I put these things out for a living, doesn't mean I don't know how to start them," Will laughed as he moved forward to take up the task.
Smiling, Magnus took a blanket out of the back of the truck and placed it on the ground. Wrapping another one around his shoulders, Magnus laid down, propping himself up on his elbows as he looked up at the stars. The sun was almost set now and it was beautiful. The air was still, and though not warm, it wasn't really cold either. The best part about tonight was the clear sky. There wasn't a cloud to be seen, and Magnus just existed for a moment, taking in the stars starting to twinkling high up above him.
Magnus listened to Will work with the kindling, and a few moments later, he heard the crackle of a fire starting. While they waited for the fire to be hot enough to cook on, Magnus couldn't help but feel like this was the perfect way to celebrate the end of his unmarried life. He didn't need a big bittersweet send off. A night doing something a little different with his friends was perfect in his mind. There was only one thing that could make it better.
Just then, the noise of a vehicle approaching made Magnus turn. He didn't recognize the car, but the moment the driver stepped out he thought he knew who else was there.
"Did someone order a groom," Paige said, closing the driver's door behind her. Jordan exited from the passenger side, and to Magnus's delight, Alexander left the car as well. Now it's perfect, Magnus thought. Izzy, Simon, and Jace had also arrived.
"You guys already had a groom," Jace said. "More importantly, we brought booze. No bachelor party is complete without alcohol."
"More blankets," Simon chipped in, Isabelle on his arm.
Together, they sat around the rising flames, wrapped in blankets, loved ones, or both. Magnus was sharing a blanket with Alec, and together they were looking up at the stars, the sun having fully set by now, leaving just the black nights sky.
"Jace tired to take me to a strip club," Alec chuckled, before turning to kiss Magnus hello.
"Did he now?" Magnus began. "Remind me to kill him later, alright?" Alec laughed, then went on to explain how he'd gotten the truth out of Jace and forced them to take him here. Alec had been much more keen on Clary and Tessa's bachelor party plans than Jace's, and Magnus couldn't be happier about it.
They roasted hotdogs for dinner, and for dessert they made smores, chocolate and freshly melted marshmallow all wrapped in a graham cracker sandwich. Magnus had consumed just enough alcohol to make him warm and sleeping, without giving him a hangover tomorrow. He tilted his head to one side, resting it on his fiance's shoulder. Alec had his back against a thick tree truck. Even though his eyes were close, Magnus knew Clary and Jace were cuddled up together nearby. Magnus could hear someone up and moving around, probably Jordan who'd gotten up out of Paige's arms to put more wood on the fire. Magnus was almost certain Izzy was already asleep on Simon's lap. He sensed Tessa near him, curled up in Will's arms. Magnus supposed Jem had been put on babysitting duty tonight. He couldn't imagine the kind of love required to support the type of relationship Tessa had with Jem and Will. Loving Alexander this much was more than he'd once thought he could bare, let alone loving two people that much at once. Then you throw their love of Lucie into the mix, and Magnus thought that there wasn't a family in the world with so much love under one roof.
As the food ran out and the night got colder, it was time head home. It was tradition for a couple about to be married to sleep apart the night before, but this was not a tradition that mattered very much to either Magnus or Alec; they had no interest in sleeping apart tonight. One car ride later, Magnus and Alec fell asleep side by side in their own bed with their cats curled up at their feet.
It seems I fooled no one with that last sneak peek. (The few reviews I got were all like 'I bet that's a dream') Sigh. Maybe I'm too predictable as a writer. :(
So… weddings suck! I mean really. This is so much effing work and if I hadn't already published all the pre-wedding stuff I might have gone back and changed it so that they eloped. Sigh. How do weddings go? Why did I decide to do this? (hours of research later) I know now the reason why I've written 5 Malec proposals across 6 Malec stories and never once written a wedding… until now. *Shakes head at self* #BeenThereDoneThat
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Sneak Peek Chapter 120
Clary and Jace came down the aisle, arm in arm. Izzy couldn't help but smile at the two 'best men' looking so couplely. There was so much more creative freedom with a wedding like this. All the gender stereotypes had been throw out the window leading to a truly stunning event. She couldn't help but note how much better the old fashioned green looked on Clary. They were of course wearing the exact same dress, but with Clary's red hair the colour popped more on her.
When Izzy heard her cue, she began walking forward in time with the music. Behind her she knew Tessa was following, keeping a close eye on the flower girl. Lucie was a little young for such a task, but she looked adorable in her little dress. Izzy knew her fathers were watching among the audience. Behind Lucie followed Max, proudly holding the rings on an elegant little pillow. Last but not least, the grooms began their walk down the aisle.