Work Text:
“Belle âme” Magnus murmurs against Alec’s ear, before biting it playfully and resuming his trail of kisses down his jawline and on his chin.
Alec feels warmth course through his veins at the words, even more than the sun warming his back and side as they lay out in the late morning sun on the balcony in their Paris hotel room.
“What does that mean?” Alec asks, words breaking off in a giggle when Magnus nuzzles their noses together affectionately.
“A beautiful soul. And I’m looking at the most beautiful one I’ve ever met.” Alec flushes red and he turns to capture Magnus’ lips in a kiss. He tastes of chocolate and the sweet caramel syrup that was in their coffee along with their crepes.
“Besides, we are in France so I figured the name fits perfectly.” Alec grins at that and presses their foreheads together, breathing in the comfort and security of his husband relaxed against him.
“Then I suppose I should give you a name too, then?” Magnus hums, quirking an eyebrow that symbols both a challenge and genuine interest.
“The Alexander Lightwood, Head of the most prestigious Institute in the United States is going to give me a term of endearment? In French too? It must be my birthday.” Magnus purrs, chuckling when Alec frowns and pouts.
“That’s so mean.”
“I know you love it, though. Me teasing you endlessly in so many ways.” Magnus whispers against his lips.
“I do love it.” Alec says. “How do you say my little devil in French? See I wish I knew how to speak it because then I would be able to just say it to you without ruining the surprise.” Magnus erupts in laughter and tucks his face against Alec’s warm neck.
“I don’t know if I should consider that term of endearment a compliment or a insult.”
“Compliment for sure. Devils are sexy.” Alec slides his hand under Magnus’ silk robe to the heated skin of his back.
“Alexander how scandalous! You’re half Angel you don’t need to have a thing for the devil.”
“I don’t have a thing for the devil. I do, however have a thing for you.” He grins, seemingly smug and satisfied with his answer.
Magnus rolls his eyes but pulls him closer all the same, peppering his face with kisses. Alec pushes back the waves of hair falling onto Magnus’ forehead as he kisses every inch of his face.
They made a deal while on their vacation to Paris that they would only dress up in more than a robe if they were going out and about for the day. Alec wants all that golden skin on display and Magnus wants Alec to go more than twelve hours without wearing a sweater.
So with that they’ve been laying out in the sun while Magnus has been keeping his hair natural and his face bare, which makes for late mornings and lazy afternoons if they’re just hanging out in the hotel, which is mostly what they’ve been doing.
With a final kiss to Alec’s mouth their lips part and Alec runs a hand through his hair. Magnus is softly panting below him smiling, his lips are kiss bitten and the sun is making his golden skin shine in the light.
“You’re so beautiful.” Alec murmurs, cupping his cheeks and running his thumb along the delicate skin under Magnus’ eye. Magnus softens and when he blinks next his hazel eyes turn into the golden orbs Alec falls in love with more every time Magnus exposes them.
“And you’re so sweet. My Alexander, my love, my Angel.” Alec blushes and presses his face in the crook of Magnus’ neck. They lay in comfortable silence for a few moments, until Alec breaks that silence.
“Have you ever heard the Shadowhunter saying that we only love once?”
“I’ve heard it a few times in passing, but I’ve never put much thought to it.”
“You should now, as it directly applies to you. Nephilim love once, fiercely.”
“You do love so passionately, the saying fits you for sure.” Magnus’ nails scratch at his scalp and Alec leans into the comforting familiar touch.
“Well it’s more than just about that. Shadowhunters have never really believed in love in that way. I mean, you know of my parents and countless other relationships built on politics and such. I never thought I’d be an exception to those loveless marriages, but then I met you. Magnus, you are the love of my life.” Alec whispers, overcome with such emotion he wouldn’t dare speak louder. “I will never love anyone the way I love you. I never understood what that saying meant until I found you, and now everything just makes sense.”
“Alexander, darling.” Magnus wetly laughs, curling his hand around his neck and pulling them closer until their noses touch. “For being the man who used to say emotions cloud judgement you sure have a way of expressing them.”
Alec chuckles, “I’ve had a little help in the art of expression.”
“Oh,” Magnus quirks an eyebrow. “And what might that be?”
Alec rolls his eyes and sighs, “Must you need your ego fluffed anymore today?” Magnus laughs, loudly and unabashedly. He undoubtedly treasures and adores his Alexander.
They lapse into silence once more, but Magnus knows the weight of what Alec just told him and wants to reciprocate it wholeheartedly.
“Alexander?” Alec hums and lifts his head up once. “Warlocks don’t really settle down. We don’t see into the future much, mostly because it’s such a vast and unpredictable thing to think about. I never saw myself genuinely getting married or making that step with someone. But you just had to ruin my
plans. I took one look at you and knew I had to keep you. You are irrefutably the person I love most on this planet, and I love you more than all of the people I’ve loved in my past put together. I had no idea a love could be this safe, this sweet, and this comforting. You are the love of my life too, and I hope with everything inside of me you can believe that.”
“I do believe that, it shows in everything you do. I’ll never deserve the way you love me but I’ll always be grateful for it and cherish you always.”
“Hopefully they’ll be no need to cherish me. Not like either of us have plans to go anywhere anytime soon.” Magnus winks, pressing his hand tenderly to Alec’s permanent alliance rune on his chest.
Alec rolls his eyes again but laughs, “You take everything so literally, even after I declare my undeniable love for you. Such a pain in my ass.”
“Would I really be Magnus Lightwood-Bane if I weren’t?”
“No, you definitely wouldn’t be. And I wouldn’t change you at all. Pain in the ass or not.” It’s something Magnus always needs to hear. The validation and assurance he craves as he’s molded and changed himself to the desires and needs of others his entire life.
The fact that Alec Lightwood would truly not change a thing about his husband given the chance, even knowing his flaws and imperfections, is everything to Magnus. Magnus settles back into Alec’s arms, content with lying here until the world ends and even after that, because his world will never truly end so long as Alec is still lying with him.