Work Text:
Alec huffed a frustrated breath when he realized that he had just skimmed over the last few pages of the book he was reading without taking in any new information. He flipped back through some of the text until he found a part he remembered.
He would be forever grateful to Magnus for setting up a double date between them and Simon and Maia, if only for the fact that it led to he and Maia bonding over literature. He had opened a conversation about books with the werewolf when her copy of “Jane Eyre” fell out of her purse as they left The Hunter’s Moon, and she let him borrow it when he showed interest. He was through it within a week — he probably would have finished it earlier if his schedule wasn’t so full of shadowhunter duties, as a matter of fact.
Now, he was halfway through a copy of “1984,” which Maia recommended, written by someone named George Orwell.
‘Well, his name isn’t actually George Orwell,’ he remembered. Alec would never understand why some mundanes felt so threatened by things in their world that they had to resort to making up dumb aliases.
He actually really liked the story. He was just distracted on this particular day. A small velvet box weighed heavily in his jacket pocket. Alec didn’t know why he had taken it out of its hiding place that day, honestly, but he knew Magnus would be busy with clients most of the day.
Every once in a while, he would take the box out of his pocket and stare at the ring nestled inside.
Nine days. Nine days until their two-year anniversary. Nine days until he would finally muster up the courage and propose to the love of his life.
Alec had everything figured out. He made reservations for a table at an exclusive restaurant in Manhattan nearly two months ago. Then, on their walk back to the apartment, he would get down on one knee while they crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. It would be simple, but elegant — everything a man like Magnus Bane deserved.
Just the thought of getting married to Magnus was enough to make Alec smile. He sighed happily, then looked down at his book again.
'Damn it.' He had skipped past another two pages without paying attention.
He was thumbing back through the pages yet again when he heard the front door open and saw his boyfriend stride into the apartment.
Now, obviously Alec always thought Magnus looked gorgeous, but at that moment even he had to admit the warlock looked a bit worse for wear. His hair was ruffled, with some strands falling over his forehead. Dark circles were visible under his eyes even through his flawless makeup. Magnus appeared to carry an invisible weight on his shoulders as he made his way into the living room.
“Long day?” Alec asked.
“You could say that,” Magnus sighed. He flopped onto the couch, lifting his legs into Alec’s lap, and Alec threw his book carelessly to the side so he could rub circles into Magnus’ calves. Magnus hummed in appreciation.
“I take it that the deal with the traveling werewolf pack didn’t go as well as you'd expected?”
“Oh, Alexander, that was the least of my troubles today,” and Magnus continued to tell him about the trials he had endured over the last few hours. Alec’s jaw twitched in irritation as he heard about the groups of downworlders who took advantage of Magnus’ power and displayed little to no appreciation for him.
This wasn’t a new feeling for Alec. In fact, Magnus refused to let him come to his meetings with clients anymore after an unfortunate incident wherein Alec gave a verbal lashing to an especially pretentious seelie. Alec refused to apologize for his actions. The guy was a douche, and Magnus wasn’t actually all that upset with how Alec reacted, but said it would probably be best for his business (and Alec’s sanity) if he didn’t have to witness his boyfriend deal with so many ungrateful pricks every day.
Alec didn’t mind. He knew Magnus could handle himself. He was just happy to be the one to help him unwind after days like these.
As Alec listened to Magnus talk, he was hit with an overwhelming wave of affection. How lucky was he? This man had been called arrogant, hedonistic, and a lothario by those who never took the time to know him, but Alec didn’t know anyone who was more selfless or giving. And Magnus wanted to be with him, of all people. Alec didn’t really understand why, but he knew he would do everything in his power to keep Magnus in his life for as long as possible.
“Anyway, I’m done ranting. How was your day, darling?” Magnus asked.
“Marry me.”
‘Wait, what?’
Alec and Magnus froze. Alec braced himself as he waited for the fear and humiliation to hit him like a brick wall. But it never came. Instead, a feeling of calm washed over him, and he relaxed into the couch cushions.
He remembered the moment when he and Magnus first said “I love you” to one another, as they were saying goodbye before Alec left for a mission. It had just slipped out of him, easily, like it was no big deal, and Magnus responded the same way. They both knew they were in love long before they actually said the words out loud, so it didn’t need to happen with some big production.
This was the same thing, Alec realized. He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Magnus, and he knew Magnus wanted the same thing. Why go through all the trouble of making an event out of something they both knew already? This felt right.
After his revelation, Alec looked up to see that Magnus was still looking at him as though he didn’t believe Alec had realized what he just said. A flustered laugh escaped Magnus’ lips. “Alexander, I’m sure I must be quite the vision right now — ”
“You always are,” Alec cut in.
Magnus spared him a fond glance before continuing. “But that is no reason to propose to me on a whim.”
Alec just smiled. “It’s not a whim,” and he took the ring box out of his pocket.
Magnus stared at the box in astonishment. After a few seconds, he cleared his throat and whispered, “You… you planned this?”
“Well, I didn’t plan for this to happen right now exactly,” Alec said, suddenly bashful. He blushed and lifted his free hand to rub the back of his neck. “I was going to take you to that Colombian place you said you wanted to visit and ask you on our walk home. But I just…” Alec struggled to find the right words. He was always terrible at expressing his true feelings. “I just felt like I had to do it now. I couldn’t wait.”
Magnus was still staring at him, an unreadable expression on his face that made Alec even more nervous. He tried to swallow down the growing lump in his throat and went on. “I guess this was pretty underwhelming, huh?” He laughed weakly, looking down at the box. “I could do it in a better, more dramatic way if you’d like? I could get Izzy and Jace involved and we could film it or — ”
Alec’s ramblings were cut off by a finger pressing into his lips. Alec looked up to see that Magnus had sat up so he was closer to him. He was gazing at Alec with unspeakable warmth in his eyes. Magnus took a second to look at the ring box once again, as if to make sure it was really still there, then he looked back at Alec.
“You really want to marry me?” He asked, disbelief coloring his tone.
“Yeah. Are you really that shocked?”
“No one has… no one’s really asked me before,” Magnus answered, his voice breaking slightly.
Alec hated the rest of the world a little bit more in that moment, but he smiled and took one of Magnus’ hands in his own. “Never underestimate the stupidity of others, Magnus.”
Magnus chucked. “I suppose you’re rather glad for it right now.”
A slow smile spread wider and wider across Alec’s face as he registered Magnus’ words. “Is that a yes?”
Magnus returned the smile, and instead of answering him, he just kissed Alec gently. Their lips lingered against one another afterward, breathing each other’s air. Magnus rested his forehead against Alec’s. Without looking, he grabbed the ring box from his hands.
He opened the box and leaned back from Alec to stare at the silver band inside. Magnus released a heavy breath, and then he plucked the ring from its cushion and slipped it onto his ring finger, which had been empty of any other jewelry before then.
Alec was surprised to see how normal the ring looked on Magnus’ hand. It didn’t look out of place, or like it was a new addition to his outfit. It looked like it had always been there, or at least like it was supposed to be there all along.
It looked like it completed him.
Alec was broken out of his reverie when Magnus gripped his face and pulled him forward to kiss him firmly. He wrapped his arms around Magnus’ waist to hold him tighter, a bright light filling his chest when he felt the cold steel of the ring brush his neck.
“Of course it’s a yes, Alexander,” Magnus said when they separated, smiling against Alec’s lips. “Are you really that shocked?”