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It starts as a fun evening. New Year's Eve with the whole extended family. A pillowfloor covered in cuddles. (Except Jace who broods over three of the others and is hugging a huge owl plush instead, and Ragnor who just sits cross-legged and stares at everyone.) (Also except Alec and Magnus because it's their home so they get the sofa.)
They're celebrating another year, preparing for the next. Which means lots of weird games of fortunes and personalities. But everyone was allowed to suggest one thing so that's what they do. Even if the amount of grapes for 10 people make up almost half of the small fridge.
Alec has slowly sneaked under Magnus's arm while they're playing a complicated get-to-know app. As if they all haven't known each other since at least college. And went through college with a plain truth-or-dare. He feels old remembering There's an app for that.
Maia hands him the phone. It's Alec's turn so he presses the truth button. That percentage function is way too complicated but a plain truth is easy to answer. And he's in no mood to move away from Magnus or get up from the sofa, so dare is out of question as well.
The animation is finally done and he gets his question. He reads out loud "Who of those present would you date?" See? Easy. He claps on Magnus's chest with the hand that's resting there anyways. Minimum effort. "But remember I'm aro. I don't date-date. Just making that clear," he reminds 'those present'. They like to forget that. Even if he believes that more than Raphael and Ragnor are playing on his team. (And Simon, more or less. Alec needs an update on his label.)
Magnus scrambles to stand up and Alec flops onto the seat. It's okay he only fell two inches and the sofa is soft. "What do you mean?" Magnus sits back down because, of course, he got up too fast and got dizzy. Alec shakes his head but sits up, too.
"You've never thought about us? I mean, you're the only person that I would do anything date-like with. Like, I'm not gonna do one-on-one dates with Dot or Ragnor. Sorry guys." They comment by rolling their eyes (Ragnor) and sticking out their tongue (Dot). Fair. He shrugs.
"I. But. You. We." Magnus just gets up again and leaves for his bedroom. What now? He seemed overwhelmed. They're living together for almost a decade. Alec does feel a little sad now. He thought they were close enough.
"Ay, you upset papá. Fix it." Raphael is oh so helpful. He knocks his head in the direction Magnus ran off.
"I don't think he wants to see me now? But thanks for the suggestion. Maybe he'd feel better if his son in a poly QPR would explain that to him again? With all the different types?"
Raphael also sticks out his tongue.
Alec looks into 10 expecting faces. But what are they expecting? He gets up looking at them. No change. Except- Izzy's face lights up.
"Go get him, tiger!"
Get what? Get... walking? Get is such a weird word. He knocks on Magnus's door. "Hey, are you okay? I'm sorry if I upset you. Can we talk? Can I come in?"
He hears a drawer open quietly. And box being opened. No. He shov- the door is locked. "Magnus, no! Don't relapse now, please! Please, no! We're here for you. Please come out and we can talk or not talk. Just don't do it, please." He leans his head against the door.
Suddenly he loses his grip. The door opens and he stumbles into Magnus.
"You keep forgetting that the door's stuck, Alexander." Fuck that door. They have to finally repair it. Or ask someone in the family. They have to have someone who can repair doors.
"We're all here for you, Mags." He just hugs Magnus super tight.
Magnus chuckles?? "What do you think I did in there?"
Hm. "Apparently not what actually happened?" No relapse? Why would Magnus have his kit in the bedroom anyways? But where else??
With a sigh Magnus peels out of the hug and moves to his bed. "I know we'd have to kiss, likely, in front of the officer, and I'm not sure how that's going to work out, but I've been - in fact - thinking about it, even if I'm scared, that it would change our dynamic, because so many people say, that being married changed their relationship, and I don't want us to change, Alec, because it's great as it is, and not that you'd get sick of me after a month or two, and I'd lose you over something stupid like a ring and piece of paper, but also why would you even want that, when you can have anyone, and don't have to settle with me, but also also I got this ring because a little boy can dream, right, he can just dream about asking his longtime ... person to marry him, despite not being in any official relationship together, and even if no one ever before asked him, or made any hints and being much more than a casual fling, okay i did have a few commited relationships, but neither ended well at all, and then you were there for me, and were my rock and I can just trust you with my life, only to find you made it better." He's heaving a little from his rant and looking at a ringbox in his hand. Alec is absolutely not crying. Just his dream is filled. No big deal.
"Okay, I love you. So wait a minute. But also consider this. We pull the ethnic card and say you don't want to kiss in public and we give each other chaste forehead kisses like so." He plants a firm kiss to Magnus's forehead and skips to his own room to fetch his family ring.
"But we could also do a really gross makeout with lots of spit and tongues down each other's throat. Whatever you want, really." He shows Magnus the ring and starts his own speech when...
"We're absolutely not getting engaged on New Year's Eve like some nerds. Like what is that. Nope. Not a chance."
That's cute. Magnus is adorable. "Magnus, we've had the marriage and wedding talks years ago. You literally just proposed to me and this ring is me saying yes. I'm sorry but we're basic bitches who lost an anniversary to a public holiday."
"Nope."
"Come on, imagine starting the new year as fiancëêēs. That would be amazing."
"Uh-uh."
"Yes."
"No."
"Please, Magnus."
"No."
"Come on."
"Naw."
"It's been already done. You-"
"I don't care."
"Do you take it back?" Top two worst engagements of his life. Throwback time to the day he proposed to his new neighbor with the pink lesbian flag to get his parents off his back. Because that's what cishets do, right? Propose to almost-strangers? Fake-dating and fake-marriage definitely don't work when (at least..) one person is categorically not interested. (And also not if the other one doesn't use the pink flag for aesthetic reasons but belief...)
Magnus is quiet for too long.
"Magnus. Do you. Take it. Back."
He doesn't say anything for another while. "You know what. Yeah. I wanted the proposal to be beautiful and heartfelt and cute and private. Not like this." Magnus looks down with a pout.
Though it doesn't make much sense but Magnus rarely makes sense. That's what makes his charme. "Your proposal was really beautiful and cute. And I do hope it was heartfelt because it sounded like it was. And I don't think the others can hear us much so it's definitely private. Magnus, I love you and if you please allow-"
"No. I don't allow you to propose now because I will reject it. We are not getting engaged on New Year's Eve. Ask me in two days."
"So you do want to marry me but only in two days? Magnus! That's not how this works!" His voice rises at the end, but luckily Magnus knows him well enough, that it's not a bad situation, and just gives him a deadpan look.
"How what works?" Maia steps around the corner and Magnus gasps embarrassed. "I think Magnus has his own mind and he said no many times. If I were you, I'd step far away now, Lightwood. What went wrong in your family?" She's standing there with a very judgy face and a hand on her hip.
But she wants answers and so many things went wrong... "Well for one I raised the older two from when I was 6 and 8. Like, I don't think Jace really saw our parents for more than a total of one week until we were adults."
She just blinks for a solid minute. "That's absolutely the least of my concern. Still I wanna say that failed with your sister. I guess your brother was just a loss from the beginning." For fuck's sake Alec was a child!! He rolls his eyes.
"Let's not get into families among us three, shall we? Would you explain what's much wrong about Izzy?" What did she do? Alec is a little tired of her pulling shit all the time and then he has to try and clean it up. Maybe he was too lax with his siblings.
"How about you explain this consent situation here and then I'll tell you what your dear sister thinks of you." Maia waves her hand between them with raised eyebrows.
Alec turns to Magnus who shakes his head vehemently. "Do you want to push it to the 3rd or 4th for more time between the dates?"
"There is nothing to be pushed anywhere." Magnus glares at him even if Alec can see the relief and a hint of being smitten... "And stop grinning like this. No."
Alec snickers. "You're welcome, dear." And gives him another forehead kiss despite the deathglare. "I love you."
"I hate you so much. Do you know how much? Like so much." Still glaring and not moving an inch. Alec really loves his not-fiancë a lot. A little bit because the glare enhances his lashes somehow and he's really pretty like this.
"That's cool. I have enough love for the both of us." Alec steps closer and hugs Magnus. Soft enough that he can step away but firm enough to show that he's honest with them. At least he hopes the message comes across.
"You're an asshole," he mumbles into Alec's collarbone but he hugs him back choking tight so there.
"But am I your asshole, is the important question," he breathes into Magnus's ear. "Also, is my asshole yours but you can answer that next year."
Magnus starts giggling and it tickles Alec's neck. "On third or fourth January, Alexander."
Alec hugs him so hard that he lifts him up a little.
"This wasn't a proposal either, just so you know," he whispers. And Alec really doesn't care. He's getting married. Some time soon. Maybe he'll look for a bubblegum ring dispenser to get a pair of cheesy promise rings?
He looks to Maia, who looks extremely exasperated and a little disgusted. "You heard the man. You'll know on third or fourth January next year."
She blinks at them and then makes a stop hand. "You know people call me weird for having two solid partners and being somewhat partners, or rather committed friends with my girlfriend's brother and his QP. But you? You're so mushy. So-" she pulls a face and clechnes her hand in a fist- "I don't even know! What the fuck man? At least I can tell the others that you did not fuck, like I said." She rolls her eyes.
Why would they fuck? And who assumed that?
"Izzy, as I said. She was very insistent that you'd bang and tried to make a poll who of you tops. Or bottoms, I repressed that conversation already." She raises a resigned eyebrow and sighs. Maia is so good at forgetting bad stuff, Alec's actually jealous of it sometimes.
"Why is it even important who tops or bottoms or at all? And more pressing, why does my lesbian sister ask that?" Alec just wanted a fun evening with his friends.
"Honey, what makes you think your sister is a lesbian," Magnus just turned his world upside down.
"Because she keeps saying men are shit and all that. That... somehow made me think it's no men for her. And then being in a relationship with a woman I came to the conclusion that she's lesbian? I don't like you two asking me these things."
Maia shrugs. "Ask her yourself. Fuck if I know what's inside her head."
Alec should go. Alec should also keep close to Magnus. Or he wants to. "Magnus, can you jump up? We tried this hug walk once and it was shit. You gotta admit that."
Magnus chuckles at the memory but pulls away from the hug. "Actually I'd prefer we don't? I don't want them to get ideas."
"Okay, holding hands? Just for the peace? I have no idea about anything anymore. You decide."
Magnus interlaces their fingers with a smile. "Yeah." Maia makes gagging noises. "Do you really think you three cuddling there are less dripping sweet?" Magnus asks.
She just gapes at him. "Don't you dare, Bane!"
He just grins and gives her an airkiss.
Maia stomps off and Alec gives Magnus a soft kiss on his temple. "I love you. Have I told you that today?"
Magnus shakes his head. "Nope! Can you repeat it?"
He hums against Magnus's hair. "I love you so much. Do you know how much? Like so much."
Magnus giggles but says "I love you so much, too."