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The first time Alec sees Magnus spending time with his Pokémon roaming freely around his home, he’s confused. The Lightwoods are known for being some of the best trainers in the region, with strict training regimens growing up. He’s pretty sure ‘cuddling with creepy insects’ wasn’t in any of his suggested training technique lessons.
“Why,” Alec starts slowly, his voice tense due to the horrific-looking Ariados clicking across the floor towards him. “Is it out here?”
“She,” Magnus begins pointedly. “Is out because we had a tough battle today and she more than earned a bit of personal attention.” Magnus snaps his fingers to bring Ariados’ attention back to him. Magnus currently sits cross-legged on the floor in front of the sofa with a Caterpie curled up on his right shoulder and his Skitty sleeping on the sofa just behind his head, purring loudly. “C’mere,” he says, holding out a treat, and Ariados turns away from Alec who relaxes visibly.
Alec tries to keep the horror off his face as Magnus pets the bug- and poison-type Pokémon, the freaking spider that is now cozying up to him.
“She, right. Sorry,” Alec corrects. He’s trying, he really is, and Magnus is being so patient with him while he un-learns everything he had driven into him for years about the way people and Pokémon should coexist. Until recently, the closest Alec came to actually bonding with his Pokémon was when he spoiled his favorite flying-types by letting them spread their wings once in a while.
Magnus smiles at him. “It’s quite alright, darling.”
Alec hasn’t been traveling with Magnus for very long, and he isn’t sure if Magnus is flirting or just being nice, but the nickname never fails to give Alec butterflies in his stomach. He could ask, something tells him that Magnus wouldn’t mind even if Alec is reading into it all wrong, but he can’t bring himself to risk it. A few times so far they had to share a bed and woke up curled around each other, and it was so nice. Alec wants to wake up wrapped around Magnus forever.
“Alexander? You okay?” Magnus asks, his voice raised a little as if this isn’t the first time he’s said Alec’s name just now. “You zoned out for a second there.”
Alec mentally shakes himself from his ‘really wanting to date Magnus’ daydreaming. “Yeah. Sorry, I’m still getting used to all of this.” Alec isn’t sure if he means the Pokémon stuff or the Magnus stuff by ‘this’, but thankfully Magnus doesn’t ask him to clarify.
“Do you want to pet her?” Magnus asks, motioning to his Ariados who is now in Magnus’ lap, legs tucked up underneath her.
Alec hesitates. “What if I start with one of mine? Preferably one that isn’t a giant spider?”
Magnus laughs. “Fair enough. I suppose you should bond with your Pokémon before mine... though I have to say my Skitty has already taken quite a liking to you. When I first let him out earlier while you were gone he searched every room trying to find you to say hi.”
Alec should not love that thought as much as he does, the idea of something Magnus loves being attached to Alec, the idea of being an expected presence in Magnus’ life.
“I’ve taken quite a liking to him as well,” Alec admits. And to you, he thinks so hard he wonders if he can telepathically convey the thought without speaking it.
Alec looks at the six pokéballs around his belt and takes out his Cubone, who immediately goes into a fighting stance, ready for battle, eyeing Magnus’ three Pokémon warily.
“No Cubone, it’s okay. We’re not here to fight,” Alec says uncertainly. He moves to sit next to Magnus on the floor (on Magnus’ left side, so he doesn’t disturb Caterpie) and pulls a treat out from his pouch to give to Cubone. “We’re... Hanging out. I thought you might like some time out of your pokéball.”
Cubone tenses, not approaching at first.
“I’m going to have to undo the battle--focused hardwiring in all of you, aren’t I?” Magnus jokes.
Cubone eyes Magnus’ relaxing Pokémon, then Magnus, before looking back to Alec.
“I know I haven’t been a good friend to you, but I’m going to fix that. If you want,” Alec continues, holding the treat out again. This time Cubone comes up to him willingly, taking his cue from Magnus’ Ariados and situating himself in the comfort of Alec’s lap to eat it.
Alec beams, looking over excitedly to Magnus with eyes wide with surprise.
“See? What did I tell you?” Magnus smiles back. “You’re a good person, Alec. They can tell as easily as I can.”
“I-” The compliment catches Alec off-guard. “Thanks.” Real smooth, Lightwood, Alec mentally chastises himself.
They talk for a little while about a lot of things, from Pokémon to future travels to bits of their past, and Alec knows he isn’t imagining it when Magnus leans closer into his space. Then, slowly, Magnus’ arm wraps around his shoulder, fingers occasionally drifting up to play with Alec’s hair while they talk, and he doesn’t say a word, never wanting it to stop. He’s sure they’ll talk about it later, but for now he’s more than happy to simply let it happen.
Alec doesn’t realize how tired he is until his head falls to rest on Magnus’ shoulder and his eyes flutter shut. He only means to close them for a moment but between the grounding presence of Cubone in his lap, Magnus’ warmth against his side, and Skitty purring in his ear from the couch, Alec falls asleep with more comfort and hope in his heart than he’s ever felt before.