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The Jade Wolf was louder than usual with chatter as the group settled at a table, ignoring the suspicious glances from some of Luke’s more problematic pack members. Magnus and Alec stole a section of the booth right away, earning an argument from Jace and Simon, who tried to squeeze in beside them before they realized that only one more person could fit. It went on like this for a while, the banter unending as they scoured the menu and placed their orders.
It was one of those rare days where nothing was going on, and they all had the opportunity to actually go out for lunch. At first Magnus had intended for it to be just him and Alec, but Jace’s cluelessness caused him to ask if he could tag along, not realizing it was supposed to be a date, and from there the rest of the group had been invited. Magnus had even been kind enough to portal everybody there so that they wouldn’t have to suffer through squeezing into Simon’s van, and although he had expected to have a nice, quiet lunch with his boyfriend, Magnus found that he was enjoying himself.
The Shadowhunters were often a nuisance in his life, always expecting and demanding and taking advantage of his power, but when they were outside of work he liked them just fine. He found himself offering Alec a wide smile as he squeezed his hand under the table, and Alec returned it easily. Things had been great between them ever since they had defeated Valentine, and he was grateful. He was tired of drama and tragedy, and he was perfectly content with going through the usual, less eventful motions that he had been accustomed to before Valentine’s return.
The group was contemplating paying a visit to Pandemonium that evening when a portal opened up inside of the restaurant and Catarina walked out, clutching Madzie’s hand and tugging her along. Alec sat up straighter beside Magnus, one of his goofy, excited grins spreading across his face at the sight of the little Warlock.
“Magnus!” Madzie exclaimed, pulling away from Catarina’s grip and running to meet him. He scooped her up and hugged her, letting out a chuckle.
“Hello there, sweet pea. What brings you here?” He looked up at Catarina, who seemed to be in a hurry, tapping her foot in slight impatience.
“I got called into work and no one else is available to watch her. Do you think you could look after her for the rest of the day?” She sounded tired, and Magnus didn’t hesitate.
“Of course,” he agreed, nodding his head. “Go save those precious mundane lives.”
Catarina gave him a wry smile before opening up another portal and walking through it, calling out a, “Thank you!” before she disappeared.
Magnus was about to open his mouth and ask Madzie if she wanted anything to eat, when she suddenly wriggled out of his grasp, landing in Alec’s lap. He laughed, and held onto her so that she didn’t fall. It was a beautiful sight, watching Alec interact with kids. He was so good with them, so patient and understanding. He would be a good father one day.
“Hey cutie,” he said, looking down at her with fond eyes. “You got a new scarf. Cool.”
It took a few moments, but when Magnus finally tore his eyes away from the two, he saw that everyone else was staring between them with raised eyebrows and knowing grins. His eyes narrowed as he met their gazes, and he tilted his head.
“What?” he asked. Alec looked confused as well, and they both waited for someone else to speak.
“Nothing,” Isabelle said airily, elbowing Simon when he looked like he was about to blurt something out. Everyone went back to their food, smiles on their faces, and suddenly Magnus thought he knew exactly what they were thinking.
Him and Alec worked well together, and not just in battle. He had always dreamed of having a family of his own, of raising children with someone he loved, but it hadn’t occurred to him until that moment that now it was all within his grasp. He looked back over at Alec and Madzie then, who were having a whispered conversation about how much they liked cookies, and something clicked into place in Magnus’ heart. There were so many possibilities now, so many roads that he could go down.
He didn’t want to waste another minute.