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“Don’t let her eat or drink anything past nine - she gets really hyper if you do, her bedtime is ten for tonight -” Clary starts telling Magnus and Alec as she shrugs on her coat. Jace stands at the door, tapping his foot in a vain attempt to hurry his wife along. They are going out for the first time in a long time - or at least going out in a more romantic sense than the usual night of slaying demons to protect the lives of mundanes - and Alec and Magnus are here to look after their only child, Céline.
A small yet persistent voice from beside Alec shouts, “Half-ten!” Clary rolls her eyes and walks over to crouch down in front of her ten-year-old daughter. She looks a lot like her mother, with red curls and beautiful green eyes. She is, of course, slowly inheriting her father’s attitude, including his crave for conflict.
“Honey, don’t cause any trouble. Daddy and I are going out and Alec and Magnus were nice enough to look after you tonight. Be good and have fun, okay?”
The child’s eyes wander from her mother over to where Alec and Magnus stand, hand-in-hand, and a slight pout appears on her face before something mischievous glints in her eyes.
“Okay, Mommy! Have fun with Daddy!” Clary lets out a relieved sigh, standing and turning towards the couple who have yet to find out what they've signed up for. Alec already feels a little nervous, even though he and Magnus have looked after her before. She was a little younger the last time, though. Less independent-minded.
“Bedtime is ten, if she starts getting hyper, distract her with TV or drawing or something, call us if anything -”
“Biscuit,” Magnus interrupts with a smile, placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “This isn’t our first time babysitting her. I think we’re okay. Now go have fun at dinner with Jace, you both deserve it.”
Clary smiles back hesitantly. “Alright, I’ll go. But uh, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
And with that, she’s out the door, Jace following with an exasperated ‘thank you’. As soon as they leave, Magnus leans closer to Alec, rising on his toes to whisper in his ear. “Think of this as practice?”
Alec smiles brightly, thinking of how they have been talking more and more seriously about adopting lately. “I -”
“I’m hungry,” a voice from behind them says. Céline is standing with her arms crossed glaring up at them. Or, more accurately, glaring at Alec. She releases him from her stare when she skips forward and takes one of Magnus’ hand’s in her own and pulls him over towards the kitchen. Magnus lurches forward, looking back at Alec with an amused look and Alec follows after a moment, just as amused. He enjoys looking after kids and maybe this really could count as practice for the (hopefully near) future.
“Alright, darling, what would you like?” Magnus asks as the ten-year-old Shadowhunter stops them and sits down at the kitchen table, her grip on Magnus’ hand never loosening. She smiles at him sweetly.
“A grilled cheese sandwich, please! But Alec can make it, I want you to stay here with me!”
Alec looks at Magnus with a raised brow, but Magnus just chuckles and shrugs. “You heard the lady.”
Alec rolls his eyes but obliges with a fond smile, used to his niece liking a lot of attention from anyone she can get it from.
“Can you show me some magic, Magnus? I love your magic!”
Magnus smiles proudly, wiggling his fingers at Céline playfully. She giggles joyfully when little sparks come out of the tips of his fingers and land on her lap. Alec smiles at the both of them as Magnus continues doing little tricks, conjuring small things out of thin air and turning them into other things every so often. He's in his element when he does any sort of magic, and Alec is left breathless each and every time he sees this blissful look on his husband's face.
When he finishes cooking, he walks over with Céline's sandwich and unconsciously places a hand on the top of her head fondly. She looks up at him with the same death glare as before. Not very scary coming from a ten-year-old, but Alec brings his hand back, slightly worried she would bite it if he didn’t. He hears Magnus giggle softly and in turn, gives him a death glare. It’s much scarier coming from a 6’2 Shadowhunter.
So she eats her sandwich, smiling at everything Magnus says, complementing his glittery makeup and stylish clothes and asking him all sorts of questions about all of the places he has been. Alec stands off to the side, leaning against the counter and chuckling softly every so often when Magnus tells her something about his past but leaves out certain details unsuitable for a ten-year-old’s ears that Alec knows well.
When she finishes eating, she jumps up excitedly.
“Do you want to see what I drew earlier today for you?" she asks. "It's in my room, come on!”
“Why don't you go get it? I'll just wait right here with Alexander,” he says with a kind smile. She looks between them with a frown, glaring a particularly long time at Alec.
“Fine. I'll be right back.” And with that, she runs off.
“That girl is adorable,” Magnus says affectionately.
“Just the cutest,” Alec replies, a hint of irritation clear in his tone. Magnus chuckles softly as he stands from his chair and walks over so that he is in front of Alec.
“Jealous of the attention?”
Alec rolls his eyes. “More like confused. Why is she acting so -”
“I'm back!” Céline says, running and stopping between the couple, her back to Alec as she smiles up at Magnus. She holds out a piece of paper that he takes, smiling back kindly.
“It's you doing magic and me with my new seraph blade killing demons together! Do you like it?”
Magnus’ smile widens as he looks at the drawing and he leans over to kiss her on the top of her head. She looks like she is about to pass out on the spot and suddenly Alec understands. Someone has a crush. He smiles to himself because that’s actually pretty adorable.
“Thank you, darling! Alec, look, isn't it precious?”
Céline frowns when Alec leans over to take a look and says, “I think she made you look more powerful than you are. She would definitely take down way more demons than you,” with a smirk.
Magnus sticks his tongue out in a very professional, High Warlock of Brooklyn way, but his content smile afterwards takes away any venom.
“I'm bored now,” Céline says suddenly, reaching up and tugging at Magnus’ sleeve. Magnus looks a little caught off guard but he goes along with her. And, again, Alec follows, starting to get a little impatient.
She brings them over to the couch in the living room and sits on one side, patting the spot beside her for Magnus to sit. Alec sits on his other side and patiently waits for ten o’clock to roll around as Céline talks and talks to Magnus about how she is learning all about the Shadow World and fighting techniques at the Institute and how since her dad was the best fighter of his age she’ll be the best of hers. Yep , Alec thinks fondly, this is Jace’s kid alright.
It isn’t quite ten yet when Alec needs to go to the bathroom. He leans over to quickly kiss Magnus, a standard ‘I’m going to leave the room for a minute, be right back’ kiss, and he gets very close when Céline let’s out a shout.
“Magnus!” Magnus turns his head quickly to look at her in alarm, causing Alec to whack his nose against the back of his head.
“What is it, darling?” Magnus asks. Céline composes herself quickly, letting out a relieved sigh.
“Oh," she laughs. "I thought I saw a spider in your hair but I think it must have been a shadow or something.”
Magnus quirks an eyebrow, reaching a hand up to gently run through his hair before laughing uneasily. Alec doesn't think much of the little situation, so he leaves to go to the bathroom without another word.
“I’m going to go get my sketch pad, be right back!” Céline says to Magnus as Alec walks into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He does not lock the door, however, because he knows that this door does not have a lock. Which is why he finds it odd that, when he goes to open the door in order to leave the bathroom once he finishes up, the door is locked from the other side.
Good thing he has his stele with him, though. He just uses an opening rune, leaves the bathroom, and walks back to the living room, fairly confused. When he enters and Céline catches sight of him, she looks surprised and then annoyed, like Alec is some sort of pesky fly that won’t leave her alone. And then it clicks in Alec’s head. So this is how she's going to play.
“Sorry I was gone for a while, the bathroom door was somehow locked from the other side. Good thing I had my stele, though,” he says, maintaining eye contact with Celine the whole time.
“Oh,” the young Shadowhunter, who definitely has her own stele and the ability to use it, says innocently. “Sometimes the door gets stuck.”
Alec nods absently. But this isn’t over. He’ll just have to have a word with Clary and Jace later.
“Alright, Céline, I think it’s time to go to bed,” Alec says sternly, looking to see that, thankfully, the clock reads a little past ten. But, of course, it’s never that easy with children.
“I don’t want to! I’m talking to Magnus!” she says, crossing her arms in an attempt to seem more authoritative.
“It’s your bedtime, darling," Magnus says. "We can talk a little more while you’re brushing your teeth. Now come on, we’ll put you to bed.” She looks like she’s about to argue but then that same mischievous glint from before returns in her eyes and she just smiles and nods. She obliges easily the whole way to bed, already dressed in her pyjamas, and Alec is feeling like maybe the trouble has stopped for tonight and he can enjoy the remaining time with his husband without any more tricks.
“Want to watch a movie?” he suggests to Magnus once they’re both seated on the couch again. He nods and before Alec has the chance to move to get the remote or turn on the TV or anything, Magnus has snapped his fingers and the lights are off, a random movie is playing, and Magnus is settling against Alec; resting his head on his chest comfortably. This night is really starting to turn around.
Or so he thinks.
Not too long after the movie starts, there’s a crash from Céline’s room. Alec and Magnus are up in seconds, not bothering to pause the movie as they run to her room.
“Are you alright?” They ask as they hurriedly open the door and take in the surroundings of the child’s room. There are cans of paint brushes spilling onto the floor and various colours of paint pooling on the covers of her bed. Céline stands in the middle of the wreckage, paint in her hair and covering her hands.
“Uh,” she says with a shy smile. “I accidentally spilt my paint.”
“Why were you painting?” Magnus says in mild exasperation.
“I was bored! And I can’t sleep now,” she says, pointing at the mess on her bed. “I’ll have to wait with you while Alec cleans and dries everything…”
Magnus laughs when he catches Alec’s unimpressed scowl, clearly very amused by this whole situation, and waves his hands in one smooth, flourishing movement; cleaning the whole room and Céline in seconds. She stands there, looking both shocked and defeated all at once. Mostly shocked at her own clean state.
“Not everyone is used to being magically cleaned, babe,” Alec say quietly, smiling at a concerned-looking Magnus and taking one of his hands in his own. Magnus walks them over to Céline.
“Sorry honey, magic makes cleaning easier. I won't do it again. But now you can go back to bed!”
She sits back down on her bed and crosses her arms. “Yay.”
Alec can’t help himself when he smirks. Magnus catches him, though, and slaps him on the arm lightly, giving him a disapproving look.
“Goodnight, sweetheart,” Magnus says as he backs them out of the room and turns off the lights. Alec says goodnight as well and then they’re both back in the living room.
“At least you learned children don’t like being magically cleaned,” Alec smiles as they settle back down on the couch together, his head resting on Magnus’ shoulder this time, the movie still playing but neither of them really watching anyway.
“Damn it,” Magnus sighs, but he's smiling. “Then I guess you’re cleaning our child if they ever get dirty. Otherwise, the whole 'kid' thing is out of the question.” Alec’s smile grows as he looks up at Magnus.
“In your dreams.” Magnus laughs softly and leans down to bring their lips together for the first time tonight. Alec gets as far as closing his eyes before there’s a sharp pain on the back of his head.
“What the fu -!” Magnus slaps him on the arm and points behind him. They look over to find a few books that were on the bookshelf moments ago on the floor and one right behind Alec, but no one else is in the room.
“Céline,” Alec sighs. Damn Shadowhunter children and their need to abuse their rune powers. Magnus laughs fondly but holds his hands up in defence when Alec gives him an annoyed look.
“What? It’s kind of cute. Haven’t you ever had a crush on a babysitter before?”
“No,” Alec frowns. “And if I did, I wouldn’t play tricks on their significant other every time they got close to each other.”
Magnus is having a hard time containing his laughter, holding a hand up to his mouth.
“What?!” Alec frowns, more resentful than he thought possible while alone in a dark room with his husband.
“Darling," he says through laughter. "She’s a ten-year-old.”
“She’s a literal demon.”
Magnus doesn’t try to hold back his laughter this time, he just lets it out and doesn’t stop for a solid two minutes, tears streaming down his eyes as Alec stares at him, unamused.
“Why are you laughing?” Céline says, jumping out from behind the couch with a concerned frown. Meanwhile, Alec reflects fondly on the days, years ago, where she could barely walk. He loves her, but this whole situation is starting to get ridiculous and he just wants her to go to sleep. And he refuses to admit he’s starting to get a little petty.
Magnus composes himself, wiping the tears from his eyes while also checking his fingers to see if his eyeliner smudged. Once his makeup status is confirmed as just as flawless as when he first put it on, he turns to Céline with a kind smile.
“Why are you out of bed? Your parents will be back soon and I’m sure they’ll be very upset if they find out you’re still awake -”
“But I’m not tired and I...love this movie! Can I stay up just a little longer with you? Please?” she begs, leaning forward on the back of the couch so her face is between Alec and Magnus. Her puppy dog eyes are enough to make Magnus reconsider.
He turns to Alec with a raised brow. Alec frowns back. Magnus sticks out his bottom lip in a pout. Alec crosses his arms. Magnus gives him an exasperated look. Alec sighs in defeat.
“Fine. But just until the end of the movie.”
Céline grins, jumping over the back of the couch to sit between the couple. Alec grits his teeth. The movie is almost over, the movie is almost over, he tells himself over and over again as the movie plays and she lies with her back against Magnus, her feet pushing up against Alec.
Thankfully, it does end, and Alec makes no haste in standing up and holding a hand out to Céline.
“Come on, Céline, it’s time to sleep.” She frowns up at him, crossing her arms in protest.
“I’ll put her to bed,” Magnus sighs, standing up from the couch. He smiles apologetically at Alec and leans over for a goodnight kiss of sorts. But Céline, of course, won’t have that.
“But Magnus, I don't want to -” Céline starts, standing up on the couch in protest.
Then suddenly, she collapses on the couch, fast asleep. Alec stares in surprise at a grinning Magnus, who shrugs his way as he puts his magical hands back down. “It was getting kind of annoying.” With that, he steps closer to Alec and leans close. Their lips are inches apart when -
“We’re home!” Clary exclaims as she opens the front door, Jace laughing behind her.
“BY THE ANGEL -” Alec exclaims heatedly. The apple clearly doesn’t fall too far from the tree when it comes to family interruptions and Alec is very frustrated.
“Alec!” Magnus laughs, way more amused than Alec thinks he should be. Alec nearly growls, pulling Magnus to him by the front of his shirt and crashing their lips together in a long overdue kiss. As so he makes this count. When they finally draw apart, Magnus’ smile is blinding and Alec sighs in triumph.
“Why are you making out with Magnus in front of our daughter?” Jace asks carefully, pulling a speechless Clary to his side.
“She’s asleep,” Magnus laughs. “And it’s a long story.”
Jace laughs, walking over and taking his daughter in his arms. She stirs a little and Alec prays to every god there could possibly be that she stays asleep. She does, and Jace leaves to go put her in her own bed. Clary walks over to the couple, an unconscious smile on her lips showing that she at least enjoyed herself tonight.
“Thanks for babysitting, we really needed a night for ourselves. It was fun,” she says, moving to hug the both of them individually. “You guys can leave now if you want to go have some fun of your own,” she says with a wink.
“Oh, I plan on it,” Alec mutters for Magnus’ ears only. Magnus lets out a short laugh then grabs Alec’s left hand, playing with the lone ring on his finger with a blissful smile.
“See you tomorrow for lunch, biscuit,” Magnus says. With that, they say their goodbye’s and leave.
“Just to make it clear: we’re never having kids,” Alec says as soon as they exit the apartment. Magnus laughs, knowing he doesn't really mean it. Little do either of them know that in a little over a year, they'd be calling Clary and Jace to babysit two of their own boys.