Chapter Text
The afternoon was breezy and Magnus was running late. Now it wasn't atypical for him to be late to things, but today's situation was different.
In retrospect, he wasn't actually expected anywhere, he was just not feeling it.
The way inspiration and creativity usually led to his extravagant innovations was missing today.
So, he'd decided to move his artsy corner to the park. He'd gathered his brushes and palette, his canvas and his myriad of paint tubes, and walked into the garden.
He chose a calm and secluded region of the park and assembled his ensemble on the bank of the pond.
One hand on his waist, the other holding the palette with a paintbrush between his teeth and a little pencil tucked behind his ear, Magnus tried to focus. But his mind seemed to have other plans.
He closed his eyes and thought of the sea, the breeze, the scent of sandalwood, the things which usually helped to calm him down.
But nothing seemed to work today.
After spending about an hour and a half, he decided to leave and churn his brain to make it pop new ideas later.
He hastily gathered and cradled his art supplies and walked out of the main gate, with the pencil still tucked behind his ear.
Now, if somebody asked Magnus why was he so hurried, he probably wouldn't have any valid answer to that.
He felt frantic for some unknown, unexplainable reason.
He cut through the crowd of the afternoon dwellers like an arrow soaring through the blue sky. And bumped into someone, spilling everything onto the stranger.
"Oh my god! I am so sorry-" Magnus said as he tried to amend his mistake and successfully smeared some more purple paint on the stranger's shirt.
The stranger must have been an angel to not have shouted at Magnus yet for ruining his shirt. He just looked down at his shirt and whispered to no one in particular, "Oh, I'll have to wash it."
Magnus had been picking up his supplies and that's when he looked up and saw the person with such a beautiful voice.
The boy was the most gorgeous person Magnus had ever seen. He had velvety blue eyes and ruffled black hair. And perfect eyebrows.
Magnus could tell they weren't drawn on or anything, the boy naturally had amazing eyebrows.
Magnus was a little jealous.
The boy cast his eyes toward Magnus and said, "It's alright,"
At the same time, being mesmerised by the boy, Magnus blurted out, "Let me paint you,"
"I- What?"
That was when the realisation hit him and he wanted the ground to erupt and swallow him whole rather than face the embarrassment. "I... I am an artist, I wasn't able to focus today or generate any new ideas but now that I saw you, my mind is churning crazy. So, I made a mental note to draw you, or something inspired by you, which, well, wasn't made very mentally, I guess."
"Oh, I'm Alec. Alexander Lightwood," Alec said and offered his hand to shake.
"I am Magnus Bane." Magnus shook.
Alec smiled a little. Magnus was convinced it was the most adorable thing he'd seen.
"So, tell me Alexander, are you busy right now?"
"No, actually. I was just heading home from work."
"Oh? Would you be interested to volunteer for me? Be my inspiration?"
"Um, I am free for a few hours, I suppose. Yeah, I'll help you," Alec smiled.
Magnus turned around and walked towards the park.
"Magnus?"
Magnus, a couple of steps ahead, turned around, "Yes?"
"Can we do this at my place?"
"Um, is it nearby?
"Yeah, just there," he pointed towards the alley next to the building they were standing near.
"Sure, darling," said Magnus and Alexander blushed at that. And how cute did he look!
Alec led the way and they walked side by side.
"So, what do you do?" Magnus asked.
"I am a senior in psychology at NYU,"
"Really? I am a senior there too! I have a major in art and sociology."
"Wow, that's really interesting, I also wanted to pursue sociology but then some of my classes clashed so I dropped that."
"I see. You said you were returning from work when I tripped onto you?"
"Yeah, I work as an accountant for a retail store. Just something to earn me a little pocket money,"
"Oh, I work in a cafe on Fifth Avenue. As a barista."
Alec turned right and twisted the doorknob, he faced Magnus and smiled. "This is my apartment," he said with a little upward flick of his chin.
*
The apartment was small and cosy. The living room opened into the kitchen and the large window behind the counter let in the warm sunlight of mid-afternoon.
Alec asked Magnus to sit on the sofa while he went off and changed into a cleaner shirt.
Magnus sat down and arranged his canvas and paint.
The shelf behind the sofa held various potted plants, some flowered and some succulents. Magnus could never keep his plants so healthy, he already forgot to feed his cat, Chairman Meow, sometimes.
Magnus was filled with a strange urge to spend more time here, to spend more time with Alec.
He returned after a while and asked, "Coffee?"
"Yes," Magnus replied.
Alec was near the stove preparing coffee and then he picked something up and placed it inside his pocket gingerly.
Magnus noticed but ignored it.
Alec returned with two mugs of coffee and Magnus took one from his hands. He settled onto the sofa and alec perched himself on the kitchen counter, the sunlight illuminating his eyes further.
Magnus picked up a brush and as he took hold of the pencil tucked behind his ear, he asked, " Can I begin?".
Alec smiled and nodded in affirmation. "Would you mind if I play some music?"
"Not at all, darling,"
Alec instructed Alexa to play a mellow playlist and a soft, pleasant tune wrapped the room in a warm blanket.
They talked for a while, Magnus's sketch was almost ready. The drawing was inspired by the way Alec had laughed out loud when Magnus had told him a story from his fine arts class. Though, Magnus was still figuring out certain details. He wanted to go with the flow of Alec's voice.
The silence stretched out in front of them, only the low volume of I Love You, Baby, by Emilee playing in the background.
He thought the lyrics were way too accurate for the raw feelings he was developing for alec. The feelings that he was catching on so soon. Too soon. He blushed as he continued to paint and alec looked out of the window.
"What are you thinking about?" Magnus asked.
Alec turned his head and hesitated a moment before replying, "Tumblr tropes," alec laughed out mirthless laughter.
"Come on tell me,"
"Really though, Tumblr tropes. There are so many. Friends to lovers. Enemies to lovers. The monochrome world turns vibrant with vivid shades when they fall in love. But there are also negative ones. Lovers to rivals. Abused in childhood and turns into a ruthless villain. Cop falls in love with a criminal and turns evil. Many more which are even worse." He paused and took a breath.
Magnus had stopped painting to listen to him properly.
"Sometimes, I think, maybe, what if my trope is something bad. What if the story of my life is based on one of those tropes. Maybe I have a sad ending because I am a bad person," alec signed and then smiled ever so slightly, "I don't know why I am telling you all this, but I trust you."
Magnus nodded, "trust makes you do strange things,"
Alec averted his gaze back to Magnus.
"Well, if you trust me then let me tell you something. Spider webs. Those spirally, soft webs when placed in a dark and gloomy room become a symbol of dread and horror. But when the same spider web is out in a meadow, covered in dew drops, and sunlight passes through it, it becomes one of the most beautiful creations of nature." His voice continued to hold alec's complete attention.
"There is good and bad in all of us, it is our choices that make us what we are. Your trope might have been a negative one but let it not define your destiny. How we perceive things, how we accommodate ourselves, and how we adapt decide what we are. Destiny is a river and our decisions and choices change its direction, even the smallest one matter."
Alec was quiet was a second and then slowly nodded, "so, what you are saying is, everything is a Butterfly Effect. And it's my choices that decide whether I'm going to be a décor in a haunted house or a pearl cover web ornamenting a meadow."
"Yeah," Magnus replied, and after a few moments added, "well that was deep."
And they burst out laughing.
With the coffee mugs empty and the painting halfway complete, a lot of stories were shared and he realised. alexander understood him better than anyone ever had.
Not Raphael, not Ragnar, not Tessa. Not even Catarina.
And Magnus found himself wanting, with such a resilient urge, that alec too felt the same way.
A couple of hours went by and the painting was still incomplete.
Magnus was a perfectionist.
It wasn't his fault. Sue him.
Magnus did not show the painting and alec didn't ask him to.
However. Alec did ask something else when Magnus was packing his bag to leave.
"Would you like to go out with me?" Alec asked.
And Magnus' head jerked towards alec.
He straightened up and grinned. "Yes," he breathed out.
Alec blushed a little but kept smiling. "Friday?"
"Sounds like a date, Mr. lightwood!" and he left.
-
The Canvas sat, leaning against his almirah, in his bedroom.
Magnus had wanted to keep it to himself for a while.
It had an ombre background. A muted blue.
He'd drawn a boy.
the black-haired, blue-eyed boy was laughing.
His head was thrown back. His neck was exposed. His face looked young and carefree in a way that surprised Magnus.
He couldn't believe he was able to capture that in his painting.
His eyes were closed. His hair was a soft messy cluster.
His nose sharp. His lips curled upwards. Devoid of frowns but teeming with smile lines.
His skin was haphazardly coloured in various vibrant tints.
Colours Magnus had smeared on him.
Purple. Blue. Green. Yellow. Orange. Red.
Magnus was satisfied.
He was incredibly proud of it.
-
He was in desperate need of coffee. He'd pulled off an all-nighter yesterday, completing his assignment which the professor hadn't bothered to let them know earlier.
So he stayed up all night, trying to finish the 3000 words article while his mind kept wandering off to a certain Blue-Eyed somebody with a particular song repeating itself in his mental stereo.
He'd submitted the painting of Alexander, the day before yesterday and had received 95% in that assignment. Magnus was incredibly proud of how it had turned out.
Right now, he was the last person Magnus imagined to see, in his Dark-Web hacker outfit. He was wearing loose grey sweatpants and a dark grey hoodie. His eyes were red-rimmed, his hair unkempt and he didn't have any makeup on.
He didn't want Alec to see him like this, not before they had gone on a proper date at least.
You'd be like heavenly to touch
And the song seemed to have resurfaced in his mind.
I wanna hold you so much
But then there was the sight of Alec, sitting on the window seat, his head turned toward the street, sunglasses on and earphones plugged in. He was sipping coffee from a mug.
At long last love has arrived, I thank god that I'm alive.
'cuase you're just too good to be true
The sunrays falling on his hair turned the tips golden, he looked ethereal. Magnus's hands itched to paint him.
Can't take my eyes off of you
Magnus knocked on the glass and waved at him through the glass window, from the street. But Alec ignored him.
*
Magnus's heart threatened to shatter.
Maybe it was one-way glass, he tried to reason with his heart. Maybe Alec had closed his eyes behind his Ray-Ban.
He walked through the door and entered the café.
He ordered himself a black coffee and sauntered away to stand in front of Alec.
"May I sit here?"
Alec's head turned sharply towards him, "Magnus," he breathed out. "Good morning."
"Morning. So, may I?"
"Oh, yes, sure. Please take a seat,"
Magnus looked out of the window, he could clearly see a girl trying to steal a wallet from a man's pocket. It wasn't a one-way glass.
His heart sank.
"Alec, are you ignoring me?"
"What?", Alec frowned and removed his glasses.
"You can tell me if I am bothering you. I'll leave."
"What are you on about? You aren't bothering me, I like spending time with you."
"Then why didn't you respond to me when I waved at you from outside?"
"Magnus..." Alec sounded defeated.
"What? Tell me?"
Alec dropped his head. There was a silence that felt too long.
Magnus refused to break it.
"Magnus, I'm blind."
"Oh,"
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. But you are the first person who saw me for me and didn't define me by only my illness."
"No, Alexander. Don't apologise. I am sorry I overreacted."
"You aren't mad at me?"
"For you being blind? Of course not. That would be ridiculous. I'm sorry."
"It's all right, thanks for not flipping out, though,"
"Do people really flip out when you tell them you're blind? Now that's what's ridiculous." Magnus laid his hand on top of Alec's, where it rested on the table.
Alec blushed at that.
"Can you, like, distinguish between dark and light and stuff?"
"Yes, actually. I can see blobs of colours here and there. Like, I can tell you are wearing dark clothes but on Tuesday you had something bright on. Something yellow or orange, I think?"
"Yes! I was wearing a honey golden coloured shirt."
"But I don't always get the colours right," Alec whispered with his head bowed.
"Oh, that's fine, darling. I'm here with you, I can help you see. I've been told I see even the most minute details in everything. It's borderline annoying", Magnus chuckled.
"Thanks,"
"I'll be your eyes and you can be my inspiration. How does that sound, Mr Lightwood?", Magnus smiled.
"It's a deal, Mr Bane." Alec grinned back.
"Now tell me, Alexander, what are you doing here so early?"
Their pre-date Date had gone spectacularly. Magnus was smitten.
*
A few months passed by and Magnus became a frequent guest at Alec's. Going on dates on Tuesdays and Fridays and then spending the weekends together at Alec's apartment.
They were accustomed to the others' presence now.
Life had fallen into a comfortable pattern.
Later that month, on a Saturday night, after a long day spent outside their home, they fell onto the bed.
Eyes on the ceiling, legs dangling off the edge.
But with a matching blush on their faces.
Alec scrambled and kneeled on the bed.
He turned the lamps off.
A gush of cold wind blew through the open window, sending ripples down the white curtains.
Magnus was kneeling too now, facing Alec.
Moonlight poured in, illuminating the room in incandescent light.
Magnus was in love.
Yes.
He had fallen in love and he could not stop smiling.
Alec brought his hands and cradled Magnus's face.
He had closed his eyes.
His thumb brushed his left cheek.
His right hand wandered to his eyes. Magnus' eyelids fluttered shut. His lips parted. A small gasp left his mouth.
Alec licked his own lips.
"Beautiful," Alec whispered, "Do you have any clue how beautiful you are to me?"
He was so close.
Magnus bit his lower lip in an attempt to calm himself.
And in anticipation.
"I don't think I could ever explain it to you with words,"
His breath ghosted Magnus's face.
Magnus was hyper-sensitive then. Every touch felt like little sparks in his veins.
Alec was mapping, touching, memorising his face.
He brought his right hand lower, closer to his lips.
The other hand gently held his neck.
Alec pried his lips free from his teeth.
He brushed his fingers on his lips. Ever so slightly. Gliding across it.
Knowing the shape of it.
Remembering the feel of it.
Magnus felt a shiver run down his back.
He ran his tongue across his lips, licking Alec's fingers.
And Alec gasped.
Magnus had never been more transfixed.
He buried his face in Magnus's neck. His thumb kept skimming over the spot just below his ears.
Alec breathed in.
He dragged his lips to Magnus's ear and whispered.
His voice was husky with want, "So, let me show it to you."
And he did.
*
Three years of dating had resulted in Alec organising a little game of Treasure hunt for Magnus with the help of Cat, Iz, and Simon.
The final clue had led Magnus to the Coffee Pot in Alec's living room.
To say that Magnus had almost died from his excitement, surprise and joy, would've been an accurate description.
The melody of I love you, Baby by Emilee had filled the room in which Alec had gone down on one knee.
A ring in his hand.
The leaves of the plants had shined in the afternoon sunlight.
The little pearls in Alec's hair in the painting had glistened.
Alec had smiled.
And Magnus had said yes.