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It was their one year anniversary. Not a huge amount of time if one really thought about it, but Alec viewed it as a big accomplishment. He had never been in a relationship before, and he had managed to stick it out for an entire year without fatally messing up somehow. The worry was always in the back of his mind, no matter how many times Magnus reassured him that he was there for however long Alec would want him. On the other hand, Alec had a hard time convincing Magnus that he would always want him. It was a never-ending cycle, it seemed, but Alec was determined to prove it somehow. Magnus may have been his first boyfriend, but he knew that he would never be as happy with anyone else as he was with him.
They had decided that they wanted to have a comfortable night in- after a lot of begging from Alec's end, seeing as Magnus wanted to do something extraordinary- to just lounge around and be together. It was one of Alec's favorite things to do, not just because he was naturally an introvert, but because he liked having Magnus' undivided attention. For years he had always been the one that everyone looked past to see his sister or Jace, but Magnus was the first person to look right at him. Magnus saw something in him before he had ever even accepted his true self, and every time Alec thought about it he felt warm inside.
He was so in love with this man.
It hadn't taken him long to figure it out. Once he let himself accept that he had feelings for Magnus, he started tipping over the edge almost immediately. He had never thought he could be in a relationship where he was even remotely content, not to mention in love. He had barely considered it until Magnus came along, because it hurt too much to think about. He had almost given up completely, almost signed his life away for something that wasn't even worth it. Yes, he would have had the Institute just a little bit earlier, but that was nothing in comparison to what he had now. Now, he was the Head of said Institute, he no longer struggled with false feelings for his parabatai, and he had the love of his life sitting right beside him, telling him a story that he was not listening to whatsoever, too caught up in his thoughts.
Magnus had his legs crossed underneath him, and he was turned slightly to face Alec on the couch. He waved his hands around wildly, a container of Chinese food in his grip as he spoke, and Alec just stared, a smile that would most likely be extremely sickening to any outsider on his face. He watched the way Magnus' eyes shined along with the rings on his fingers, the way the corners of his lips turned up when he found something particularly amusing. He listened to the way Magnus' inflection changed as he went through the different parts of the story, some of them intense and some of them light, and he felt pretty bad that he wasn't comprehending the actual words, but he couldn't bring himself to focus on anything else. Magnus was beautiful, and caring, and generous, and- he was staring at Alec with raised eyebrows, no longer talking.
"What?" Magnus asked, tilting his head slightly, and Alec followed the length of his neck with his eyes. Magnus noticed, and a smirk pulled up on corner of his mouth.
"Marry me," Alec said, his voice dreamy as he met Magnus' eyes again. It took him a few seconds to actually notice what he said as he watched Magnus freeze, his eyes widening and the smirk falling right off of his face. The second he realized, though, horror rushed through his veins like an all-encompassing wild fire. He hovered a hand over his mouth, frantically trying to think of a way to fix everything. Why would Magnus ever want to marry him? He would die, and Magnus would keep living. He wasn't worth the trouble.
"Okay."
Time stopped. Alec swore that if he looked outside at that moment, nothing would be moving. Everything in the world ceased to exist in that moment as he stared at Magnus, who was slowly starting to give Alec his biggest and brightest smile.
"You're saying yes?" Alec asked, and his voice sounded far away to his own ears. He wondered if there was something wrong with him, if the universe was punishing him for being so selfish for wanting to keep Magnus all to himself.
"Yes, Alexander. A million times yes. Of course I want to marry you. Why wouldn't I?" Magnus spoke the words like Alec was being ridiculous for ever thinking otherwise, and he just didn't understand. Alec was nothing, just a speck on the earth that would be dusted off in a few years. Magnus was beautiful, powerful, ethereal, eternal. He was everything that Alec wasn't, yet he wanted him.
Reality came crashing down once more, time began to tick on, and Alec practically jumped into Magnus' arms, pressing his face into Magnus' neck as he wrapped his arms around his torso. Magnus laughed tearfully, and Alec never wanted to move, never wanted to step away from this moment. He had grown up thinking that he was bound for a life without love or affection. He never thought that he would be able to touch someone, or kiss them, or hold them, and actually find comfort and enjoyment in it. He was on a path that would have killed him, and Magnus swooped in and saved him in every way a person could be saved.
"You're sure you want this?" Magnus asked, and Alec leaned back so that he could look into his boyfriend- fiance's- eyes. He looked suddenly self-conscious, and Alec was having none of it.
"Magnus Bane, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. No one has ever and no one will ever compare to you. I love you, and I would not want to spend the rest of my life with anyone else. I'm in this for the long haul, if you are." It's funny how Magnus' insecurities brought out the eloquent side of Alec that he never even knew he had. Magnus laughed breathily, and Alec wiped at a stray tear that fell down his cheek with his thumb.
"I've been in this since you told me you trust me," he said, and Alec smiled widely, thinking back on that moment. He had been so unsure back then, so confused and frustrated that he couldn't seem to stop his world from spiraling out of control. Magnus had been the one to take his hand and pull him to a stop so that he could see clearly. He leaned forward, sliding his hand behind Magnus' neck, and kissed him slowly, pleasant chills traveling down his spine as he realized that he had Magnus for the rest of his life.
They spent the rest of the night talking and kissing and laughing, just enjoying each other's company, and when it was time for them to sleep, Alec decided that while there might never be enough time, there would always be enough love for them to share.