Work Text:
Make Them Sparkle!
Magnus prided himself on being a person who went with and adapted to the ever changing times.
He had witnessed many immortals who got stuck in particular time periods. Be it refusing to adopt new fashion trends, or remaining stagnant in certain behaviors or mindsets that had been common at one point in history. Bemoaning how things ‘used to be so much better back in the day’ . People who needed to anchor themselves in the past, in order to face the present and future.
Not Magnus, though. While he treasured many of the memories made during his long existence, he had always been the type to look forward, instead of back.
He had seen and embraced the progress humanity made, philosophically, technologically, and socially.
And, while the road of progression hadn’t always been a smooth one and weathered its fair share of hiccups along the way, Magnus certainly appreciated the fruits of this particular labor.
(And not only mundanes, but the shadow world, too, had come a long way from what it had once been. Magnus would never be not proud of the part his dearest Alexander and his friends and family had played in that development.)
Anyway, being a ‘modern’ warlock, and having personally supported some of the various technological marvels of the world they now lived in, Magnus had a deep appreciation for the internet.
A way for so many people from so many different places and stages of life to come together to connect and share with each other was truly incredible.
There was almost nothing that the internet didn’t have, unless it connected to matters of the shadow world, but even that was slowly changing.
From funny videos and beautiful musik, to shops and art and so much more.
Websites tailored to specific hobbies or tastes. Sites to find employment, or living accomodations. Those that gave the user an opportunity to make friends, or find love.
And, of course, so called help-forums. Professionally or community run sites spanning various topics all around offering advice when someone needed it.
Like one particular writing forum for aspiring authors, which Magnus had found himself in one sunny afternoon, as he had been browsing aimlessly to waste some time.
One of the requests had caught his eye especially.
‘Please help me bring fresh wind into old supernatural lore!’
Clicking on the request and reading further, Magnus had learned that the hopeful author was trying to write a teen love story with vampires and werewolves, revolving around a highschool mundane girl and her vampiric love interest, as well as a werewolf contender.
Magnus had snorted, thinking the idea hardly original, and had almost clicked away again, but one sentence had stood out.
‘Vampire love stories are a dime a dozen, I’m well aware of that. But while plot and circumstances often change around the different narratives, the lore and rules behind the vampires rarely do. It’s always a thirst and need for blood, a weakness to religious artifacts, and an inability to bear sunlight. That last one especially, I wish to change for my story, as I feel that describing a whole world that most humans are unaware of, and plays mostly in the dark, is terribly restrictive. But I also think that just waving any effect the sun might have on a vampire away, is a missed opportunity for exploring alternative plot points. Which is why I’m asking for any kind of inspiration or thoughts any of you might be willing to share.’
So Magnus had read on as the author had described their world and characters in a little more detail. And upon learning of the broody, dark haired, stubborn, kind and compassionate main vampire character, Magnus couldn’t help it when his brain had made the comparison between a fictional character, and his very own favorite broody, dark haired, stubborn, kind and compassionate vampire.
And as he was thinking of his dear little Raphael, the vampire he had taken under his wing decades ago and practically raised (even though Raphael had been 24 and fully adult by mundane standards when he had been turned), Magnus hadn’t been able to curb his more mischievous impulses.
Clicking on the answering function to the thread, he had snickered heavily as he typed out just three words.
‘Make them sparkle!’
Who would have thought that, just a few years later, this little bit of innocent fun he had had, would come back to interrupt his sexy make out session with his precious shadowhunter boyfriend?
“Magnus!” The door slammed open and shut in barely more than a second, as a steaming Raphael stormed into the loft.
A lifetime of training and battle ready instincts had Alec lift Magnus off his lap and behind him in just one move (which was so fucking hot, if not for their unplanned intruder, Magnus would have climbed his boyfriend like a tree), as his other hand seemlessly went down to quickly retrieve the throwing knife strapped to his lower leg.
The defensive maneuver was aborted as soon as Alec registered just who had just barged into the apartment, and instead the tall man slumped back into the couch (careful not to crush his boyfriend) with a deep, slightly annoyed, sigh.
Raphael though reacted to neither the knife that had almost been thrown at him, nor the glare the shadowhunter was throwing at him right now. Instead, he held up the book he had in hand and snarled in Magnus direction. “What the fuck is this?!”
Magnus blinked, still trying to sort through the haze of his newly ignited arousal after Alexander’s display of strength and speed, and the clearly agitated mood Raphael seemed to be in. “It’s called a book, my dear. It holds in its pages the wonder of the written word and thus the power to create wonderful and fascinating tales for all to share.”
If anything, that answer made Raphael look even more mutinous. Which was just rude, if anyone were to ask Magnus.
“I know what a book is!”
Magnus huffed, finally straightening himself out of the mess of limbs he had been from Alexander’s manhandling him to safety (And they would have a talk about that later. As hot as that had been, Magnus couldn’t have his Alexander trying to shield him while facing a threat on his own.) “Then why did you ask?”
Raphael could apparently not be bothered to explain, and instead just chucked the book at him. Once again shadowhunter reflexes trumped Magnus' own, and Alec snatched the book out of the air before it could hit the warlock.
He scrunched up his nose a little (which was adorably cute in Magnus’ humble opinion and he quickly leant forward a bit to peck Alec on the cheek) as he read the title. “Twilight?”
It made Magnus smirk. “Oh, I think I have heard of this. A supernatural teen romance novel, if I remember Biscuit’s words correctly. I must be honest, my dear boy, I didn’t think this would be your type of thing.”
But the vampire just crossed his arms over his chest. “Open it up to the introduction.”
A little puzzled, but also curious, Alec and Magnus did just that. It appeared to be just your ordinary preface to any book.
‘I thank everyone who has supported me through this, bla bla bla, I’m incredibly honored and grateful for this opportunity to share bla bla bla, I hope this tale will find a way into your heart bla bla bla.’
Really, pretty standard as far as the warlock was concerned. Until they reached the last section on the introductory page, and it slowly dawned on Magnus just why Raphael looked as if he had been forced to listen to Simon ramble about a deep introspection on why Spiderman was the best Marvel superhero ever.
Oh.
‘I would like to give special thanks to someone I unfortunately have never met personally, but whose input has definitely helped to inspire me to spice things up a bit. So this is to you, The_Magnificent_Bane. I “made them sparkle”!’
“Oh.”
“Oh?” Raphael thundered. “That’s all you have to say to this? You told this woman to make her vampires sparkle in the sunlight like some demented disco ball! We don’t sparkle! The only sparkly crazy person around here is you! Do you have any idea what the stupid flea balls are going to say when they learn of this? Are you laughing? Stop laughing! There is going to be so many glitter jokes in my future now thanks to you! I’m never gonna hear the end of this! Magnus! Stop laughing!”
Magnus stopped laughing. Eventually.