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“Don’t try to make Pup a thing,” Alec warned, frowning at Magnus.
Magnus grinned, winking at him. “I make no promises, Alexander. Besides, how am I to express my eternal and grateful love to you if it isn’t through overly cute nicknames?"
Alec sighed, shaking his head. "Well, I don’t mind nicknames, as much as I mind that one. It sounds very…condescending."
"Hm,” Magnus hummed, considering that. “So your objection isn’t the nickname, but the one I’m using?"
"Yeah,” Alec said with a shrug. “I guess so. I mean, I’m not going to love if you call me cupcake, or anything like that."
Now, after several decades together, and many exasperated eyerolls, Magnus had a list and he deployed it endlessly.
There’s darling, when he’s feeling either flippant or teasing in turn. It’s an easy tack on and it always seems to make Alexander smile just enough that the corners of his lips turn up. He does, of course, use it on more than just Alec, but that doesn’t degrade it any less when he does use it on his husband.
Angel is what he uses whenever they are talking about something more serious, or in the dark of night, curled together in bed. It’s the nickname for secrets and whispered truths to each other, talking of the parts they let no one else see. Magnus loves the way Alec flushes whenever he whispers it, or ends a sentence with it. It’s a reminder of both Alec’s blood, and that he is an angel, a true one, in Magnus’ eyes.
Sweetheart is what he uses when he wants something. And Alec is all too aware of it. But, Magnus has learned how to pout like a master over the decades and Alec is far from immune to it. So he deploys it rarely, and while Alec normally gives in with a sigh of exasperation, it’s still worth it to see the way his lips curl when he uses the name.
Love is the most common of them all. Once he finds himself using it, Magnus can’t stop, especially for the gentle blush that always seems to color Alec’s cheeks when he says it. Whether it’s a simple request for a drink, or a question after a long day, peppering it with the word gives them a sense of relaxation and ‘together’ that Magnus is sure that he is unable to get anywhere else.
Even after decades together, Magnus tries out new ones, sometimes just to make Alec laugh, and sometimes to actually try it out and test how it feels in his mouth. Alexander never hesitates to be honest in his reactions and Magnus appreciates that more than he could ever say.
"Sugarplum, can you pass me the jar of werewolf teeth?” Magnus called from behind his desk, frowning at the potion instructions. It hadn’t called for these, but then they might be the missing ingredient that had been crossed out by the potions master.
“I might be gay, but I’m not a fairy,” Alec shot back, grabbing the jar, bringing it over to Magnus just in time to catch his snort of amusement.
“I thought it might fit. I can hardly call you my strawberry now, can I?” Magnus asked, not able to glance up at Alec because of the potion, but the loud laugh he got in return was worth it.
Alec shook his head and rolled his eyes. “If you called me that, I would have license to tease you about it for the rest of your life."
Magnus winked at him. "And you’d be right to, my scrumptious cup of coffee."
Alec paused in putting the jar back now that Magnus was done with it and turned to look at him. "Cup of coffee, really?"
"I mean,” Magnus said, looking down at his fingers. “You energize me, you help me get up in the morning, I’m quite certain that I cannot live without you…"
Alec shook his head. "Points for originality, but no."
"I’ll take it!” Magnus said, waving a hand to summon a list to his fingertips. He crossed two more off and made a few notes.
Alec stared at the piece of parchment in Magnus’ hand and the way he was muttering as he scratched at it. “Do you, do you have a list of all the nicknames I’ve said no to?"
"Of course I do,” Magnus said, making another note on the paper. “Come now, Alec, what do you take me for? Hell forbid I try the same nickname twice."
Alec blinked again and walked closer, trying to get a look at the paper over Magnus’ shoulder, pouting when the warlock yanked it away and out of his sight. "Magnus…"
"Nope,” Magnus said, letting it disappear from his fingertips. “You do not get to see the list of all my failures."
Alec rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around Magnus, pulling him in for a kiss. "You’re ridiculous."
"I know,” Magnus shot back, leaning his head against Alec’s shoulder. “How do you feel about sayang, Alec?"
Alec hummed and smiled, listening to the way it rolled off of Magnus’ tongue. "I do like that. What’s it mean?"
"It’s Indonesian for love, darling,” Magnus said. “Can I use that one?"
Alec nodded. "Yeah, you can use that one whenever you want. I like, I like how you sound when you say it."
Magnus found himself blushing and he nodded, leaning into Alec’s neck again. "Okay. I’ll add that one to the list."
Alec smiled and then snorted, rolling his eyes. "I still can’t believe that you have a list."
"You love my lists!” Magnus protested.
“I love you,” Alec shot back, grinning. He leaned in close and nipped at Magnus’ ear. “Now, dear husband,” he purred, just to watch Magnus shiver, his eyes snapping to gold in an instant. “Finish what you were doing and I might show you just how much I like that new nickname.”