Chapter Text
13. Things you said at the kitchen table
“I can’t believe this.”
“Sorry, Mags.” Alec’s tone doesn’t do anything to dampen the feeling of betrayal. Magnus looks between Alec and Jace. They’re both wearing solemn expressions.
Magnus ducks his head, letting out a hard sigh. “How could you, Alexander? After everything? This, this is what you decide to do.”
“I had to Magnus, you know I didn’t have a choice.” Alec reaches to lay his hand over Magnus’ but Magnus shakes him off, crossing his arms over his chest to glare.
“Didn’t have a choice?” He mimics, mocking. “Of course you had a choice. Why now? Why betray me for your parabatai?”
“Oh my god,” Jace mutters, pressing his face into his hands. “You’re so dramatic.”
Magnus huffs, “Excuse me! My husband just did the unforgivable, I think I have a right to be upset.”
“You know I had to do it Magnus, I could never keep up with you.”
“I can’t believe you would choose Jace over me,” Magnus says, turning his wedding band around his finger. “How long have you been planning this?”
Alec shakes his head, “It was never planned, but I have to do what’s best for me.”
“And this?” Magnus asks, “this is what’s best for you? Turning your back on everything we’ve built? Abandoning me for your parabatai? Choosing him over me?”
“That’s not what this is,” Alec reaches for Magnus who jolts away before he can touch him. “I love you Mags.”
Magnus shakes his head, “I don’t understand. You can’t say you love me and then do this.”
“You know I would never hurt you, but-”
“But you would help him when you know it means betraying me? Is this what our relationship has come to? Am I so easy to- to throw away?"
“It’s not like that, I had to give myself a chance here Mags.”
Jace groans from across the table, “You two are ridiculous. He played the Sorry card, put your thing back.” Jace picks up the little blue game piece and sets it in the home tile on Magnus’ side of the board before replacing it with one of Alec’s yellow pieces. “Why did I agree to this?”
Magnus can’t help but laugh at the blond’s exasperation. Alec is grinning beside him, “Because you love us.”
“Game nights with you guys is the worst,” Jace mutters even as a smile threatens to break across his face. Magnus and Alec sit at the other side, chuckling as Magnus sets the Sorry card into the discard pile.
“Seriously, if you ever do that again, I will divorce you in an instant.”
Alec reaches over, grasping Magnus’ hand, interlacing their fingers. He raises Magnus’ hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to his wedding ring. “No more Sorrys, I promise. Besides, now that you’re down a piece and Jace still has two stuck in home, there’s no way I’m losing.”