Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Magnus wanted to draw one of his last paintings. Hours had flown away but his brushes were still clean, let alone the large white canvas in front of him. Huge and frankly scaring.

*

Such a weird month for Magnus, even if quite fertile. He had worked his ass off to complete those paintings he was going to show at his first art exhibit, but he didn’t feel truly satisfied, he felt like something was missing in this collection.

His mind had wondered all day, incapable of focusing on the white sheet he was watching to. He had started with a sort of doodle on a page, then had shifted to another one starting from the beginning. His studio had soon been covered with crumpled and rolled up sheets. He had stared at those sheets feeling disgusted about himself; the deadline for releasing the whole painting collection for the exhibition was really close, yet he kept feeling like one more was missing.

No way. He couldn’t, period. The big one was missing, that painting intended to be hung in the grand central salon. God, he was feeling so frustrated. Totally stressed, he threw his drawing tools away and left.

He wasn’t going to get anything good right now; better go for a break.

*

Sipping his tea he made his way to the studio again, placing his cup onto the coffee table just beside the easel. He approached the white canvas again considering its size. Then he made up his mind: if he couldn’t sketch any drawing, well, he had to put himself in the game, letting his intuition guide him. He grabbed a few brushes and poured colors onto a palette.
He stared at the white surface for a while, then he closed his eyes trying to focus onto colors themselves: white, red, yellow, blue…
He needed to mix colors to enlighten the background. Magnus bit his lip and pressed each brush into a different one, mixing and tracing lines onto the canvas. He tilted his head trying to grasp what he’s been doing, wasn’t bad even if he wasn’t still aware of the final result.

He closed his eyes letting himself being dragged by the pleasant vibe of that fast running brush, feeling like he had to fill the whole surface, the colors had become lighter, discreet, faint enough to be the right background for something tough, emotional.

He changed brush, mixed more colors, getting new shades, closing his eyes again while listening to the pouring rain and keeping on painting.

The sky was suddenly being torn by a lightning making him flinch, he wasn’t expecting it, but he had always loved rain, even storm. He smelled petrichor through the open window; while he put down his brush to get the window closed, he realized the weather was rapidly worsening. A furious wind raised making leaves fly all around.
He stared at the darkening sky, fascinated by nature unleashing. The wind was blowing harder and harder, the lightnings flaring through coal-like clouds.

He felt contented that Alec had been home for hours, he wouldn’t like to have him outside giving the bad weather.

He came back to work, a soft grin curving his mouth, because now he had realized what he’s going to do and his heart was beating fast in his chest.

He completely covered the canvas with many different shades of pink, from the lightest and to the darkest. With small precise touches he gave meaning to the painting, he already knew what the painting was going to look like when finished.

Now he needed to shift colors. Damn, he couldn’t choose, uncertain enough, but then he decided for a deep brown, warm like a hug.

He rapidly gave the canvas a few confident strokes, outlining the upper part of it. Some black to show depth and fullness, to shape shadows, to create something that looks real.

Then he picked some new brushes up to face the hardest part, something almost impossible to portray, something that beautiful they were almost unreal, unique and rare.

Just like trying to paint clouds and their colors, Magnus thought. Clouds are never truly white, shifting color with time and weather. They can be white but also grey, inside you can see a little bit of light blue, and into the sunset you are able to see them stained of yellow, orange, and red. If you look closely at the clouds you might see there’s really a little of pure white inside, yet people keep on saying clouds are white.

*

With a sloppy gesture he rushed to search for the right colors. God, he’s never going to duplicate such nuances, so special and unique and shimmering depending on the light they got hit by. He loved them so much and Magnus always felt himself shivering every time they were focused on him, infusing tenderness, joy, love and passion.

He grabbed the red too eventually, because he had seen it, a red circle like a permanent print into his mind, a gift he had surrendered to, and now, a tiny brush to enlighten the most precious gem, his greatest treasure.
Red: red like running blood, warm and thick, like life itself. Like love, the most beautiful gift our heart might receive.

He lightly moved the brush giving a few last touches, finally putting the palette onto the table, near his teacup.

He tilted his head, watching the painting in front of him.
Started almost as a color stain, unshaped in the middle of the big white, it had slowly changed into a portrait.
He moved closer for having a better view. His heart was beating wildly, and a lump got stuck in his throat when he realized what his mind had guided his hand toward.

Toward a portrait of the man he had fallen in love with, and who had stolen his heart.

Magnus left the studio sporting a satisfied grin, that was the time to make Alec realize how much he loved him and how much his mere presence represented a steady point for Magnus.

YES! Magnus thought. Alexander Lightwood was the greatest gift life could offer him.

Chapter Text

It was the day of the Magnus exhibit and Alec was in super late, Magnus would never forgive him if he arrived among the last at is first exhibition.

A friggin’ meeting organized by his mother had kept him for more than needed and Alec couldn’t stop thinking that Maryse organized the whole thing for ruining him the night. With a fast pace he rushed into the street waving his arms to stop a taxi.

“Modern Art Museum, please”said Alec to the taxi driver releasing a deep sigh.

Magnus didn’t call him or text him, Alec knew how busy he was, and he was the artist and the main guest of the exhibition but he could feel deep in his heart that Magnus was angry. He had to make it up to me, it wouldn’t happen again, he was sure of that. Magnus was his priority, he was the best thing that ever happened to him and he had saved him from a cold and empty life. Right now he was this angry that he wouldn’t care about leaving the family business and throw away many years of studies. Simply he wouldn’t let anything or anyone to get between Magnus and him.

The taxi finally stopped in front of a magnificent glass building. It was a breathaking view but Alec paid quickly without paying attention rushing in.

To Alec’s great regret, the gallery was quite, there was no one, only a few lights illuminated the immense circular room. The walls were white, white as snow, perfect for highlighting the paitings that were hanging there.

Alec was standing still, he didn’t do more than three steps and he was already charmed to admire the show that appeared before him.

Everything was colorfull, the paintings were standing up like a river of colors ready to mix to create an amazing rainbow. There was color everywhere, the paintings stood out like a river of colors ready to mix to form a wonderful rainbow. Wherever he looked, Alec felt enveloped by a warm embrace because the paintings were connected to each other and told a beautiful story. Smiley faces, bodies that danced in the streets, two women were kissing wrapped by a rainbow flag. Alec felt his eyes burn from all the emotions he was feeling, he was so proud of Magnus and of what he chose to show the world.

Alec didn’t go in the room yet and he already felt overwhelmed by too many emotions. It was a sight for the eyes already seen so, from the outside, an explosion of festive confetti that seen or studied from far away trasmitted happiness and joy to who looked at them. All of that happiness that no one could ever erase, imprinted into the canvases with great skill. Every smile was contagious and there wasn’t a thing that was more beautiful that seeing this many people painted with the colors of the rainbow of the gay pride.

Alec finally entered in the big room, his eyes were wandering everywhere. There was something magical in Magnus’s exhibition, he thought. He was able to give voice to something that, unfortunately, escaped from most people, that love doesn’t need seals, it doesn’t need labels, love is love and it needs to be free from the chains that the society keeps on pinning it.

Alec was looking at the paintings one by one then he stopped, he didn’t notice that the circular and white room had an hidden hallway, as white as the other room.

Alec moved very slowly without knowing what he’ll find beyond the wall.

A shiver passed through his body making him tremble. Now he was in a smaller room, white and bright that almost blinded him, but he stayed still, stuck in his own footsteps contemplating the big painting that was in the place of honor.

It was his portrait.

Magnus made him a portrait, Alec thought, while warm tears wet his cheeks. Magnus painted him, he made him the main character of his exhibition and Alec felt his heart melt like snow in the sun. God it was beautiful, there was something poetic in his painting and Alec couldn’t help himself and a hiccup escaped his control.

Suddently the lights turned off leaving him almost completely in the dark, you could see only the emergency lights.

“What’s happening? Who’s there? Magnus, is this you?” asked Alec scared, launching a little scream, when two strong arms squeezed him in a tight and warm hug.

“ I should be furious with you!” whispered Magnus in Alec’s ear, but he couldn’t resist kissing every single part of uncovered skin.

“Magnus, forgive me. I love you, it won’t happen again I promise. I... “ said Alec but Magnus didn’t lose any time and shut up him with a warm and sexy kiss, he didn’t care about the fact that Alec came late, the only thing that mattered for Magnus was that Alec was with him right now, tight in his arms.

Magnus slipped his arms and pulled him closer, he was so scared that Alec would never get here and that Maryse was able to convince him that he was a lost cause, a failure.

He feared of losing him and Magnus despaired because he couldn’t live without Alec, without his smile or the heat of his body. Alec had stolen his heart and his soul imprisoning the heart of Magnus, who had no intention of freeing himself because the chains didn’t hold or suffocate him, but left him free to run towards life. That’s why he waited for him even when everyone told him he would never come again. Magnus had waited for him and now he couldn’t stop himself, he couldn’t let him go, he needed to feel him by his side, to feel his body that calmed him and allowed him to breathe calmly again.

Alec answered to his kiss letting himself go to Magnus’s lips. He felt happy, in ecstasy and it was a feeling so intoxicating that he pounced on him like a desperate.

When they were able to split apart for a little moment Alec smiled on his lips before stealing another kiss on the edge of his lips. “I love you Magnus, i adore you.”

Magnus smiled brighly at him like a star, squeezing Alec hard.

“ I love you too, Alexander. Never forget it, never doubt my love for you. Never sunshine, you are my everything, my world, my home. I can’t lose you.” said Magnus leaving the worries about the lateness of Alec keep bothering him.

“ You won’t lose me. I am yours, like you are mine. Always... forever. Take me home. I want to go home with you.”

Magnus was looking at him, his mouth was open, home, Alec was asking him to be his home. With a jump Magnus clung to Alec, he kept kissing him and telling him that he loved him and yes, he would bring him home, their home.

Magnus kept dragging him towards the exit tripping over their feet and laughing out loud at every single mistake. Lock the door proved a feat almost impossible considering that Alec wouldn’t stop touching him not even for a second.

When they were finally outside a light rain was falling on them but they didn’t care that much, they were too busy kissing and caressing careless of who could see them.
They were so far from the world that they didn’t realize that the rain trasformed in a storm.

Laughing out loud Alec had gone away from Magnus, he was looking him in the eyes wet to the core.

“Magnus, you love the rain, right?” asked Alec, with the biggest smiles on his face, that special one that Magnus was lucky enough to find and made his heart shake every time he saw it.

“Yes, I love the rain, I love the feeling of the skin that it leaver, its smell, I love it, but not as much as I love you, Alexander”

Alec grabed his hands and started spinning like a happy child, they were dancing in the streets of their city, whirling like in a big Walzer of which neither of them knew the steps.

The water was splashing and every time Alec stumpled Magnus laughed, while a chill creeped in under his skin and he was sure that it wasn’t because he was about to get a cold but because Alexander’s smile was warming him and excited him a bit.

A lightning pierced the sky forcing them to stop swirling dance, but they never stopped staring at each other not even for a second.

“Marry me. I wanna marry you.” whispered Magnus, so quiet that he wasn’t sure if Alec heard him.

Alec stared him, the silence was probably surreal because he couldn’t hear anything, he wasn’t cold, he didn’t feel the rain falling down, everything was frozen and still.

Alec had his hair glued to his forehead and he had a peaceful expression on his face , Magnus had never seen that face before.

“ yes! I want to. I wanna marry you Magnus” whispered Alec, choking every single word kissing him with ardour again and again.

A lighting pierced the sky making them separate slightly, everything was quiet, it looked like they were wrapped in a cloud of peace, like they were suspended in the air.

*

Getting home had proved a feat almost impossible, he dragged themself to bed even though their movements became slow and sweet from the tiredness.

They kept loving each other while outside the rain kept fallling on the ground. Magnus could hear the rain murmuring, sighing, telling something as it slipped over the roofs and melted into the wind.

Alec was groaning with Magnus on top of him, there was kindness in everything they were doing, but there was something different: a raw hunger that they were trying to soothe for all of this time and they were finally satisfing.

Magnus kissed Alec like the rain that was falling and that kept beating on the glass, liquid, insatiable almost erotic like a kiss that slips everywhere.

After a while, the two young tired men layed down near each other satisfied and happy both physically and metaphorically.

Alec spent most of his life feeling alone, but now everything was over. He went through a lot, but along the way he found the other part of his soul.

“ I love you Magnus. I don’t want this night to end.” whispered Alec turning his head for looking at him.

Magnus followed his movement grabbing his face.” We have all of our life in front of us. Alexander this is just the beginning of our new life together.”

The night will end, the rain will stop, and when the sun will go down, an amazing rainbow will color the sky and the life that they alway dreamed of.