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The thing about Magnus and clothes is that…he looks good in everything.
He really does.
Maybe it’s an occupational hazard or maybe he is just god’s favourite, but Alec has never seen Magnus look anything less than exquisite in any outfit.
The man would probably look gorgeous in a hospital gown, not that Alec is excited to see that.
But yeah. His boyfriend is utterly breathtaking in anything he wears, whether it’s couture (Alec knows what means now, thanks very much) or whether it’s just a cosy hoodie. It always makes him smile fondly when Magnus wears something new, either for a client or when they are out shopping, and asks Alec ‘Does this look good?’. Because what the fuck else is Alec supposed to say other than ‘Of course, baby, you look fucking exquisite’.
So, no. Alec’s never complained about Magnus’ clothes before.
But.
But something is off. He can feel it. He can see it even.
Alec is sitting at his office in the Lightwood Manor, one hand reading a report and the other held out for Max to draw tattoos on when Magnus walks in to pick up their son.
He’s wearing one of Alec’s shirts and while he does look fucking exquisite, Alec can’t help but notice that Magnus has been wearing a lot of Alec’s clothes lately.
Alec is used to seeing Magnus in his clothes – particularly his Princeton hoodie. But this is definitely a little unusual.
As he stares at the oversized plain grey t-shirt with more than half a dozen unfashionable holes in it, he can’t help but feel like it’s unusual.
He wonders if Magnus is experimenting with a new kind of fashion or seeking out inspiration. His boyfriend’s mind works in weird ways and Alec tries not to question his methods.
Magnus, all to his own credit, is becoming a bigger name in the fashion industry. He is slowly becoming the face of multiple brands and is now constantly invited to every goddamn fashion show on the planet.
He’s just returned from Milan Fashion Week and told Alec all about it. Alec who had no idea whether Magnus was referring to a person or a brand, simply nodded through all of it.
There's been a lot of travelling lately. Magnus went to the big fashion shows in New York and London just a couple of weeks ago and he is getting ready to attend the one in Paris the week after.
It makes Alec wonder if maybe this isn’t some kind of fashion experiment. Maybe Magnus, who has been working more than ever and has been consequentially travelling a lot, just misses Alec.
Maybe that’s why he is wearing a lot of Alec’s clothes.
But Alec likes to think that he is fluent in all things Magnus.
His boyfriend, when he misses Alec, usually gets clingy and touchy. Magnus hasn’t been any more touchy or clingy than usual. So, it must be something else.
Of course, Alec can simply ask Magnus what’s going on. But in his experience, asking Magnus to open up (in nonsexual contexts) either leads to him further retreating from the truth or straight up lying to Alec’s face. Alec is a fan of neither, so he tries to give Magnus the space and time to come to him and tell him if something is wrong.
But the thing is, Alec is running out of patience. Politicians are known for taking action after all, not sitting on their asses and doing fuck all.
“Blueberry, it’s time for your bath,” Magnus informs and picks up their toddler. “That’s enough vandalism for one day.”
Alec looks at the unfathomable shape Max seems to have drawn on his arm and shrugs. “I like it.”
“You’ll like it a lot less when I have to use a loofah to scrub it off you,” Magnus rolls his eyes, wrinkling his nose. “Is that a permanent sharpie?”
Alec shrugs again and looks at his boyfriend. “Hey, I finished my budget thing earlier than I thought. So, it looks like I won’t be working through the weekend. You wanna go out for lunch tomorrow?”
It’s not a question. It’s a test.
Alec already knows Magnus is going to fail it by coming up with some kind of excuse.
“Oh,” Magnus says. “I thought I could teach Max how to swim. I’ve been meaning to do that forever.”
“Baby, if you need help, we can hire someone-”
“Alexander, do you honestly think we need more staff at this place?” Magnus chuckles.
That's not the point, even if it might be true. There were more staff in this house than residents and while Alec is very much used to that, Magnus is still not.
“So, that’s a no to lunch? I thought we could go shopping after,” Alec suggests casually.
“Toy for Max?” Max asks hopefully.
“Sure, buddy,” Alec smiles and looks up at Magnus. “Baby?”
Magnus is poking a finger through one of the many holes of the t-shirt is wearing – Alec’s t-shirt – and looking uncertain. “It’s the weekend. The Paparazzi might be busier than usual.”
That’s another new thing, Alec supposed.
With newfound fame comes lots of attention.
While Alec was used to attention, this was new to him too.
After all, politicians weren’t exactly celebrities.
Besides, what Magnus experienced wasn’t attention, it was obsession.
People literally sent him love letters, wore his face on their clothes and had posters on their walls.
Alec’s team at the office seems to think this is a good thing for Alec since Alec was directly and indirectly benefiting from Magnus’ growing popularity.
But Alec was more interested in knowing whether Magnus thinks this is a good thing or not.
“Okay,” Alec shrugs again. “We can stay in. I’ll cook.”
Magnus smiles.
And nothing else matters, to be honest.
When Alec returns to the bedroom much later that night, after chatting with his mother over the phone and checking on a dozing Max, he finds Magnus sitting on the bed and tapping on his phone – the one with the touch screen. Alec hates the fucking thing with a passion and hopes they’ll go out of fashion soon enough.
But what catches his eye is that Magnus is wearing his clothes again – this time to bed too. He’s wearing yet another oversized sweater and sweatpants – both of which belong to Alec.
He looks beautiful though.
Alec is not complaining. He is just concerned.
“Did you take your medicine?” Alec asks as he climbs into bed and presses a kiss to the other man’s cheek.
It could be just that.
Magnus is going through another episode. So, it could be just that.
But Alec doesn't ask.
Because the last time Magnus acted unusual (he started slipping into Indonesian more often), Alec had asked if it was because he was going through an episode and Magus had yelled at him for ‘reducing people to their mental illness’.
So, yeah. He probably shouldn’t do it again. Even though Alec could be right – just like he was last time. Because Magnus was indeed apparently speaking in Indonesian to himself because he missed his mother and it sometimes happened more than other times when he was going through an episode. Alec didn't say 'I told you so' though. He simply held his boyfriend and asked him to teach Indonesian.
“Hm? Yes, I just took it,” Magnus nods now and puts his phone away, blinking at Alec a little sleepily. “We can go out tomorrow if you want.”
Alec chuckles at that. Magnus is the one who likes going out. Not him. “Nah. I’m good. Are you?”
“Yes,” Magnus nods as he gets settled underneath the heavy blanket. “Goodnight, Alexander.”
Alec drops a kiss on his head and turns off the bedside lamp.
It goes on like this for a while. Definitely longer than Alec anticipated.
Alec realizes he was wrong, and it wasn’t the episode. Magnus told him the episode was over – whatever that means – a week ago and he even went to the Paris Fashion Week just as planned, and still. He still continues to wear Alec’s clothes whenever he is at home.
He doesn’t wear them outside though. Of course not. Magnus is contractually obligated to wear only the brands he represents when he is in public. It’s fucking insane, if you ask him. Paying someone to police what they wear. But it’s one of the most profitable industries in the world, so what does Alec know?
His theories and investigations are futile. But he gets some kind of closure thanks to his little detective.
Children really don’t miss anything, do they?
The three of them are having a picnic outside in the estate of the manor, Alec on a phone call with his team to set up a meeting with the useless fucking Governor of his state, when his boyfriend and their son run around chasing a butterfly.
Alec watches them fondly as he tries not to lose his shit, listening to his team inform him that the Governor is still busy.
Of course, the fucker is busy. He knows Alec only wants to meet him to call out the discrepancies between the boroughs in his annual state budget.
“Look, Max, look, it landed on my head,” Magnus laughs breathily, pointing at the butterfly now sitting on his head.
God, he is a sight for sore eyes. Even if he is wearing an old t-shirt of Alec which is now riding up his waist and exposing his gorgeous stomach.
Alec seriously considers hanging up on his colleagues so he can take a picture with his phone.
“Bapa,” Max, who is perched at Magnus’ waist, says and grabs Magnus’ stomach. “Squishy.”
Magnus, who was grinning at the butterfly, almost drops their son at that.
And oh.
It doesn’t take Alec long after that to narrow down the problem.
And it seems he was right. He usually is.
“Did someone say something?” Alec asks later that night.
“About?” Magnus prompts, lathering up his arms with his lotion.
“You’ve put on,” Alec points out.
Magnus’ movements pause at that. Just for a millisecond. But Alec clocks it anyway. “Have I? I didn’t even notice.”
“Baby,” Alec shakes his head.
They’ve talked about this.
Hiding. Running. Deflecting. Pretending. Lying.
They've asked about this. A thousand times. Alec knows they’ll have to do it a thousand times more in the future too.
He doesn’t mind. Some things are worth fighting for.
“You know my body acts weird when I am on medication, Alexander,” Magnus replies. “Remember how I couldn’t sleep at all when I changed my dosage last time? The darn thing really messed up my circadian rhythm.”
He sounds too casual. Not the way he usually sounds when he refers to his mental health - a little vulnerable and unnecessarily ashamed. So, Alec immediately knows he is acting. He is good though. He’s becoming a very good actor. Probably a side effect of all the media training from all the new clients.
“The meds are making you put on weight?” Alec clarifies anyway.
“I switched to Lexapro, darling. I told you that,” Magnus smiles.
“Yeah. Yeah,” Alec nods.
He was there when Magnus went to meet his psychiatrist. They had to make some changes in his medication and dosage considering all the big changes in Magnus’ lifestyle and the pressure that came with it – including the endless travelling and press tours and socializing.
Alec was there when the psychiatrist read out the possible side effects of the new medication combination. He even took a copy of it home. Fuck.
Fuck. How did he not remember? Why did he let it slip? Where was that fucking list? What else is wrong?
“Is your name Lexapro?”
Alec blinks. “What?”
“Is your name Lexapro?” Magnus asks again.
“Um,” Alec says. “No?”
“Then why do you look guilty?” Magnus cocks his head. “Despite the things I might say during the throes of passion, my love, you don’t own my body. So, please don’t blame yourself for this.”
Alec rolls his eyes and decides to get to the point. That’s enough foreplay, honestly. “Baby, why are you wearing my clothes?”
Magnus chews on his lip nervously as if he had been expecting to have this conversation. “I…I don’t know. My therapist thinks-”
“I didn’t ask what your therapist thinks, Magnus, I asked what you think,” Alec reminds him. “I thought it was because maybe you miss me because of all the travelling.”
“I do miss you,” Magnus says, his entire face so genuine that Alec can’t help but lean forward and kiss it. “Perhaps it’s a combination of things.”
“Such as?” Alec prompts.
“All these fashion shows…Alexander, I have never seen so many models in one place in my entire life,” Magnus tells him in a soft whisper. “They are all so beautiful. Just absolutely mesmerizingly beautiful.”
Alec doesn’t feel jealous. Not when he is dating one of said absolutely mesmerizing people. He just feels really fucking smug.
“Yes, baby, you people get paid like crazy for a reason,” Alec chuckles.
“I get paid for how I look,” Magnus translates quietly and then touches his stomach. He looks at Alec and chews on his lip again. “You will not believe the number of models I spoke to in Milan who casually mentioned that they are putting off starting a family because they can’t afford to get pregnant because it might cost them their career.”
Alec isn’t the least bit surprised. But he manages a sympathetic nod anyway.
“I selfishly thought ‘oh well, I don’t have to worry about that’,” Magnus chuckles. “But now look at me.”
“I am looking at you,” Alec replies. “And I don’t see a problem.”
He really doesn't.
It's not that he didn't notice that Magnus's skin was softer in some places than others. He did notice that Magnus was putting on a little. But he didn't think it was something to have a conversation about. People's bodies change all the time. So what?
Nobody looks the same forever. He wishes Magnus would understand that. But maybe it's hard for Magnus to do so considering what he did for a living. The same way it was hard for Alec to understand why the Governor won't take a meeting with him or stop being a racist cunt.
Magnus sighs as he picks up his phone again and taps on it. Then he passes it to Alec.
“Magnus, you know I don’t trust phones with no buttons on them,” Alec groans.
“Just look,” Magnus chuckles tiredly.
Alec takes the device reluctantly and peers at the screen. “Facebook?”
“This is Twitter,” Magnus informs. “My agent says I need to have a profile on all the platforms.”
“All? How many are there?” Alec makes a face and then smiles. “You look gorgeous.”
He does.
It’s a photoshoot for one of the sports brands he represents so he is wearing stylishly ratty jeans and a varsity jacket with nothing underneath.
Alec remembers this particular photoshoot.
He remembers calling his mother and asking if she saved his old varsity jacket from high school – she did! – and he remembers showing it to Magnus later that night.
He remembers Magnus wearing it. He remembers it fitting Magnus perfectly even though Alec wore it more than 10 years ago.
He remembers fucking Magnus when he was wearing that, and only that.
God, he’d been so exquisite.
Laid out in bed like that, wearing Alec’s jacket, and smiling at him softly.
He knows some people get tired of this kind of thing. People who marry a pretty face and then get tired. He tries not to think of his own father.
But Alec can’t see himself ever getting tired of this face. Of this man.
“I’m glad you think so because some people disagree,” Magnus shrugs now.
“What do you mean?” Alec frowns.
Magnus taps on the screen again. “See?”
Alec sees.
“Baby, that’s just a couple of assholes,” Alec points at the comments or replies or whatever they are called on this hell site.
“They are not assholes,” Magnus rolls his eyes. “They haven’t said anything mean, have they? They’ve simply noted what’s visible.”
“Magnus, you are smarter than that,” Alec scoffs. “You know these people are being assholes. Why would you publicly criticise someone’s body in their photo?”
“Because it’s my job to look good. So, I suppose it’s fair that they call me out when I’ve gotten a pudgy stomach. Just like your constituents will call you out if you aren’t being just and fair.”
Alec takes a moment to answer that. He wishes he could’ve come with better than ‘Well, that’s fucked up.”
Magnus chuckles at that. “My agent says I should brace myself for worse.”
Alec does not like the sound of that.
“I’m sorry, Magnus,” Alec tells him gently because he really is.
“Does it bother you that I am wearing your clothes?” Magnus asks him worriedly.
“God, no,” Alec chuckles. “I was just concerned.”
“They’re big,” Magnus explains, clutching his stomach through the t-shirt. “I feel a little less self-conscious when I am wearing them.”
“Oh,” Alec replies and manages a smile. “I’m glad it helps, baby.”
Magnus smiles softly at that and rests his head on Alec’s shoulder. “It never ceases to amaze me how every part of you manages to make me feel safe.”
Alec’s heart seizes at that. He turns his head to drop a kiss on Magnus’ head. “I love you.”
“Even if I got a pudgy stomach?” Magnus asks.
“I think the word you’re looking for is squishy,” Alec corrects. “I like squishy.”
Magnus lifts his head and looks up at him. “I don’t want this to be a thing, Alexander. Max is watching us all the time. I don’t want him to pick up on these things.”
“It doesn’t have to be a thing,” Alec replies. “Magnus, this is your home. You can wear whatever the fuck you want. You can look however the fuck you want. Okay?”
“Okay,” Magnus sighs and then pinches his arm. “I did mean it when I said Max is watching us. Stop swearing.”
“He’s not here!” Alec argues.
“Yes, but you need to practice,” Magnus argues back.
“No, what I need to do is create an account on this Twitter thing,” Alec informs with a huff. “I’m going to bully all these assholes back.”
“Alexander!” Magnus laughs.
“I’ll use a fake account, baby, it’s fine,” Alec shrugs.
“The internet is full of assholes, you know,” Magnus hums. “I’m afraid your crusade will be a never-ending one. You might get addicted.”
“You know I hate social media,” Alec rolls his eyes. “I’ll just bully them and then delete it.”
“How about you forget about these bullies and focus on me?” Magnus asks.
“Oh?” Alec says. “And how might I do that?”
“Well, you can start by saying nice things about me,” Magnus hums and peels off the t-shirt. “While I’m naked.”
“Well, you’re in luck,” Alec grins as he pushes his boyfriend into bed and covers his body with his own. “That just happens to be one of my favourite things to do,”
The grin on Magnus’ face as he pulls Alec in for a kiss melts him from the inside out.
God, Alec loves him.
Alec loves him and wants to marry him and live with him forever and die with him together.
Alec wants all of that and so much more.
When they lie in each other’s arms later, kissing softly and still coming down from the high, Alec’s arm sneaks back into Magnus’ stomach, wrapping around it.
Carefully. Lovingly. Protectively.
He runs his fingers over the man’s stomach, as Magnus moans softly at the bruises and bites Alec left on the soft flesh there, when he pressed endless kisses and sucked on the skin like his life depended on it.
It’s beautiful. Just like every other part of Magnus.
Alec is not surprised that most people don’t see it that way, but he is disappointed.
He knows Magnus’ popularity will only soar more in the future. He knows his Magnus has a great future ahead of him. He knows people will soon worship him the same way Alec does. He knows with all that worshipping, others will also start to resent him.
But it doesn’t matter.
Because no matter what other people say or feel about Magnus, Alec will always be here.
To love him. To appreciate him. To make him feel safe.
“Alexander?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“People have been saying mean things about my ass too.”
Alec grins into the man’s neck, where his face is safely buried, and whispers into his ear. “Turn around."