And the Oscar goes to... - Lecrit (2024)

Magnus doesn’t remember when he started to think of Los Angeles as home. He hadn’t liked the city when he had first arrived with nothing but his backpack and the entirety of his economies in his pocket. It hadn’t been much. LA was flashy and everything had seemed fake at first, from the shop's front windows to the women’s breasts, to everyone’s teeth.

Magnus had stayed with Ragnor in his ratty apartment and had worked in a club during the nights while taking auditions during the days. He had had plenty of opportunities to observe the way Los Angeles worked, the way people greeted each other with wide smiles and barely waited until they had their back turned to pull a disgusted grimace. The way everything seemed to revolve around sex and money, even more so than in all the other places he had visited. He had had men and women hitting on him absolutely every night, eyes bloodshot by too many drugs or speech slurred by alcohol. And as much as Magnus liked to party, there had been too much desperation in the air for him to feel at home among these crowds.

Los Angeles was one thing but mostly, Hollywood had been hard on him at first.

Being Asian and looking for roles that didn’t consist of practicing martial arts in the background had been tougher than he had expected. And he had expected it, so it was saying a lot.

He had been tempted to go back to his life in New York. First, because he missed New York and Brooklyn. Second, because his life there had been easier. He had left a job that paid well but was as boring as they come. He had left his friends, too, and he had missed Raphael and Catarina more than he cared to admit.

And then, things had started to change.

His career had taken off, thanks to Maryse Lightwood. She had noticed him in a secondary role he had had on a sh*tty TV series he had long forgotten about. Maryse had all the contacts and, mostly, all the sharkness needed to succeed in Hollywood. No wonder her agency was on top of the market.

What she had seen in Magnus, he wasn’t sure, especially because up to this day she didn’t like him.

Magnus didn’t really like her either but it didn’t matter because she had gotten him the roles he needed to launch his career and get where he was today.

When he had finally had the money to move to a better neighborhood, taking Ragnor - who was still a struggling composer at the time - with him, Los Angeles had started to feel less suffocating. Still, it wasn’t New York. It wasn’t home.

And then he had met Alec.

Alec was an enigma in the puzzle that Los Angeles already was. He had been born and raised here and yet, he had none of the mannerisms that drove Magnus crazy, none of the superiority people who had been nursed in this industry bore. Alec Lightwood was good, and kind, and patient and Magnus had found a friend in him, and then one in his stunningly beautiful and lethally smart sister Isabelle and his quirky but insanely shrewd brother Max. Jace was another story. It wasn’t that Magnus didn’t like him. It was just that they both liked it better when they pretended they didn’t.

Alec was working with his parents and it had taken Maryse three years to make Alec Magnus’ official PA slash agent. By then, Magnus was already quite famous, enough that he had started to feel confident to make demands instead of shy requests. Having Alec as his PA had seemed like a good idea at the time. Alec had already been his PA for a year before that, but Maryse had refused to admit it and make it official until both Alec and Magnus had confronted her about it. Curiously, she had caved. Magnus wasn’t sure why but he had welcomed it. It wasn’t everyday that he could make Maryse agree with him.

That was five years ago.

And tonight, Magnus is going to the Oscars. Not to promote a movie. Not to make an appearance. No, tonight Magnus is going as a nominee and…

“Holy sh*t,” Magnus exclaims dramatically as Maia, the lovely makeup artist who always helps him get ready for this kind of events, looks him up and down critically. “Holy sh*t.”

Alec, who is standing on the other side of the bathroom, his phone glued to his ear as it is most of the time, glances over his shoulder to level him with a glare.

“Stop fretting or Maia is going to mess up your eyeliner,” he chastises him.

Maia scoffs in indignation. Magnus considers flipping him off but sadly, Alec is right. This is Magnus’ big night. He can’t be anything but perfect.

“Maia, please don't,” Magnus murmurs, uncharacteristically nervous, and she glares at him. “I need to look perfect. When I lose, I want to look at least ten times better than the winner. So I won't have lost everything.”

“You're not going to lose,” Alec grumbles, exasperated, “and you always look perfect.” He seems to realize what he just said because he ducks his head, focusing back on his phone, and blushes, the tips of his ears coloring in a lovely shade of red.

There is something, Magnus ponders to himself, really peculiar about Alec.

He isn’t exactly shy. On the contrary, he is blunt and his straightforwardness has ignited so many arguments between them that Magnus has lost count. It’s a good thing, though, one of his favorite things about Alec actually, because Magnus has a bit of an overinflated ego and sometimes, he needs someone to bring him back to reality. Alec has no shame or chill when it comes to doing so.

He isn’t shy but he isn’t overly confident either. He is somewhere in the middle.

He is comfortable around Magnus now. They’ve known each other for eight years, have been friends for almost as long, but still he blushes and stutters whenever he says something he didn’t mean to say or Magnus throws him one of his shameless innuendos.

(Which he does. A lot. Alec is pretty when he blushes. Sue him.)

The most peculiar thing about Alec is to witness the way he changes completely when he is in a professional setting. Then, there is absolutely nothing shy left about him. He is just as much of a shark as his mother is, fair but ruthless when he needs to be.

Magnus hates attending meetings with studio representatives. They’re boring and never-ending. The only reason he actually goes is because it gives him the opportunity to ogle Alec in all his sharp glory.

(He is unbearably hot when he puts his polished professional mask on. Again, sue him.)

Alec is uncompromising in the things that matter and he is fiercely loyal, something that is so rare in a business where money prevails before anything else that it makes Alec all the more unique.

“Why, Alexander, you should tell that to my competitors,” Magnus taunts because it’s the best way he knows to ease his nerves. “They probably didn’t get the memo.”

“You won the SAG and the Golden Globe,” Alec reminds him patiently, tugging his phone back in his pocket. “There’s no way you don’t take home the Oscar as well.”

“Yeah, you tell that to Daniel Day Lewis,” Magnus grumbles under his breath.

Alec grins, a slow, playful smile that only ever shows on his face around the people he is truly comfortable with. Magnus is eternally grateful for being one of those.

It’s a beautiful smile that brings the corner of his mouth up and lightens his stunning hazel eyes with an almost childish excitement. It’s a rare occurrence. Alec doesn’t smile as much as Magnus thinks he should, but it makes the intimacy of this particular grin even more precious than it already is.

“Here’s the plan,” Alec says, with a mischievous edge to his voice that has Magnus smile in spite of himself. “If he wins, I knock him down and you run away with the award. Deal?”

Magnus chuckles, suppressing the urge to run a hand in his hair. Maia would kill him if he ruined the hours she spent taming his hair in the spur of a second.

“Deal.”

.

“Okay,” Alec states solemnly once they are both in the car, the driver taking them on their way to pick up Magnus’ date, “you’re sitting second row in the middle. I think there’s Meryl Streep in front of you and Michael Fassbender behind you -”

“Oh, he can get behind me anytime,” Magnus cuts in with a devilish smirk.

Alec throws him the most unimpressed glare he can summon.

“Behave,” he groans, focusing back on the organizer on his phone. “Your award should be around eleven, and by should, I mean will be. This ceremony is better organized than my entire schedule.”

“We both know that’s not possible,” Magnus replies with a slight pout.

“Are you seriously sulking because I told you to behave?” Alec deadpans with a placid look.

Magnus sighs dramatically, slouching on his seat. “I miss the days when my puppy eyes still worked on you.”

“Yeah, well, I’m immune now,” Alec says with a dismissive shrug, “and you can only blame yourself.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’re not immune to everything I have to offer,” Magnus mutters slyly.

Alec closes his eyes in a pained expression, rubbing some at his eyebrow scar in a failed attempt at composing himself.

Working for Magnus isn’t easy. Magnus is out of control and Alec has to yell more often than not to get him to listen to him. Magnus hates everything formal because it means he has to watch his mouth - no pun intended - and he despises the idea of having to tame his opinions. Alec has lost count of how many times he’s had to subtly interrupt an interview because he knew Magnus was about to say or do something that would surely bring a sh*tstorm upon him, and thus, by extension, upon Alec. Most importantly, Magnus is an incorrigible flirt.

Which would be alright if Alec wasn’t utterly, irremediably, unfathomably in love with him.

Alec has been working with Magnus for a long time, in the kind of close proximity that makes him see him or talk to him almost everyday. Most of the time, he loves it. His own feelings and everything he just listed aside, Magnus is one of the best people Alec has ever met. He is clever, much more than people give him credit for, because people in this industry are quick to judge and they believe that Magnus’ overall appearance is a mirror to what’s inside his brain. They believe him shallow and selfish because of the extravagant way he dresses but Alec knows he is far from that.

Alec is the one who makes it happen when Magnus visits a children hospital or when he wants to make an anonymous donation to a charity. Alec is the one who sees how hard he works for every role and how utterly passionate he is about what he does.

Alec is also the one who had to witness every single relationship Magnus has had crash and burn in the past few years.

“So, what do we do when I lose?” Magnus asks, not an ounce of doubt in his voice. “Do I still have to do all these interviews?”

Alec frowns, looking up from his phone to study Magnus properly. He looks serious, like he has spent weeks preparing himself to the disappointment so it doesn’t affect him anymore.

He looks equally defeated and accepting. And Alec can’t have that.

“Wait,” he exclaims in disbelief. “Do you seriously believe you’re going to lose?”

“Daniel Day Lewis,” Magnus states firmly in lieu of an answer.

“He already has three of them,” Alec retorts. “And he sucked in that movie.”

“No, he didn’t.”

“Okay, maybe he didn’t,” Alec admits reluctantly. “You were better anyway. The critics and the public loved the movie and you.”

Magnus shrugs dismissively but doesn’t reply.

It is because of their years of friendship that Alec knows how to recognize when the confident demeanor Magnus has built around himself is shattering. Right now, his buried insecurities are crashing down hard and his eyes are flashing with skepticism.

People would never believe that Magnus Bane, who is always beaming and talking loudly, moving his hands in elegant flourishes that are certain to catch a room’s attention, is full of insecurities. Truth is he heard so often, when he was still a struggling actor working in a nightclub to survive, that he just wasn’t good enough, that a part of him has ended up believing it. Alec knows how insanely talented Magnus is. He has witnessed it too many times to ignore it.

And as much as Magnus often needs a reminder not to behave poorly or harshly, he also needs, albeit more rarely, to be told that he deserves all the good things that happened to him because he is as good of an actor as he is a great person.

Alec shakes his head and he unfastens his seatbelt to turn fully towards Magnus, grabbing the hand he has set on his knee.

“Magnus,” he calls but Magnus is stubbornly looking away from him, watching the houses of the wealthy neighborhood they’re now driving in display before his eyes. “Magnus,” he calls again, tugging on his hand, giving him no chance but to spin around to face him.

Magnus’ deep brown eyes shift away but Alec knows he is listening to him.

“Hey,” he says, squeezing his hand gently, “you’re a brilliant actor. You’re going to tell me I’m biased but Daniel Day Lewis and Matt Damon and the others I’ve forgotten the names of because they’re irrelevant -” Magnus snorts and finally spins toward Alec to send him a pointed glare that Alec chooses to ignore, “- are nowhere near how good you were in Double Edge.”

“You’re right,” Magnus says self-deprecatingly. “I’m going to tell you you’re biased.”

Alec rolls his eyes. “Fine,” he states solemnly. “You want concrete? Let me give you concrete.”

“Is that your new nickname for your d-”

Alec slams a hand against Magnus’ mouth before he can finish, knowing full well where this is going.

He doesn’t let go, staring straight into his eyes with the most confident glance he can muster. “Double Edge slayed the box office, which plays in our favor. The public loved it. You’re leading almost all the Oscar polls and you won the SAG -”

“The SAG is a completely different deal,” Magnus cuts in, grabbing Alec’s wrist to pull it off his mouth. “The majority of the Academy is made up of old, white, straight men. The movie is political and there are always politics involved for the Oscars. You know that as well as I do. I’m not exactly popular in these circles.”

Alec huffs out in exasperation. “Magnus, what do you think I did these past few months? Tap-dancing? You’re popular in the public eye, which is the most important thing. These close circles, though, they are my thing, my universe, as much as I despise it sometimes. The campaign for your Oscar happened both publicly, which was your job, and behind closed doors, which was mine.”

Magnus unwinds a little but his eyes remain doubtful.

“You’re underestimating the Academy,” Alec tells him gently. “It’s not as old-fashioned as it used to be. They welcome new members every year, young people who are from our time and not a long dead one. These people can sway the vote in your favor as I’m sure they will.” He pauses, squeezing Magnus’ hand once more. “You’re going to win that sh*t.”

Magnus smiles to himself, before sharing it with Alec, rising his eyes to look at him, his head slightly tilted to the side.

“Sometimes, I really wonder what I’d do without you, Alexander,” he says softly. The affection in his eyes is almost too much for Alec and he has to repress the urge to lower his head.

False hope is not something he can afford, not after years of being aimlessly in love.

“Well, you’d be in deep sh*t,” he muses, figuring friendly teasing will alleviate the mood. “And late. Always late.”

Magnus chuckles, the unbearable fondness still pregnant in his gaze. “I’m not that bad.”

“You’re the worst,” Alec retorts at once.

“Excuse you,” Magnus exclaims dramatically and finally, he tears his eyes away to make an elaborate flourish, his fingers dancing in the air between them. “Being fashionably late is normal in this business.”

“Not when you’re just having a movie night and hanging out at a friend’s house.”

“Do you think achieving that level of flawlessness is easy, Alec?” Magnus inquires, gesturing exaggeratedly at himself. “No, it takes time.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Alec deadpans, although a traitorous smile is tugging at his lips.

“I have plenty of things that could help me sleep at night,” Magnus retorts mischievously. “I’m sure you could help with at least half of them. For instance -”

The car comes to a stop and the window separating them from the driver pulls down.

“We’re here,” he announces in a grave voice.

“Thank God,” Alec mumbles under his breath.

The passenger door opens and Tessa’s head pops in. She looks between them and Alec realizes he is still firmly holding Magnus’ hand. He lets go abruptly, afraid she would get the wrong idea. Tessa always seems to know exactly what is going on in Alec’s head and he dreads it. He spent years carefully burying his feelings where no one can witness them but himself, he’s not about to let her ruin all of his hard work with her annoying perceptiveness.

“So, who’s ready to win an Oscar?” she calls out cheerfully, pecking Magnus on the cheek as she climbs in.

“Daniel Day Lewis sure is,” Magnus replies.

Alec groans, letting his head fall backwards against his seat in defeat.

.

It takes them far too long to finally reach the Dolby Theatre. The roads were packed with limos and the kind of luxury cars they are in now, the tinted windows letting them see the conundrum reigning on the red carpet. The street leading up to the theatre is crowded with fans who have probably been lining up for hours in hope to catch sight of their favorite actor or any celebrity attending the event.

When they reach the dropping-off point, Magnus is a mess of nerves but it is now overruled by his growing excitement.

He is going to the freaking Oscars. As a nominee. f*ck everything else. He already won.

Tessa looks stunning, her pale yellow dress embodying her every curve perfectly and her makeup just discreet enough to emphasize her steely gray-blue eyes.

“Okay,” Magnus breathes out, “time to face the music.”

“You two look amazing,” Alec says as Tessa hooks her arm with Magnus’.

There is a hint of something in his voice that Magnus doesn’t recognize but he doesn’t have time to dwell on it. Someone opens the door to the car and he has no choice but to step out.

Screams fill the air as he does, Tessa right on his heels and he takes a deep breath.

He can do this.

The red carpet is a sea of tuxedos, variously-colored gowns and reporters shouting to get anyone’s attention for an interview.

Alec goes out of the car on the other side and quickly circles it to get to Magnus and Tessa.

“I’ll meet you at the press point,” Alec says.

“Can we start with Aline?” Magnus asks.

Alec nods sternly and disappears into the crowd. Magnus almost reaches out to stop him but halts his movement before he embarasses himself.

“Are we going to talk about this?” Tessa whispers as they walk the red carpet, plastering wide smiles on their faces for the photographs.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Magnus grits out through clenched teeth.

“I’m talking about you making heart eyes at Alec,” Tessa retorts, because she has never been one to beat around the bush. “I thought you had moved on.”

Magnus levels her with a gaze that he hopes doesn’t come across as too desperate.

“Of course I have,” he lies.

He knows Tessa reads right through it, but she doesn’t call him out on it and for that, he is impossibly grateful.

.

“Alec, it’s so good to see you,” Aline exclaims cheerfully, pulling him into a hug.

Alec embraces her gladly, relieved to find someone here that isn’t either a stranger, a competitor or just someone he simply doesn’t like.

“You certainly clean up well,” she says when she pulls back, readjusting the lapels of his suit.

“Have you seen Jace?” he asks in lieu of an answer, running an embarrassed hand at the nape of his neck. “Hi, Helen,” he adds for Aline’s camera operator, her wife Helen, who waves back enthusiastically, winking at him.

“Yeah, he’s already inside with Clary.”

“Are you telling me that he went inside willingly when they are still people taking pictures out here?” Alec taunts playfully. “Security didn’t have to throw him off the red carpet?”

Aline laughs, the wide smile on her lips making her dark brown almond-shaped eyes light up with glee. “I don’t know about security but I think Clary definitely did.”

“Yeah, that sounds more like him,” he chuckles.

“How’s your protégé?” Aline wonders and it isn’t her journalist voice so Alec doesn’t feel too bad about his answer.

“He’s nervous, but he’s not going to tell you that.”

“He knows he’s going to win, right?”

Alec shakes his head and blows out a deep sigh. “If you can convince him, please do. I’ve given up.”

Aline snickers. “If you can’t, no one can,” she simply states.

Alec frowns. He knows what she means. It’s true that Magnus doesn’t listen to many people and that Alec is one of them - most of the time - but there is an edge to her voice, an undertone that seems to hide something underneath that he doesn’t quite comprehend.

“He keeps saying Daniel Day Lewis is going to win it,” Alec says, swiftly avoiding thinking further about the way Aline seems to be watching him knowingly.

“Well, I just spoke to Daniel Day Lewis and he told me he thought Magnus was going to win it, so there’s that.”

“It’s like everyone knows how brilliant Magnus is except for Magnus himself.”

“Alexander, are you bad-mouthing about me with my favorite reporter?” an awfully familiar voice quips behind him and Alec spins around to face Magnus.

He has assisted to Magnus’ preparation, has been the first one, alongside Maia, to see him in his full glory for the evening, but his breath catches in his throat nonetheless. Magnus is breathtakingly beautiful and it never fails to make Alec's restraints flatter.

“Already?”

Magnus shrugs. “I saw you with Aline and Helen and I had to come and say hi. I’m pretty sure one of the photographers actually called me Marius to get me to pay attention to him.”

Alec chuckles. “You’re definitely not a Marius.”

“No,” Magnus’ upper lip pulls into a grimace. “Most definitely not.”

Alec steps aside as Helen starts recording.

“Hi, Aline. Helen,” Magnus adds with a warm smile. “It’s great to see you.”

“You too,” Aline replies joyfully. “Magnus, it’s your first nomination for Best Actor. How does it feel?”

Alec tunes out completely while Magnus repeats the answers they’ve prepared together.

He is absolutely thrilled about being nominated. The simple fact that he is is already a victory, especially alongside such great actors. He is beyond happy that the movie was so successful, particularly seeing as it treats with political themes such as gay rights and racism in our modern society. He feels honored that he was given the opportunity to play such a strong, unstereotypical character.

Oh, Daniel said that? That’s kind of him but I have nothing compared to him and blah blah blah.

“And I see you’re here with a date,” Aline says eventually, and that efficiently grabs Alec’s full attention.

“Oh, Tessa is my best friend,” Magnus replies with one of his blinding smiles.

“And what a best friend you have,” Aline jibes playfully.

“Well, I thought it would be a good idea to bring the winner of last year’s Best Actress award. For good luck, you know,” Magnus responds lightheartedly, throwing in a wink for good measure.

“We hope it does,” Aline says when Alec shows her his watch pointedly. “Good luck tonight. Don’t mess up your acceptance speech.”

Magnus purses his lips in a poorly disguised smirk. “Thank you, dear.”

Alec sends one last smile at Aline and Helen before he pulls Magnus towards the next interviewer. And so begins the endless echo of the same questions being repeated over and over and Magnus replying the same thing to every single one of them, a neverending loop of false courtesy.

The only slightly out-of-the-ordinary thing that happens is when they run into Alec’s mother just as they are about to go through security check. Tessa has joined them a while ago and she’s done a wonderful job at praising Magnus in every interview they did, so much that at some point, Alec is certain he saw the imperturbable Magnus Bane blush.

Maryse is here with her latest client, Sebastian Morgenstern, a rising actor that Alec positively abhors but the media seems to love for some reason that is far beyond him. They exchange pleasantries but Sebastian ignores them completely, wholly focused on finding his best profile for the photographers.

“Magnus,” Maryse says with a tight smile, giving both his cheeks air kisses not to spread lipstick all over him. “How are you doing?”

Magnus discreetly sends Alec a bewildered glance, obviously as taken aback by Maryse’s cordiality as he is himself.

“G-Good,” he replies after a pause. “Equally excited and nervous,” he adds after reflection.

There is no point in lying to Alec’s mother. She always knows. Alec is pretty sure she has some kind of radar or something.

“No need to be worried,” Maryse says in her eternally serious tone. “This is your big night.”

Magnus nods but doesn’t seem any more convinced than he was when Alec was the one giving him a pep talk.

Maryse rolls her eyes and steps closer, clutching both his shoulders in a strong grip.

“Magnus, as much as I don’t like your… particularities,” she says, and it’s Alec's turn to roll his eyes. “I knew this was going to happen from the first time I saw you in that sh*tty TV series you had the bad idea of joining.”

“Yeah, trying to get some money to survive is such a bad idea,” Magnus replies wryly, but he punctuates it with a taunting smile that smoothen the real blow behind it.

“Anyway,” Maryse goes on as if he hadn’t talked, “I knew this would happen. I don’t offer my services to anyone. And I certainly wouldn’t have let my son take care of your career if I didn’t think you were worthy of his time.”

Alec knows she means all of that professionally, but it still makes something clench in his chest. Hope, maybe, that if something ever were to happen between Magnus and him, she wouldn’t completely disapprove.

He pushes the thoughts away and clears his throat. “Mom, we have to go through security check.”

Maryse releases Magnus’ shoulders, who barely holds back a relieved sigh, and nods.

“I’ll see you both later,” she says in a tone that is unmistakably definite and indisputable. She turns to Alec and pats his cheek. It’s the only motherly gesture she has ever had with her children and it is so rare that he knows, somehow, that this is her expressing the pride she can’t voice properly. He smiles at her and she turns on her heels, joining Sebastian, who is quite obviously ogling the breasts of the journalist who managed to get him to talk to her while Maryse was otherwise busy.

“That was weird,” Magnus comments absently, still staring at Maryse.

“Yup,” Tessa chimes in, crossing her arms over her chest, “but I think it was her twisted way of telling you both she is proud of you.”

“I did nothing,” Alec retorts at once. “Magnus is the one we should be proud of.”

“Come on Alec,” Tessa replies, her voice full of laughter. “I hope you don’t seriously believe he would have done it without you to keep him from doing something stupid every other day.”

Alec frowns. “He already had the talent before he met me.”

“You made him better,” Tessa says with a confidence that is slightly unsettling, especially when Magnus is right next to them. He doesn’t seem unfazed, though, on the contrary. “Behind every great man, there is… another great man.”

“Another gay as f*ck, devastatingly handsome man,” Magnus corrects with a smirk.

“I hope you win that Oscar so I can choke you with it,” Alec grumbles, his cheeks heating up in spite of himself.

“I’d rather choke on your -”

“Security check!” Alec interrupts, loudly enough that Kate Winslet, who is walking past them, startles and turns to look at them.

She beams when she sees Magnus and comes over to pull him into a warm hug.

Alec mentally thanks her.

.

Magnus tries to pay attention to what Ellen Degeneres is saying on stage but his mind is a ball of nerves right now. His category is finally coming up and the wait has seemed unbearably long. The movie has won a few technical awards and one of his co stars, Maureen Brown, took home the award for Best Supporting Actress. Magnus cheered and applauded until his hands hurt every time they won something but now that his turn is coming, he doesn’t feel so cheerful anymore.

sh*t. He wished Alec could be here with him. Alec knows how to soothe his nerves better than anyone else.

When Tessa walks to the stage, his heart is doing loops in his chest and he is fairly certain that he is about to throw up.

If Alec hadn’t confiscated his phone before the ceremony, he would totally be texting him right now.

Maureen mouths “good luck” at him from her seat. Next to him is Jem, his co star and lover in the movie. Tessa was sitting right next to Jem until she had to go backstage to get ready to deliver the Award.

“Oh God, I’m going to die,” he whispers.

Jem chuckles and pats his hand in comfort. “It’s almost over, Magnus.”

This is probably the most comforting thing he heard all night.

Tessa goes on to do her speech presenting each nominated actor and their roles but Magnus doesn't listen. His ears are ringing and his heart is hammering in his chest. He doesn't even know why he feels so nervous.

He usually isn't the nervous type, or at least he is better at hiding it. This is big, however, and even Magnus can admit that this once, he really wants to win.

He doesn't know what or why, but it feels like he has something to prove to the world, and even more to himself. This could be his revenge against all the racist slurs he has had to endure. All the biphobic comments he has read in the newspapers and even more on the Internet.

It's a good thing Alec has forbid him to ever google himself because he is sure what he'd find would be equally lifting and crushing for his ego.

“And the Oscar goes to…”

Tessa's voice resonates through his ears but he doesn't hear her.

Where the hell is Alec? Why couldn't he sit with him? He just needs Alec right now.

There is something odd in hearing your name when you expect it the least. It sounds both foreign and familiar in Tessa's mouth. He hears it but he doesn't recognize the words, almost expects another Magnus Bane to go up to the stage to receive the award.

He feels the cameras on his face and sees Tessa's incredibly wide smile but he is frozen in his seat, until Jem finally acts and pulls him to his feet and into a hug.

“Congratulations!” he yells into his ear over the deafening sound of applauses.

“What -”

“You won, Magnus,” Jem tells him. “Go up there!”

Magnus nods wordlessly and it feels like he is walking on a cloud as he strides his way to the stage, his mind stuck in a whimsical daze.

Tessa grabs his arm as he reaches her and embraces him, tightly enough that the oxygen is knocked out of his lungs.

“Remember what Alec said,” she murmurs into his ear, the joy quite evident in her tone.

If you have to swear, do it before you get to the mic.

“f*ck, f*ck, f*ckity f*ck,” Magnus mutters under his breath and Tessa bursts into laughter, her long wavy hair cascading along her back.

She pushes something heavy into his hands when she pulls back and Magnus looks down and realizes.

His eyes fill with tears that he hastily urges back. He is not going to ruin his makeup.

“sh*t,” is all he can voice right now.

He won. He f*cking won.

If this is a dream, he never wants to wake up.

He walks to the mic with heavy steps, glancing bewilderedly at the audience before him. Everyone is standing on their feet, applauding loudly, sometimes whistling (he strongly suspects Jace, or Izzy, who he knows are both in the room). They are standing for him.

He wished he could pinch himself but his hands are quite full. A good kind of full.

He stares astoundingly for a few seconds before he finally clears his throat.

“I know it’s going to sound impossibly dull but... well, this is a surprise,” he croaks out, his voice wavering with emotions. He pauses, takes a breath to compose himself, but the Oscar sits heavily in his hands and it seems to prevent him to do so. He turns towards Tessa, his eyes wide with disbelief and mouths “sh*t” at her.

She laughs again, and so does the part of the audience who is close enough to read on his lips.

Magnus closes his eyes and forces himself to remember Alec’s words.

Compliment the other nominees. Thank the Academy. Thank the studio. Talk about the movie crew. Then, you can pretty much thank who you want but please, please mind your tongue.

“But it truly is a surprise,” Magnus goes on when he is confident he has pretty much gathered his nerves. “I mean, Daniel Day Lewis, right?” Small laughter scatters the audience and he smiles, feeling suddenly bolder. “I can’t believe I’m standing here when I know who I was up against,” he says, gesturing to his peers with his Oscar. Yeah, because he’s holding an Oscar in his hand. Holy sh*t.

He goes on to thank the Academy and the studio, his director Imogen Herondale and his co-stars Jem and Maureen but also the rest of the crew, actors and technical jobs combined.

“None of this would have been possible without you,” he declares, his gaze wavering over the familiar faces in the room. “I want to thank my friends, who have been supportive from the start, and particularly Ragnor, who is as good of a musician as he is a friend.”

He runs a hand in his hair. He thinks he is safe now. Maia isn’t going to kill him after he won an Oscar.

He is still looking at the room, searching for a familiar pair of hazel eyes but he just can’t find Alec in the crowd.

“I know we usually don’t thank our agents in these things,” he says, still scanning the room, “but my agent is also my PA and one of my best friends, and I just won an Oscar so I think I can do whatever I want tonight and he won’t hold it against me.”

The audience laughs, as much in amusem*nt as it is in surprise but Magnus doesn’t really notice, finally giving up.

“Okay,” he exclaims in the mic, “I can’t find him. Has anyone seen Alec? Tall, dark, handsome and probably glued to his phone right now?”

The laughter is interrupted by a loud whistle and Magnus will have to remember to send a thank you present to Isabelle -- Alec will surely remind him, if he doesn’t die of embarrassment.

Isabelle is standing next to the seats on the left side of the theatre and she is pointing at the stairs near the stage, a positively blinding beam on her lips. When she smiles like she is now, Magnus knows more than ever why her parents thought she would make a good actress. Isabelle decided to become a director instead, and a brilliant one with that.

He follows the direction she is indicating and sure enough, Alec is there, standing on the side of the stage, his eyes filled with tears and the mere sight of him looking so emotional - Alec, who has always been a master at concealing his feelings - is enough to make Magnus choke on a sob.

“Oh no,” he mutters in the mic, “don’t cry or I’m going to cry too and then you’ll yell at me for ruining my makeup.”

Alec chuckles. He is holding a hand against his mouth but it doesn’t manage to fully hide the broadness of his tearful grin.

“An actor is only as good as the role he gets and if I get the best ones,” Magnus continues after clearing his throat, looking straight into Alec’s stunning, wet eyes, “it is most certainly thanks to you. I’d be nowhere if it wasn’t for you. I know you spend half of your time yelling at me but I’m beyond grateful every time you do. Thank you for only asking the best from me -”

Magnus shuts his mouth abruptly when music fills the air, emerging from the orchestra pit. He narrows his eyes and turns his head toward the conductor, who only throws back a sheepish half-smile.

“Man, I only have one shot at this,” Magnus exclaims sharply, leaning in the mic. “Not everyone is Daniel Day Lewis. Cut it out.”

Surprised laughter fills the room again, louder this time and the music stops as abruptly as it had begun.

Magnus smirks and turns to look at Alec again, who is shaking his head in disbelief, his hand over his eyes. The camera musts cut to his face because the laughter perdures, waving through the crowd.

“Sorry,” Magnus adds with a sheepish smile that he knows is belied by the maniacal grin that doesn’t seem to want to leave his face. “Alec, I’m truly thankful for every day you choose to suffer me. I know how hard it must be, trust me.”

Alec nods exaggeratedly, his eyebrows shooting up in an equally approving and exasperated expression.

“Thank you for always pushing me to be the better version of myself,” Magnus adds and if his voice cracks on the end, he’s going to pretend he didn’t notice.

Alec smiles directly at him from behind his hand and wipes discreetly at his eyes.

“Now I apologize if I forgot to thank anyone, I’ll make it up to you someway,” Magnus continues, spinning to face back the crowd. “I only have one more thing to say and then I’ll get off the stage, I promise. Please don’t send security to throw me out.”

Alec is clearly face-palming now, but he would be much more convincing if his eyes weren’t still filled with tears.

“This movie was very important to me,” Magnus breathes out and he realizes that he suddenly doesn’t feel nervous anymore. His heart is still hammering in his chest but it’s a good throb, oddly soothing and grounding. “As a bisexual man, I was honored to be able to address the issues that affect our community through a character as strong as Alexis was. I want to take tonight’s opportunity to say to our wonderful community that you are not alone and well -” he grins, holding his Oscar up, “- times are changing. I hope a day will come when we won’t have to fight to be considered as worthy of praise and love as anyone else. I stand before you full of hope that, perhaps, we will live to see the day when there will be equal rights for all. Thank you.”

Thunderous applause meets his declaration, filling his heart with warmth and he smiles to the audience one last time before he ushers out to get backstage.

There is someone talking to him, probably telling him he has to wait here until the ad break before he gets back to his seat for the last awards but Magnus can’t hear them. His ears are ringing and all he wants is to leap up and down in excitement.

He feels a hand on his shoulder and he spins around.

Magnus doesn’t give Alec the time to understand what is going on and all but bounces at his neck, careful not to let go of his Oscar, and pulls him into a bone-crushing hug. Alec cradles him into his arms, pressing a kiss against his temple.

“Alec,” Magnus chokes out against his ear.

“I told you you’d win,” Alec replies in a ushered tone, his mouth brushing against Magnus’ temple. “There are cameras pointed at us.”

“I don’t care,” Magnus says, pulling him closer. “Thank you so much.”

“Don’t thank me,” Alec mutters, his voice wavering with emotion, fingers dancing along Magnus’ back. “I did nothing.”

Magnus snorts in disbelief and finally pulls back, sending him a pointed glare. “I’ll make a list of all the things you didn’t do for me once; it’ll be quicker than the other way around,” he says. “For starters, I don’t think you ever killed anyone.”

“Maybe you just don’t know about it,” Alec retorts, wiggling his eyebrows.

“You’re a dork.”

Magnus wants to kiss that dork more than he has ever wanted to kiss anyone in his life. It takes all of his self control and more not to do so.

“Come on,” Alec says, his eyes shifting away. “Get back to your seat. I’ll meet you afterwards for the interviews.”

Magnus nods wordlessly, somehow speechless.

“Hey, Alec?” he calls out as the taller man is already walking away toward the press point.

Alec whirls around, rising an eyebrow inquisitively.

“Can I change my name on my business card to Magnus “Academy Award Freaking Winner” Bane?”

Alec laughs, utterly happy and carefree and shakes his head. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“I knew there was a reason why I pay you so handsomely, your glorious butt aside.”

Alec throws him an unimpressed glare and flips him off.

Magnus thinks he will never stop smiling.

It becomes purely impossible when Double Edge wins Best Picture.

.

Alec is watching from aside as Magnus all but nails his post-award press conference. His repartees are witty but respectful, clever and thoughtful and he has the entire room wrapped around his little finger in the split of a second.

His smile hasn’t left his face and he looks positively gorgeous, his grin lighting up the whole room.

It’s in those moments that Alec is reminded why he fell in love with Magnus in the first place. It’s in those smiles and the way his eyes shine with pure happiness. Alec’s heart has been throbbing in his chest ever since Tessa announced Magnus as the winner and he knows it isn’t going to get back to a normal rhythm any time soon.

Alec rushes outside as the conference comes to an end and he barely has the time to lean against a wall to gather his breath and savour his short-lived break before a scornful voice comes to his left and his blood freezes in his veins.

“It’s great to see him so happy, isn’t it?”

Of all Magnus’ relationships Alec has had to suffer through, the one with Camille has been the worst. One, because Magnus had been so utterly in love with her that Alec had considered quitting for the entire year it lasted in order to protect his own heart. He hadn’t, though, because the thought of leaving Magnus for someone else to take care of had been unbearable at the time. And because he had known from the start that Camille was going to break his heart. Two, because she indeed had and Alec had been the one to pick up the remaining pieces of Magnus’ heart to pull them back together.

Their relationship had been as broadcasted as relationships between co-stars always are but this had been even worse. Camille had already been insanely famous while Magnus was just starting to touch the idea of fame. Their relationship had been good for his career, had allowed him to be thrown unto the scrutiny of a wider audience but it had been an infernal disaster.

There aren’t many people that Alec truly hates. Hatred is not something that comes easily to him but Camille, oh Camille he hates. He hates her because of what she did to Magnus and because of what she still represents for him.

He knows, deep down, that Magnus is probably still in love with her, will always be and this is a thought that sometimes keeps him awake at night, when he ponders on his feelings and the impossible dream of a deeper relationship between them.

“Yeah,” he grits out through clenched teeth, “it’s great.”

“And his speech was amazing,” Camille goes on without missing a beat, levelling him with a predatory glance that roots him to the spot.

Alec knows there is nothing truthful about her praise but he can’t tell her. This is the way things work in Hollywood. You endure hypocrisy every day but you don’t do anything about it because this is how this apparatus has always functioned and probably always will.

“I can’t believe he still has you around,” she adds with a wry laugh, full of disdain and mockery. “You’d think that now that he is a superstar, he’d get a top-notch, experienced agent and not a child.”

There it is, the mask falling off to reveal her true persona.

“Well, Magnus is loyal but I suppose this is something you would know nothing about,” Alec retorts, sending her a wry gaze.

Camille snickers, throwing her head backwards and sending her long brown hair over her shoulders.

“I know you serve him as a guard dog but no need to bite, Alexander, we both want the same thing.”

There is something so different from Magnus in the way that she utters his name, like a prey she wants to choke in the sly clutch of her claws. Camille is a snake and it shows in the simple way she pronounces his name.

She is right on one thing, however, and that is that they both want the same thing. Magnus.

He blows out a sigh and runs a hand through his already disheveled hair.

“What do you want, Camille?” he asks tiredly. He has had a great night, he doesn’t want to let it be ruined by Magnus’ evil ex-girlfriend.

“Merely to know to which after-party Magnus is going to,” she replies with a coy grin, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. She looks almost innocent, but Alec isn’t fooled for a second. “I thought this could be an occasion for us to… reconnect.”

“Leave him alone,” Alec hissed, crossing his arms over his chest because he isn’t sure he will be able to refrain from strangling her otherwise.

Camille laughs again, loud and cheerful. “Oh, Alexander,” she mutters, a devilish smirk tugging at her lips. “After all these years? You’re still in love with him?”

Alec opens his mouth to answer but the words don’t come out so he shuts it again, cursing inwardly at his inability to form a witty comeback.

“Darling,” she says, reaching out to pat his chest, “we both know that if he shared your feelings, something would have happened in all the years you’ve known each other.” He wants to grab her wrist and break it but that would cause more trouble than she is worth. “Don’t take away his chance at happiness because it doesn’t happen to be with you.”

“f*ck you,” he snaps and her grin broadens wickedly.

“Alexander!” Magnus’ voice chimes from the side. He hasn’t seen Camille yet and Alec wishes she would just disappear. “Izzy texted me and they are going to the Vanity Fair after-party. Should we share a limo with them?”

Magnus’ features decompose as he reaches Alec and catches sight of Camille.

She grins at him. “Magnus, congratulations.”

Magnus nods. “Thanks, Camille,” he mumbles and Alec tells himself he only accepts the hug she tugs him in because of the cameras that could be recording around them.

Magnus pulls back quickly.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you there,” Camille quips with a playful wink.

The past few months have been great. Magnus hasn't dated anyone in a while and Alec had been able to selfishly keep him to himself. If Magnus is going to get back with Camille… he isn't sure he can take it.

It's not like Alec has never dated himself. He has. He has had fairly serious relationships that always end up into a crashing disaster after a while. Usually, the reason is that he spends too much time working and when he’s not, thinking about his work, or Magnus, the two of them being easily intertwined when it comes to his life anyway.

Basically, the reason is always Magnus.

He doesn't remember the last time someone broke up with him without uttering the name Magnus over and over again in an accusing tone.

The problem with being an actor’s PA slash agent is that it is a full-time job that goes far beyond weekdays. Sometimes it goes on in the weekends. Sometimes in the middle of the night.

Alec doesn't know how to say no to Magnus, not when it should matter if he was trying to hold a relationship together. He hasn't even really tried, because he has long accepted the fact that his feelings for Magnus are stronger than anything he has ever felt for anyone - and irremediable - and that Magnus will always come first.

It’s a burden and he wished it could be different but he accepted the fatality of it a long time ago.

Seeing Camille right now, her characteristic devilishness still pregnant in her eyes, is a painful reminder of all of this. All he wishes he could have and can’t. All the vain hopes he has gathered throughout the years. All the buried pains and fake smiles.

Magnus can’t go back with her.

Alec has endured a year of their toxic relationship. He can’t do it again.

He’d rather have him go back to any of his exes but Camille.

Perhaps it’s also because Camille had somehow always known about Alec’s feelings for Magnus and had taken a malicious pleasure in kissing him with far more tongue than necessary whenever Alec was around, or to conveniently sit on his lap even though there was plenty of room to sit. She had enjoyed claiming an oblivious Magnus as her territory as much as Alec had loathed it.

So yeah, he hates Camille.

She awakens in him sensations he’d rather keep buried: jealousy, anger, defeatism.

Sometimes, he wishes he had never met Magnus. It’s always a fleeting thought. It never lasts long enough to really get impregnated in his brain, but sometimes, even for a second, he does. Alec cherishes Magnus’ friendship deeply, wholeheartedly, but there are times, as ephemeral as they are, where it doesn’t seem worth the pain.

It takes one of Magnus’ blinding smiles, bawdy jokes or caring attentions to make him forget all about his qualms.

Sometimes, Alec wishes he still had a semblance of willpower when it comes to Magnus.

“Alec, darling?”

Alec shakes his head, going back to a reality he isn’t sure he truly wants to evolve in, an endless circle of false dreams and buoyant hopes.

“Vanity Fair?” Magnus inquires with a smile.

Alec merely shrugs. “Sure,” he mutters. “It’s your night. You pick.”

“Vanity Fair it is,” Magnus exclaims, beaming, and Alec feels instantly better.

This needs to stop.

.

There is a wave of congratulating applause when they walk into the room where the Vanity Fair after-party is held and Magnus feels his cheeks blush in spite of himself.

He has come to realize, by now, that everything that happened tonight wasn’t just a dream but the wonderfully exciting reality he lives in.

(Maybe it helped that Alec, Tessa and Jem kept telling him exactly that on their way to Sunset Strip. He might have played the candid card just to hear them say it again. He just won an Oscar. Sue him.)

Isabelle and Jace ended up leaving before them so they caught up with Tessa and Jem before heading to the party.

Alec has been in a weird mood ever since he caught him talking to Camille on his way out of the press room. He looks genuinely happy for Magnus - and Magnus doesn’t doubt for a second that he is - but there is something in his eyes that he is desperately trying to conceal. Magnus knows him too well not to notice but he also knows him too well to call him out on it. That would most likely end up in a fight, because Alec likes talking about his feelings as much as he likes Titanic. Which is not at all.

It’s stupid, Magnus. They totally could have squeezed on that door. She let him die!

Magnus can almost hear his voice in his head. He has tried time and time again to explain to him that it is supposed to be a romantic end, but Alec just doesn’t want to understand.

Magnus barely has the time to gulp down a flute of champagne before he is attacked by a mess of dark hair and a pair of bone-crushing arms around his neck.

“I’m so proud of you!” Isabelle yells in his ear and he laughs, happy and carefree.

Now that she is up close, he can see that she looks absolutely stunning, her white dress trimmed with a gold pattern that matches her pendant and earrings. Her lips are painted a deep red and she plants a loud kiss to his cheek and immediately wipes the mark off, her grin so wide that Magnus feels even prouder to have won just because it put that smile on her face.

“Thanks for the help back there,” he quips playfully, sending her a wink.

Isabelle doesn’t have the time to answer because a strong hand slaps Magnus’ shoulder.

“Congrats, man,” Jace exclaims and for once, there is no smirk on his face, only a genuine grin. “It was long overdue.”

Magnus feels his heart flutter in his chest, warmth spreading in his heart at the knowledge that somehow, he managed to find a family here. Like most things in his life, he can’t help but think that Alec certainly has something to do with this as well.

He didn't lie. He truly doesn't know what he would do without Alec, is awfully afraid of finding out.

“Come on, Magnus “Academy Award Freaking Winner” Bane,” Alec chimes in, laying a hand on his shoulder, “there are plenty of people in here waiting for their turn to congratulate you. You can start parading around the room now.”

Isabelle pouts, sending her brother a disappointed glance. “Alec, don’t be such a buzz kill,” she whines. “I promised Magnus I’d buy him a bottle of champagne if he won.

“A bottle?” Alec echoes, quirking an eyebrow at her. “Don’t you mean a flute?”

Isabelle scoffs, leveling him with a pointed glare. “No, I mean a bottle.”

“Did you make all of us promise to buy you a bottle of champagne?” Jace asks, narrowing his eyes at Magnus dubiously.

“Okay,” Magnus exclaims dramatically. He would clap his hands for effect but there is a golden statuette in one of them and there is no way he lets go of it anytime soon. “People to see, alcohol to drink, praises to listen to.” He holds up his Oscar. “And I have to show off that little guy,” he adds, punctuating it with a conceited smirk. “I’ll see you all later.”

He walks away with all the grace and aplomb he can muster, feeling like the luckiest man in the world.

.

“Have you been on Twitter?”

Alec pushes off the wall he is leaning against to glance at his little sister. He realizes just now that he hasn’t even taken his phone out since they entered the Dolby Theatre hours ago.

He has been too preoccupied, first with worrying about Magnus, then with being incredibly happy on his behalf and now by Camille's words swimming in his mind in a never ending loop.

“No. Why?”

“You should,” Isabelle tells him, and her lips are pulled into a slight grimace that immediately makes something uneasy tighten in his stomach.

“What?” he asks. “Are they giving him sh*t because of his speech? Is it because of the equal rights thing?”

Isabelle shakes her head. “No, they absolutely love him, and his speech,” she replies carefully.

“Izzy, what is it?” Alec insists, reaching into his pocket to get his phone out, his movements frantic and nervous.

“Well, they loved him and his speech,” she repeats and there is a wariness in her tone that does nothing to tame the wild beating of his heart. “And they also are fighting to decide if he should get back with Camille or… if he’s dating you.”

Alec’s mouth drops open and his eyes widen in an expression that he is sure would be whimsical if it wasn’t for the absolute shock he is experiencing.

He opens one of his ghost account on Twitter and, warily, types in Magnus’ name, immediately going to the live feed.

He skips the articles that are just an enumeration of all the winners of the night and even the ones that are fully centered on Magnus, although he makes a quick mental note to check them all out in the morning, and sure enough, there it is.

Now, Alec knows how intense the Internet can be, and even more Magnus’ fanbase but this is a whole new level of crazy.

His heart tightens at the sight of the picture of Magnus and Camille hugging backstage and then starts making loops in his chest because there is his own face plastered through the feed between two pictures of “Banecourt” with captions that makes him want to set himself on fire right here and then. That would make an excellent story for the morning papers.

@chairman_bane One day, I want someone to look at me the way Magnus’ PA looks at him. *dead*

Alec would have chuckled at the username -- Magnus’ fans seem to love his cat just as much as Magnus himself does -- if it wasn’t for the content of the tweet. And the picture that accompanies it.

It’s a picture of Magnus on the red carpet during his interview with Aline. His mouth is opened like he is in the middle of answering a question -- and yet, he is still magnificent -- but what really catches Alec’s eye is himself. He is standing next to Magnus, on the side but not far enough to be hidden from the field of vision and he is looking at Magnus.

And sh*t, he had no idea he was being so obvious.

Is this the way he always look like when he is staring at Magnus? Like Magnus holds the answers to the world's every mystery? Like he is a ray of sunshine creeping through the clouds after weeks of rainy days?

It goes against all of his primary instincts but Alec keeps scrolling.

@blingandbane Magnus and his PA holding back tears during his speech. I CAN’T BREATHE.

That makes two of us, Alec thinks bitterly.

@magnusbiceps @blingandbane Are they a thing? Can they be a thing? Pretty please?

People on the Internet are f*cking weird. Alec ponders on the username just long enough to fathom that Magnus does indeed have nice biceps but then again, Alec thinks Magnus has a nice everything and apparently, everyone knows he does.

“f*ck,” he mutters under his breath. “f*ck, f*ck, f*ck.”

Isabelle shifts to peek at the phone over his shoulder, leaning her cheek against it, her hand rubbing soothing circles on his back.

@daddymaggyb I hope Magnus is tapping that. I mean, I totally wouldn’t blame him if he was.

@daddymaggyb I might blame him if he isn’t, though, because damn, boy!

“That’s a compliment,” Isabelle chimes in, tilting her head to the side. “I think.”

“This is a disaster,” Alec breathes out as yet another tweet praising “Banecourt” flashes before his eyes.

The hashtag #relationshipgoals precedes an old picture of Magnus and Camille holding hands, sunglasses on both their noses, looking every bit like the power couple they had appeared to be. Alec hesitates between laughing - because if this is anyone’s relationship goals, they need to review their standards - and throwing up.

He clicks his phone off, running a hand at the nape of his neck.

“f*ck.”

“Relax,” Isabelle whispers, grabbing both his arms in a strong grip. “It’s okay.”

“No,” Alec counters, shaking his head firmly. “It’s not. They know. Everyone knows. Izzy. What if he reads them?”

“Alec,” Isabelle murmurs. “They’re joking. They don’t believe what they say themselves.”

Alec snorts and glares at her, even though he knows she has nothing to do with this. “Yes, Izzy,” he snaps, voice heavy with sarcasm. “The Internet never goes overboard with these things. Never. You’re right.”

“Right now, the only one going overboard with this is you,” Isabelle retorts heatedly and he immediately feels bad for snapping at her.

“Sorry,” he mumbles. “I don't mean it against you but - sh*t - Izzy, everyone is going to know. sh*t. Mom -”

“Really, Alec?” Isabelle interrupts, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly. “You realize everyone already knows, right? Including Mom.”

It feels like a slap to the face and his heart leaps to his throat immediately, the air knocked out of his lungs in the spur of a second.

“W-What?”

Isabelle stares in bewilderment at him for a long moment before she blows out a deep sigh.

Isabelle has always known, from the start. She knows him better than anyone else, sometimes better than Alec knows himself and it took her about two seconds to figure out that he had feelings for Magnus, and the depth of these feelings.

But to think that she wasn’t the only one, that everyone else knows too...

Alec feels like a farce. Like the bad victim of a joke that is funny to everyone else but him.

Does Magnus know? Has he been making fun of him behind his back all this time?

Deep down, he knows that is impossible. Magnus would never.

And yet, doubt is already creeping and settling in his mind. Alec needs to get out of here.

“Alec, it’s okay,” Isabelle repeats softly, sending him a contrite smile that does nothing to reassure him. “Go talk to him.”

“What good is that going to do?” Alec grits out through clenched teeth. “I would lose him, Izzy. Even if I don’t have him like- like I wish I could have him --” Admitting it out loud leaves an odd sensation at the back of his mind, like something has just been unlocked in his brain but where everything should become suddenly clear, it seems like nothing makes sense anymore. “-- I can’t lose him,” he finishes in a whisper. “Even if I have to bury these feelings until it kills me, I can’t lose his friendship.”

Isabelle snaps and she huffs out in exasperation, smacking him behind the head. Alec swallows a pained moan, because it would please her too much.

“You f*cking idiot,” she exclaims, although she somehow manages to keep her voice down and too low for prying ears, “he loves you too.”

Alec’s first instinct is to deny it, or to tell Izzy to stop making fun of him but Izzy would never be so cruel. Instead, he ponders on her words.

What if they’re true? What if Magnus shares his feelings and they lost years dancing around each other when they could have been dancing with each other instead?

There are too many questions swirling in his mind and somehow, he knows the answers to all of them lay with Magnus.

As much as Isabelle seems confident in her affirmation, he won’t be sure of anything unless he talks to Magnus.

“f*ck it,” Alec mutters under his breath. “I’m going to talk to him.”

Isabelle bounces up and down on her feet, clapping her hands enthusiastically.

“Go smooch the hell out of that man,” she yawps.

He tries to roll his eyes but it is belied by the grin slowing growing on his face, bringing the corner of his lips up. He nods with a confidence he is sure will deflate as soon as he will be faced with Magnus and spins around, scanning the room with his eyes.

Magnus is nowhere to be seen so he starts venturing through the room, squirming his way in and out the sea of people chattering happily, most of them intoxicated enough that they don’t even notice him elbowing his way through the crowd.

He finds Magnus by the back entrance that leads to the seaside and his heart leaps in his chest before crushing altogether, the hope that had been slowly building dissolving in an instant when he sees that he isn’t alone.

Camille is there too, a hand on Magnus’ chest, way too close for it to be innocent, and Alec waits for one second, two seconds, three to see if Magnus pushes her away but he doesn’t and his confidence deflates indeed, but not for the reasons he had, somehow, hoped for.

Alec sighs and Camille’s eyes jerk up to bore straight into his own. She smirks, throwing him a wink and Alec turns around and leaves before he can give her the satisfaction of witnessing his crestfallen expression. Seeing as apparently he is so obvious about his feelings, there is no way her snake eyes wouldn’t perceive it.

Tessa catches him right before he can get out and he curses under his breath.

“You’re leaving?” she asks, like the answer isn’t completely evident.

He nods, not sure he can trust his voice right now.

Tessa frowns and glances over her shoulder. “Where’s Magnus?”

“Magnus is busy celebrating his big win,” Alec replies, far too conscious of how petulant he sounds. “I’m sure he’ll be able to restrain himself from doing anything stupid without me to chaperon him for a night. Or doing someone stupid,” he adds after a beat, his voice filled with venom he can’t hold back.

Tessa seems equally surprised and apologetic and realization dawns on him as he observes her.

“You know too,” he murmurs. “Is there anyone who doesn’t know?” he asks, louder, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation.

“Alec -”

“No,” he snaps, cutting short what he is sure to be an evasive apology. “f*ck this. f*ck all of this,” he growls, gesturing broadly to the room behind her.

He doesn’t wait for an answer, his long legs making it impossible for her to keep up, especially when she is wearing a dress that seems even less practical than the one she wore at the ceremony, all tight material and intricate pale laces.

Alec jumps into the first taxi that he finds and shoots a quick text to Isabelle to tell her that he is tired and on his way home, painfully aware that he is going to suffer through one of her typical questionings the next day.

The Twitter icon seems to be staring right back at him defiantly and he opens it before he can dissuade himself. It opens directly to the page he had left opened before.

@bane_hoe So, can we all agree that Magnus’ PA is completely in love with him? Lucky boy.

“f*ck you,” Alec tells his phone, barely suppressing the urge to reply just that to all of them. “And f*ck Magnus Bane,” he adds under his breath.

The taxi driver is clearly leering at him through the rear-view mirror, a slightly worried look in his eyes but Alec is far beyond caring.

@banecourt_rises @bane_hoe Magnus clearly belongs with Camille, though.

“And f*ck you too,” he concludes, switching his phone off before he ends up throwing it out of the window to be crushed by the following car.

.

“So, how do you plan on celebrating?” Camille purrs, far too close to him for comfort.

Magnus squirms away discreetly, craning his neck to look for a familiar acquaintance. He could pretend he is looking for anyone but truthfully, he is looking for Alec.

He hasn't seen his PA for hours, ever since they separated at the entrance and he is starting to feel the inconvenient - but sadly habitual - urge to be near him. It is impossibly stupid, that he could miss him when he last talked to him a couple of hours ago but he does.

He just wanted to celebrate the best night of his life with his favorite person in the world.

“Maybe we could celebrate together,” Camille goes on, not even bothering to hide the seductive edge of her tone.

Instead, he is stuck with Camille. Magnus has been trying to get rid of her for at least half an hour but she is tenacious like the true parasite that she is.

Magnus doesn't reply, still desperately scanning the crowd.

“Magnus, dear, are you listening to me?”

“No,” he replies bluntly. “Have you seen Alec?”

Camille scoffs indignantly and something like anger flashes in her eyes. “I'm offering you the perspective of a great night, maybe even more, and you're worried about your guard dog?”

Magnus freezes, turning to face her with eyes full of fury.

“What did you just call him?” he grits out, sharp as a knife.

“Your guard dog,” Camille repeats because her survival instincts are apparently abysmal. “You know, always following you everywhere, looking at you like you’re the hand feeding him while you're barely giving him crumbs to cram on.”

“What the f*ck are you talking about?” Magnus snaps, his remaining patience vanishing into thin air.

“Your Alexander,” Camille drawls, in a poor imitation of him. “The puppy you keep around because he probably reminds you that at least someone loves you. That must be hard for him, to watch you go from a relationship to another when he is so clearly in love with you. Unrequited love is a bitch. Or so I've heard.”

Magnus hears the words coming out of her despicable mouth but it is like she speaks in a foreign language. He can't quite grasp the meaning behind them.

“And still, he stays by your side like a faithful dog,” she adds with an amused smile, looking up at him like she expects him to share her mirth.

Magnus stares and stares some more until her words start making sense in his head and then, his heart misses a beat and his mouth drops open.

Camille catches his expression, surely a mask of pure, unabashed shock, and smirks.

“Seriously, Magnus?” she taunts and her anger has disappeared to be replaced by pure mirth now. “Are you that dense?”

Magnus has to get away from here right about now, but first, he has something he needs to get off his chest.

“I don’t like you, Camille,” he says with devastating simplicity. “There is a reason why you don’t have many friends and you feel compelled to ruin other people’s lives to give yours a purpose. You’re a bad person and everyone in Hollywood knows it. The media might still love you today but someday, this is going to change like it always does and you’ll be left alone with the knowledge that you wouldn’t be anywhere if it wasn’t for your fans. And even they are going to abandon you one day because you treat them like sh*t even though you owe them everything.” He pauses, taking a step back. “I don’t keep Alec around because he loves me. I am grateful for everyday he chooses to stay by my side because I love him. I already loved him when I was dating you.”

Camille scoffs in both indignation and disbelief. “Please,” she huffs out. “You were devastated when I left you.”

“I broke up with you,” Magnus corrects, shaking his head in exasperation at her nerves, “because you cheated on me. And I wasn’t devastated because you had betrayed me, I just realized that no matter how hard I tried, I was still in love with him.” He levels her with an impassible glare, internally revelling in the way her nostrils are shifting with anger. It makes her look like a bull and Magnus thinks the mental comparison is quite accurate. “You give yourself way too much credit, Camille. You always have.”

“You love me,” she hisses.

Magnus could be surprised at her attempt at deciding his own feelings for him but this is nothing new.

“I loved the idea of you,” Magnus retorts. “What you could have been. A way-out.”

She looks like she is about to lose it and jump at his throat to strangle him.

Magnus smirks and takes a step closer, pointing a menacing finger at her. “I don’t care that you cheated on me, Camille. I got over it fairly quickly. Actually, I don’t care what you could do to me or say about me or even think about me. But insult Alec one more time and I will destroy you. I know a few journalists that would love to know why our relationship truly came to an end. Insult him again and I’ll make sure they do. I will dismantle your farce of a public image piece by piece until people have no other choice but to see past the overall exterior and unfold the truth for what it is: you’re ugly inside.”

He takes a moment to properly watch her hands balled with wrath, her upper lip twitching, her dark eyes full of disdain and he wonders how he ever could have found her attractive. Objectively, she is. She’s beautiful, even, but she is rotten inside to the point where it makes all her physical appeals become irrelevant.

Magnus feels stupid for ever believing he could get over Alec with her. She can’t even hope to come close to him.

“I have to go,” he says slowly. “Enjoy the rest of your night, Camille. And the rest of your life. I’m going to go do just that.”

He walks away before she can answer because he knows that if this conversation goes on any longer, they are likely to cause a scene and Alec would kill him.

Alec. He needs to talk to Alec.

He scans the room for a mop of rumpled dark hair but he can’t find Alec anywhere and usually, Alec is the easiest person to spot in a room (because of his height, not only because Magnus is irremediably attracted to him and always manages to ogle him somehow). Magnus normally has an Alec radar that allows him to find him no matter where he is in a room but right now, Alec is nowhere to be found and Magnus’ heart is slowly sinking.

Maybe he just drank too much champagne. Alec wouldn’t have left without telling him.

Eventually, he catches sight of Isabelle, Jace and Clary, who are snickering by the buffet, their reddened cheeks betraying their level of intoxication.

Magnus pushes his way to them, with less difficulty than earlier into the night. It’s already quite late and many people have long gone home.

“Magnus!” the three of them exclaim in a same voice when he reaches them.

He doesn’t have the time to open his mouth that Isabelle punches his shoulder with such strength that he yelps in both surprise and pain.

“What the hell?” he exclaims, looking at her with wide eyes.

“What did you do to Alec?” she asks and it would sound far more threatening if her speech wasn’t slurred by alcohol.

“I did nothing,” Magnus replies with a frown. “I’m actually looking for him.”

“He left an hour ago, dumbass,” Isabelle says and she goes to punch him again but he swiftly avoids the blow. She pouts. “You broke his heart. Again.”

“W-What?”

“Alec loves Magnus and Magnus loves Alec,” Jace sums up for him, reaching out to pat his shoulder sloppily, “and everyone knows it but Magnus and Alec.”

“That would make such a good movie,” Clary quips from the side. “I need to pitch it to Simon.”

Simon is Clary’s best friend and Isabelle’s husband. He’s also an award-winning scriptwriter. The reason why he wasn’t here tonight is because he is working on the new Star Wars movies. That’s all they’ve heard about for months and Magnus is genuinely glad to have him gone for a few weeks because if he had to go through another of his hours-long speeches about the greatness of Princess Leia, he would have snapped. Simon is... something else.

“What are you talking about?” Magnus inquires, figuring ignoring Clary is probably wise for now.

“Seriously?” Isabelle sighs, exasperated. “I thought you knew and you were trying to protect your friendship or something… But you’re just stupid.”

“So stupid,” Jace agrees with a nod.

“Okay, you evil siblings, what is going on?” Magnus snaps, leveling them both with a murderous glare. They don’t seem very impressed.

“Alec is in love with you, dumbass,” Isabelle exclaims, throwing her hands up in the air. “Everyone knows it. How can you ignore it?”

“Magnus, we love you and all,” Jace adds, and Magnus knows the only reason why he does is because he is drunk, “but you’re f*cking dumb.”

“Thanks guys,” he replies ironically. “I think you’ve said that already and I understood the first time.”

“Even the Internet knows it,” Isabelle concludes with a sigh and nothing makes sense anymore.

Alec has never even tried anything. He doesn’t even flirt back with Magnus. When Magnus reaches out to touch him, a friendly, innocent touch, he always stiffens before he seems to recognize the familiar brush and relax. They are both comfortable enough around each other to share casual touches, but Alec is always the one to, subconsciously or not, set up limits that Magnus would much rather smash all together.

This makes no sense. But first Camille, and now Jace and Isabelle…

He needs to talk to Alec.

“I have to go,” he breathes out.

“Go be an idiot somewhere else,” Jace slurs, slapping his hand on his shoulder. “Congratulations, man. On the Oscar. Not the downright stupidity.”

Magnus rolls his eyes. “Thanks, Jace.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow morning,” Isabelle says. “Or afternoon,” she adds after reflection. “I probably will spend the morning nursing my hangover.”

Magnus chuckles and plants a kiss to her forehead before rushing towards the exit. He stops to talk to Tessa first.

“Tess, I’m leaving,” he tells him, scrambling to get the words out as quick as possible. “You’re okay to get back or do you want to share the car with me?”

“I’m fine,” Tessa replies with a frown. “Have you talked to Alec?”

“I’m on my way to do just that,” Magnus says, lifting an eyebrow in surprise. “Why?”

“You should talk to him,” Tessa says enigmatically, punctuating her declaration with a stern nod.

Magnus doesn’t question it any further. Instead, he kisses her cheek and leaves to get his jacket back from the locker room. He’s jumping in the car and blurting out Alec’s address to the driver a moment later.

Alec’s place is in the same street as Magnus’, barely four houses away, because their lives are so intertwined together that they even had to live next to each other. Magnus has to agree that maybe Isabelle and Jace were right. Maybe he was stupid to think that was a completely platonic thing to do. He has a key to Alec’s place. He isn’t sure that’s a normal thing between friends. Or if it is, it isn’t between Alec and him.

It’s a twenty-five minutes drive to get there and Magnus takes the opportunity to get his phone out of his pocket. He hasn't touched it yet, even when Alec gave it back to him after the ceremony and as soon as he switches it on, it starts vibrating in his hand, small tremors until it turns into one long pulsation, the notifications accumulating on his screen.

Magnus waits patiently until the trembling stops and opens his text messages. He scrolls past the congratulatory messages, except for Catarina’s (Don’t listen to Raphael, this idiot made me stay up after my shift only because he wanted to watch you win. Your speech was sappy, by the way. Congratulations. Love you.), and thus Raphael’s (I knew Hollywood was corrupted. I can’t believe they gave that award to you. Ps: You metaphorically sucked Alec’s dick in front of the world but not a word for me? I’m going to remember this, Bane.).

Magnus chuckles under his breath, shooting a quick “He’s just jealous. Thank you. Love you too.” to Catarina and a “f*ck you, Santiago. Ps: I’m on my way to not metaphorically suck that dick right now. Love you too.” to Raphael.

He keeps scrolling but there’s nothing from Alec so he skips the rest of his text messages and opens Twitter. The amount of notifications is honestly scary but he reads as much as he can, liking a few congratulatory tweets that are particularly well-thought or witty.

He freezes, though, when he comes across another type of tweet.

@bane_hoe @magnusbane Magnus, we need answers.

So do I, he thinks, chewing on his bottom lip.

The tweet is linked to a thread of comments about him and Alec, most of them are just interrogations but some are already speculating on how long Alec and him have been together. There is a picture of Alec and him on the red carpet earlier, while he was being interviewed by Aline and Magnus has to wonder if this is really the way Alec looks at him when Magnus is not looking. If it is, maybe he isn’t wrong to let the dim shade of hope grow in his chest.

@banesoscar Can you believe @magnusbane’s PA invented being in love with Magnus?

Magnus congratulates them mentally for the username, because that was damn quick.

@banecourtshipper @magnusbane and @camillebelcourt hugging backstage, I’m alive. My ship sails.

Magnus grimaces. “Ugh,” he can’t help but mutter disbelievingly under his breath. “Really?”

@glitterandbane @banecourtshipper @magnusbane @camillebelcourt That ships died three years ago, dude. Let Malec live so we can all die.

Malec. He likes the sound of that.

His thumb hovers above the like button but he quickly realizes that that would just pour oil on an already blazing fire. Instead, he shuts his screen dark and leans into his seat, shutting his eyes for just a second.

His Oscar is heavy in his hand but it doesn’t feel like such an accomplishment anymore, not when he hasn’t been able to celebrate it properly with the only person he wants to celebrate with.

He opens them again when the driver stops in front of Alec’s house and Magnus takes a deep breath, thanks the man and gets out of the car. The lights are still on in spite of the late hour of the night and Magnus takes the steps to the front door slowly, carefully rehearsing a speech in his head.

I didn’t know. I love you. Can we just have sex already because the years of sexual frustration have killed me enough as it is?

That sounds like a plan, he tells himself with an approving nod.

With his confidence boosted, he knocks on the door. Usually, he would just let himself in but it is half past three in the morning and Alec is trained in all kind of martial arts, so he doesn’t want to end up getting knocked out if Alec thinks he is a burglar. He also needs the time to compose himself.

The wait is agonizing but when he finally hears the sounds of steps padding towards the door, he isn’t sure what really is agonizing, the wait or the fact that he is about to jump straight into untold danger without a parachute.

Alec opens the door and Magnus forgets how to breathe all together.

“Magnus?” he utters, his lips parted in surprise. “What are you doing here? And since when do you knock?”

Alec is barefoot and he discarded his suit for a casual outfit, sweatpants and a loose t-shirt that emphasizes the broadness of his glorious body. Magnus thinks it is quite unfair that he can look as hot as he does now than he did when he was wearing a thousand-dollars suit.

Magnus almost drops his Oscar. Almost.

He clears his throat, shaking his head to clear his mind of purely sinful thoughts. “We- We need to talk,” he murmurs.

Alec freezes, his hold tightening on the door but he quickly recovers, stepping away to let Magnus in.

Magnus has been inside Alec’s house more times than he can count but somehow, it feels like he is stepping on a new territory that is begging to be discovered and explored.

“Drink?” Alec asks absently, already padding his way to the kitchen.

Magnus follows him and puts his Oscar - his freaking Oscar - on the kitchen table. “Mmh,” he mumbles. “We haven’t celebrated properly together.”

“I don’t have any champagne,” Alec tells him, scrutinizing his fridge’s content with a disapproving pout. “Wine?”

Magnus nods and goes to the cupboard to get two glasses out while Alec opens the bottle. They make their way to the patio without another word and Magnus hates how uncomfortable he feels right now.

No matter what happens tonight, Alec is still his best friend and that’s not likely to change any time soon.

“You didn’t tell me you were leaving,” Magnus says slowly, weighing his following words in his head. There is clearly something bothering Alec and he doesn’t want to upset him any further.

“You were busy,” Alec replies lowly, handing him a glass. “With Camille.”

He sounds completely detached, like he always does. Composed, unaffected.

But now that Magnus knows where to look, he sees the reality behind Alec’s façade. His jaw flexes faintly and he rubs his middle finger and his thumb together nervously.

Alec is jealous. The realization fills Magnus with both warmth and dread. The idea that Alec could be jealous because of Magnus is oddly appealing but behind the mask, he seems miserable and Magnus hates anything and anyone that can make Alec unhappy. Right now, he hates himself.

“About that-” he mutters, eager to push any wrong assumptions out of Alec’s mind, but Alec doesn’t let him finish.

“I quit.”

Magnus shuts his mouth abruptly and swallows past the lump in his throat, in vain.

Surely, he heard it wrong.

“I can’t do this anymore,” Alec says, rushing the words out, like he is ripping off a bandage, like he had them stuck in his throat for years and he finally found the courage to get them out.

“W-What?” Magnus breathes out. “You can’t quit.”

He is pretty sure he actually can’t. They signed a contract. Alec is not allowed to leave Magnus. Ever.

Maybe he is slightly exaggerating but that’s what he read anyway, when Alec forced him to study the whole thing before he signed it.

Alec frowns. “I can, as long as I’m replaced by someone from the agency. My mom can take over. Or Lydia.”

He sounds so definite and Magnus doesn’t know what to do.

He went from cloud nine to six feet under in the split of a second.

“Why?” is the only thing that his chaotic mind can summon right now.

Alec doesn’t reply immediately. He opens his mouth and shuts it again, rubbing nervously at his eyebrow scar. Eventually, he heaves out a deep sigh and lets himself fall unceremoniously on the patio couch.

“I can’t do it anymore,” Alec murmurs and it sounds like he is mostly talking to himself.

It is quite heartbreaking, to witness the tight control Alec has always kept on all the things in his life, even Magnus, dismantle before his eyes. Alec is fighting to keep things from flying out of his grasp when he shouldn’t even have to fight in the first place.

“If you’re going back with Camille, I’ll help with the press release and all. I’ll stay for as long as Lydia, or whoever is replacing me, needs to get settle to working with you but then... Then I’m gone.”

“No,” Magnus says firmly, shaking his head.

As always, Alec has already thought everything out but for once, Alec is just being incredibly stupid.

Some day, Magnus promises himself that he will teach Alec the virtues of allowing himself to be selfish sometimes. Alec is always putting others first and it is going to be his downfall if he isn’t careful.

Alec huffs out a scornful laugh. “No?” he echoes harshly. “This isn’t your decision to make, Magnus.”

“No, that’s not what I m-”

“What do you want exactly?” Alec blurts out harshly, cutting short Magnus’ attempt at explaining how wrong he is. He shots up to his feet and starts pacing up and down the patio, gesturing broadly with the glass of wine in his hand. “Should I watch as you get back with Camille and she breaks your heart once again? I’m not doing that sh*t again, Magnus. I’m not picking up the pieces when we both know you are going to end up broken hearted.”

“I’m not -”

“Yes, you are,” Alec snaps, his voice rising with anger. “You always do that. You throw yourself in toxic relationships and then you come crying on my shoulder when it ends up in the disaster I told you it would be from the start!”

“Alexander -”

“And usually, I swallow my pride and… and everything else but this is Camille,” Alec goes on, not even bothering to hide the venom in his voice. “And -”

“Shut up!” Magnus yells and Alec obliges, his eyes widening in bewilderment. He blinks at Magnus.

Magnus wants to kiss the anger and the shock right off his face.

“I’m not getting back with Camille,” he says, lowering his voice.

Alec freezes, his pacing stopping abruptly and he blinks once more. “Oh,” he mutters sheepishly.

“Alexander,” Magnus continues, taking a long sip of his wine to ease his nerves. “If I ask you something, can you be completely honest with me?”

Alec doesn’t seem overly confident but he nods slowly, downing his glass in one gulp.

“Are you in love with me?”

.

Of all the ways Alec had pictured this night going, clearly, this wasn’t it.

How everything went to hell so quickly, he has no idea. He had thought that retreating in the safety of his own home for the rest of the night would save him from further embarrassment. And pain. Apparently, the universe has other plans for him.

f*ck you very much, universe.

Magnus is staring at him, impassible and expectant but Alec can’t give him an answer.

“Magnus, don’t do this to me,” he asks instead, painfully aware of the pleading edge of his tone.

He knows that this is as much of an answer than any spoken confession but as long as he doesn’t say the words out loud, they can still pretend he never did. They can stay friends and Alec doesn’t have to lose Magnus.

Magnus rises to his feet, setting his glass down on the floor next to the couch and he takes a wary step forward.

“Are you in love with me?” he asks again, his eyes boring straight into Alec’s.

He is still wearing his suit from the after-party but it is now rumpled by a long night. His makeup is a bit smudged, his eyeliner smeared under his eyes and his flawless hair is a bit disheveled, a few loose strands flopping over his forehead. He looks beautiful and Alec wants to run as far away and as quickly as possible.

“Please,” Alec whispers.

Magnus sighs and closes his eyes. His Adam’s apple shifts as he swallows difficulty and when he opens them again, the fondness in his gaze is almost too much for Alec.

“Okay,” Magnus says. “I’ll go first. I love you.”

Alec’s breath hitches in his throat and his heart jumps in his chest before going into overdrive, the rummaging beat so deafening to his own ears that he wonders inwardly if Magnus can hear it.

“I’m not going to tell you I’ve loved you from the start,” Magnus goes on, “because that would be a lie. I have loved you for years, though. I fell in love with you slowly, everyday a bit more and never less than the day before. And tonight, there was no one I wanted to celebrate with more than you.”

He pauses, takes a deep breath and Alec is torn between shutting him up by kissing him right then and letting him finish because he needs to hear what he has to say if he is going to believe it.

“Tonight, something quite extraordinary happened to me,” Magnus says softly. “I won an Oscar and yet the best news I heard all night was when Camille let it slip out that you might be in love with me too. Which was corroborated by your siblings, I might add, so I was quite confident about it being true. But now… Well, I’m not so confident anymore so please, Alexander, answer me. Are you in love with me?”

Alec could spend years pondering on Magnus’ words. On the impossibly tender edge of his voice. On the way his eyes shine with hope and, underneath, the silent plea that screams the words “please don’t break my heart, it’s yours, it’s been yours all along”.

Alec could make a joke about them being both idiots, about the time they have lost and the one they will win now, together. He could try -- and certainly fail -- to find words that would match Magnus’ heartfelt confession.

But Alec has never been good with words unless he has rehearsed them first and he was surely not prepared for this.

“Yes,” he says instead. “f*ck yes I am,” and he cradles Magnus’ face into his hands and smashes their mouths together.

And yeah, right then, maybe Alec understands Titanic a little bit better.

It all makes sense now, the desperation that can bring two people together, the unconditional passion that pushes away all rational thoughts and leaves nothing but the need for more, always more, everything that the other has to offer.

Because the passion between them, the way their lips fit perfectly together and they breathe together in each other’s mouth, this is what love stories that live through history are made of.

This is it. Magnus is it.

Magnus’ hands grab at his t-shirt, clutching the material in a strong grip and he pulls Alec closer, taking advantage of Alec’s tiny, needful gasp to push his tongue into his mouth.

Alec’s world explodes. How did he live before this?

Did he live at all before this?

This is how it feels, to dance with each other, to let their bodies melt together and abandon themselves wholly to one another.

This is pure, unaltered, wild passion.

This is just a kiss. The first one of surely many more to come. Alec could be afraid of how overwhelming it is and where things are going to go from here but he isn’t.

This is a jump in the void but Alec has never felt as brave and confident as he does now. It’s not scary at all because he loves Magnus, and Magnus loves him back, and really, it is just as simple as that.

Magnus somehow manages to get even closer, pushing his body flush against Alec’s and Alec’s brain forgets how to function, every coherent thought vanishing with the growing warmth down his body. Magnus slides his arms around his neck and moans into his mouth before pulling away, leaning his forehead against Alec’s cheek, his heavy breathing perfectly matching Alec’s own.

“I love you,” Alec breathes out, letting go of Magnus’ head to circle his waist with his arms instead. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Magnus replies, pressing a kiss against his jaw line.

And yes, it is fairly simple, how the years of pain evaporate with these words.

“Should we… take things slow?” Alec inquires, although there is nothing he wants less.

Magnus laughs and it’s oddly loud in the otherwise silent night, but it fills Alec with the same warmth that the kiss has already ignited.

“I think we took things slow enough,” he says, tearing himself away to look into Alec’s eyes. “I think we should have some celebratory sex right now.”

“Thank God,” Alec murmurs, pulling him in for another passionate kiss.

A wanton moan is all the warning he gets before Magnus leaps up, circling his arms around his neck and legs around his waist. Alec thanks his quick reflexes for catching his thighs and finding his balance before they can crumble to the floor. Instead, he walks blindly towards the nearest wall, the one that leads to the kitchen, and pushes Magnus against it.

He pulls away from the kiss to bury his face in Magnus’ neck instead, marking his skin with his teeth, and tongue, and lips until Magnus’ heavy breathing turns into needy moans, a sinful symphony that he wants to learn by heart and play in loop until his dying breath.

Magnus’ hand cards into his already messy hair and yanks, just softly enough for Alec to pull back so he can bring their lips back together and kiss him, so hard that Alec is grasping for air when he lets him go.

Which isn’t made any better by Magnus’ free hand finding its way down his body and under his shirt to scratch at the bare skin of his lower back before sliding even lower and past the waistband of his sweatpants.

Magnus chuckles, panting against Alec’s lips and is about to say something but Alec stops him with a quick kiss.

“Shut up,” he growls, not half as threatening as he had hoped, “I was about to go to bed.”

“Oh but I approve,” Magnus taunts with a smirk tugging at his swollen lips, squeezing Alec’s ass playfully.

The bare sound of his voice, dripping sin and mischief, is enough to make Alec lick his lips in anticipation.

“You’re an idiot,” Alec mumbles, pressing a kiss against Magnus’ pulse point.

Magnus tuts disapprovingly and before Alec can understand what is going on - not that he would have been prepared for the flood of sensations that assaults him - his hand is closing around his erection and Alec lets out a sound that he isn’t sure is human, a lascivious growl that comes all the way from the back of his throat.

“Magnus,” he pants out and he doesn’t know himself if it is a plea, a demand or if he just says it because this is real and he needs to remind himself that this is finally happening and it isn’t a dream.

His imagination never did justice to Magnus anyway. This is already a hundred times better and it’s only beginning.

Alec wonders if he might die from too much pleasure at once but fathoms that it would be a sweet, sweet death. It might ruin the moment, though.

Magnus’ strokes grow faster and Alec all but whines, burying the sound against the skin of his throat, in vain.

“Magnus,” he whimpers again, his voice hitching up, his shallow breathing making it sound like the filthiest thing he ever said. “Y-You need to stop,” he manages to add, wondering if maybe he lost his mind completely.

“Do you want to -”

“Yes,” Alec replies. He isn’t sure what the question is but he’ll say yes to anything Magnus has to offer right now. Unless Magnus wants to stop. Alec is definitely going to die if they stop.

“Do you have -”

“Yes.”

Magnus laughs, pressing a gentle kiss against Alec’s temple. “Someone’s eager,” he quips, far too playfully for Alec’s liking when he is still keeping a firm grip on his co*ck.

“You think?” Alec retorts, leaning in to nip at the base of his neck. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for this?”

“I think I do,” Magnus replies, throwing him a pointed glare.

“Yeah, whatever, shut up,” Alec mumbles, but the words are surely belied by the pure adoration in his eyes and he drops another soft, almost chaste kiss against Magnus’ lips.

“Make me,” Magnus mutters teasingly, a devilish spark dancing in his mesmerizing eyes.

Alec smashes their mouths together and adjusts his hold on Magnus’ thighs before pushing off the wall, swallowing his surprised cry. He goes as far as the kitchen before he gives up on the idea of getting them both to the bedroom upstairs and lowers Magnus on the kitchen table.

“Stay here,” he tells Magnus, reluctantly disentangling their bodies.

“As if I could be going anywhere before you f*ck me,” Magnus replies.

Alec gulps, his breath catching in his throat, but it turns into a groan as he catches the mischievous spark in Magnus’ eyes.

“You’re going to be the end of me,” he states simply, cursing the redness that blossoms on his cheeks.

“Possibly,” Magnus allows.

Alec chuckles and rushes to the bathroom. It takes him forty-seven seconds (not that he is counting) to get back to Magnus, who is still sitting on the table, his head thrown back and his eyes closed in a blissful expression, a small, private smile on his lips. Alec stops dead in his tracks and stares. Magnus is a mess, his hair peaking out in every direction, his shirt rumpled under his jacket, his lips red and puffy and Alec thinks he is the most beautiful thing he has ever laid eyes on.

Magnus turns his head and opens his eyes, glancing at him with a gaze full of undisguised love and lust and Alec fathoms that every day from now on is going to be filled with just this. And it is perfect.

Magnus reaches out, holding out a hand to beckon him closer and Alec moves automatically but slowly, his breathing heavening finally. He goes to stand between Magnus’ open legs and kisses him, soft and gentle and with a mind full of the revelation that just occurred to him.

This. This is what he wants every day for the rest of his life. Magnus’ love.

(And occasionally, but not too occasionally, his lust. Sue him.)

“I love you,” he murmurs against Magnus’ mouth, revelling in the way it makes him gasp quietly.

“And I love you,” Magnus whispers teasingly. “Now I need you inside me yesterday.”

Alec makes a sound that is halfway between a groan and a chuckle. “Someone’s eager,” he mutters, shifting to unbutton Magnus’ pants and push them off his legs.

“You think?” Magnus purrs and Alec kisses his smirk away before his own gets impossible to conceal.

It doesn’t take much longer for their clothes to get discarded in every corner of the room and soon - and yet, never soon enough - Alec is pushing Magnus back to lay on the table and pressing the tip of a lubed finger at his entrance. Magnus lets out a broken cry that goes straight to his already hard co*ck.

Alec sucks hickeys on both Magnus’ thighs as he pushes a second, then a third finger, opening him up slowly, basking in Magnus’ wanton, fractured moans.

“A-Alec,” Magnus stutters out, hands searching, mapping a path yet unbeknownst to him, discovering the curves and dips of Alec’s shoulders and the back of his neck with a feathery touch before eventually gripping the edge of the table. “S-Stop teasing. Get on with it.”

And Alec is only human, so he pulls his fingers out and grabs a condom and the bottle of lube, while Magnus pulls him down, devouring his mouth with a kiss that turns into a heated mess when Alec pushes the head of his co*ck at his entrance.

“Okay?” he murmurs.

“Okay,” Magnus replies breathily with a quick nod and Alec slowly pushes the rest of the way in.

Magnus makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat and hooks a leg around Alec’s waist, pulling him closer, fingers dancing along the bare skin of his arms.

“Move,” he demands softly.

And who is Alec to deny him anything?

His first thrust has them both crying out in ecstasy and Magnus’ hands grasp aimlessly in the air for a second, searching for something to hold onto. He eventually digs his nails in Alec’s biceps, gripping them tightly as Alec pushes in and out again. The table trembles under the draft of their passionate embrace.

“f*ck,” Alec exhales sharply, lips ghosting over Magnus’ throat.

“Yes,” Magnus chokes out, “f*ck indeed.”

Alec chuckles and drops a soft kiss against his collarbone while his hands wander on his bare skin, dipping in the curve of his abs, stroking against his ribs as he sets a quicker pace.

Magnus lets go of his shoulders, his hands falling on both sides of his head. He looks up at Alec through his lashes, staring straight into his eyes and he smiles, a simple, loving, slightly delirious smile that throws Alec’s heart in overdrive. He is sure the exact same grin is gracing his own face, full of love and trust and finally, and he leans down to kiss Magnus’ smile.

Alec lets his fingers wander along Magnus’ arms until he reaches his hands, pinning them to the table as he laces their fingers together, savoring how they fit perfectly, every inch of them, from their body moving in sync to their lips flowing together in a deadly sensual dance.

“I can’t believe we -- f*ck -- we waited so long to- to do this,” Magnus breathes into his mouth.

“I had to wait -- until you won an -- Oscar,” Alec replies teasingly through heavy pants, resting his forehead against Magnus’ cheek. “I have standards.”

Magnus giggles, pulling on Alec’s hair just hardly enough to make him groan in warning, before he smashes their mouths together, biting on Alec’s bottom lip and Alec wasn’t expecting that but he is certainly not complaining. Magnus rolls his hips in punishment, although it certainly doesn’t feel like such a sanction. Alec blows out a moan that turns into a laugh when Magnus somehow manages to mutter, “I’ll give you standards so high you’ll never settle for any less than an Academy Award Winner”, punctuating the words with a particularly vicious scratch of his nails on Alec’s shoulders.

They end up chuckling into each other’s mouth, swallowing the sounds between heated kisses and just brushes of their lips. It is all kind of ridiculous and Alec thinks they might have officially lost it but they are as messy as they are happy and truth be told - or even better, truth be yelled through the hills of Los Angeles and up the roofs of every house in his city - this is perfect.

It doesn’t take long for his thrusts to become hectic and his body to start trembling from the overwhelming pleasure, blood roaring in his ears. They’re breathing in each other’s mouth by then, not kissing or laughing anymore but letting themselves revel in all the sensations ignited by their bodies shifting together. Alec hasn’t drunk that much tonight but he feels dizzy, intoxicated in Magnus’ everything.

He lets go of one of Magnus’ hand -- that he somehow managed to grasp before he could permanently scar his back -- to stroke his co*ck and Magnus arches his back in pleasure, blowing out a shaky, downright obscene noise that brings Alec over the edge, his whole being dissolving into pleasure. He keeps stroking Magnus’ co*ck until he joins him in his daze of unadulterated solace.

When they’ve both somehow caught back their breaths, Alec pulls out and goes limp against Magnus, peppering his neck with soft, lazy kisses. Magnus hums in contentment, fingers playing with Alec’s hair.

“You okay?” Alec mumbles, eyes closed in the reminiscent of ecstasy.

“Oh yeah,” Magnus replies with a soft laugh, looking completely blissed out laying on Alec’s kitchen table. “I’ll probably be sore in the morning, though.”

“That’s alright,” Alec says. “I’m not letting you go anytime soon anyway. You’ll have time to rest.”

“And what about round two?” Magnus teases playfully.

Alec laughs, a bit startled and pushes out of Magnus’ neck to drop a kiss on his nose. “Give me twenty minutes. I’m not twenty anymore.”

“Yes, you’re right, you old man,” Magnus counters, full of mirth and mischief. “Let's get some rest but maybe in your bedroom? The table isn’t exactly comfortable.”

Alec slowly disentangles himself from Magnus and Magnus follows lazily, sitting up on the table. He startles when Alec lets out a surprised laugh, before following his gaze and finding the source of his amusem*nt.

“Look at that,” he quips happily. “The two men in my life both naked and looking at me.”

Alec’s laughter dies in his throat and he levels Magnus with a murderous glare.

“It’s an inanimate object,” Alec deadpans.

“Whatever,” Magnus retorts lightly, “you’re still going to have to share the bed with him.”

Alec knows he should feel offended and he tries -- he really does -- to look angrily at the Oscar that seems to be staring back defiantly at him after he got quite an eyeful from his spot on the table but he fails miserably, his grin betraying his true feelings.

“Well,” he drawls, turning back towards Magnus with a smirk, “maybe you should see if he’s willing to suck you off then. Because I had some plans for the rest of the night but apparently, you two have other business to attend.”

“An Oscar? What Oscar?” Magnus exclaims dramatically. “You’re the best thing I won tonight,” he adds and even his flourishes can’t hide the softness underneath.

Alec feels himself blushing, which is ridiculous considering what they were doing a few minutes ago. How utterly passionately they made love to each other.

He blames the sincerity in Magnus’ voice, the blunt honesty in his eyes, that feel almost as intimate as every kiss they’ve shared tonight -- maybe more.

“I had no idea how sappy you were,” he replies because he can’t quite voice all of that out loud. He knows, though, that his voice bears the same tenderness as Magnus’.

Magnus smirks, wrapping his arms around his shoulders, and plants a kiss on his lips. “You love it.”

“Maybe I do.”

Alec feels like the real winner of the night.

.

Magnus wakes up slowly, stretching lazily in bed until his fingers brush against the headboard and he can use the leverage to remove some of the soreness his muscles are suffering from. He hums in content, smiling to himself, and his eyes open leisurely. His mind comes to an abrupt wake when he notices the empty space next to him.

For a moment, the dreadful thought that maybe this was all a dream induced by his euphoria and the alcohol combined that plagued his mind but then, he realizes he is most certainly not in his bed or even in his room and that the soreness of his body is not of the hangover type and he relaxes, going limp into the sheets, an embarrassingly wide grin on his lips.

He inhales deeply, taking advantage of his loneliness to fill his nose with the scent of Alec all over the sheets.

It takes him a few more minutes to get out of the bed, shuffling his underwear on and one of Alec’s t-shirt that is just slightly too big for his frame, the collar slipping a little, exposing the bare skin of his shoulders.

He pads his way to the kitchen, a tiny smirk tugging at his lips at the memories of the more than sinfully way the kitchen table was used the night before. Alec is already there, shirtless, his back fully exposed for Magnus’ consideration, who tries not to dwell too much on the red marks that are scattered on the pale skin -- yet, he can’t hold back a smug grin.

He is humming under his breath, something Magnus had never thought he would witness, while he flips pancakes into the pan. Magnus smiles softly and strides his way to him, wrapping his arms around his waist to peek over his shoulder at the food.

“I’m starving,” he says, pressing a soft kiss against the bare skin.

Alec turns his head to drop a kiss in Magnus’ hair before focusing back on his task, grinning when Magnus yawns against his shoulder.

“You’re tired.”

“Someone wore me out,” Magnus replies tauntingly, reaching out to steal a piece of pancake.

“Was it Daniel?” Alec asks, pure mischief dripping off his voice.

“Daniel?” Magnus echoes with a genuinely confused frown.

“Yeah,” Alec says simply, gesturing behind his back to the kitchen table.

Magnus follows the movement with his eyes and barks out a loud laugh and it is quite an elegant sound but he finds he is unable to stop himself. He buries his face between Alec’s shoulder blades to muffle his mirth.

“You named the Oscar Daniel?”

“Mmhm.”

“Why Daniel?” Magnus inquires, although he already has an idea.

“To remind you that you beat Daniel Day Lewis,” Alec says with that devastating sweet smile of his that makes Magnus shiver from head to toe.

“You’re a dork and I love you,” Magnus mutters, ignoring the way his heart is making loops in his chest.

Alec spins around to face him and grins broadly. Magnus isn’t sure he has ever seen Alec smiles as much as he has since his confession the night before, but he knows he never wants it to end. He knows he wants to see Alec smile, and even more to be the reason behind every one of them, until he goes blind from the incandescence each of his smiles carry.

“And I love you,” Alec replies. “Come on, let’s eat.”

Magnus eyes the table dubiously -- albeit a little smugly.

“I cleaned it,” Alec tells him with a roll of his eyes.

“Great,” Magnus exclaims cheerfully, pushing on his hands to sit on the table.

He barely has time to land on the table before it collapses. He yelps and looks up bewilderedly at Alec from where he is now sitting on the floor, his lips parted in shock.

Alec’s eyes are as wide as Magnus’ surely are. “Are you okay?” he blurts out.

“Well, now my ass is definitely going to hurt for a week,” Magnus drawls, biting on his lip to stifle a laugh, “but if I recall correctly, I did ask for it somewhere through round three. Or was it you? I can’t remember.”

Alec doesn’t blush like Magnus hoped he would. Instead, he bursts into laughter, his head thrown back to expose the full glory of the curves of his neck and shoulders scattered with slowly-forming bruises and red marks and this is much better. Magnus follows suit, warmth bubbling in his stomach.

They end up having breakfast on the patio, Daniel resting on the table, since he went down with the other table but managed to survive the fall, and Magnus snaps far too many pictures of Alec looking absolutely flawless, the sun reflecting in his hazel eyes, his shirtless torso impossibly inviting and his bed hair beyond control.

The most stunning thing, though, is the smile that refuses to leave his lips.

.

“So I have a good news and a bad news,” Alec announces as he walks into the room, drying his hair with a fresh towel.

Magnus gets distracted for a second by the thought of what the towel around his waist is hiding and the droplets of water dripping along the lean curves of his abs but he manages to snap out of it (and really, that should earn him another Oscar).

“Mmh?”

“My eyes are up here.”

“And they are just as beautiful as the rest of you,” Magnus quips, throwing him a lewd wink.

Alec blushes and huffs out in mild exasperation when Magnus’ eyes wander up and down his body.

“Seriously?” he exclaims dramatically (Magnus is very proud, not that he would admit it). “I’m pretty sure I’m going to pass out if we have sex again, Magnus. We need to rest.”

“Well, maybe you shouldn't parade your glorious body in front of me then,” Magnus retorts with a petulant pout.

Alec shakes his head but doesn’t manage to hide a smile. He joins Magnus and drops a kiss against his bare eyelid. “So, good news or bad news first?”

“Bad news,” Magnus says firmly.

“There are paparazzis in front of the house,” Alec says with a grimace. “I’m pretty sure they’re here for Jace but there’s no way they would miss you if you go out.”

Magnus sighs. He does have to go out, though, because Chairman Meow isn’t going to feed himself. Or the little devil just might, and that would be disastrous. Magnus likes his plants alive.

“And the good news?”

“Jace is here,” Alec says with a sheepish smile.

“That doesn’t qualify as a good news,” Magnus grumbles.

Alec doesn’t reply, simply holding up his phone to show him the text messages Jace has sent him since the night before.

Alec, where are you?

Izzy just told me you left. You okay?

Alec, if you don’t answer me, I’ll tell Mom about what truly happened to her Ming vase.

ALLLLLLLEEEEECCCCCCC

I’m drunkk. I’m warning u.

wwee mayy or May nOt havve totld Mangus aboutt ur feellinngksej forr him. Sozrry.

I think I’m dead.

Are you dead?

Alec, I’m really starting to get worried...

f*ck it, I’m coming over, you asshole. You owe me a day of nursing a hangover by wallowing in self-pity.

“Oh,” Magnus breathes out. He looks up at Alec and only sees an apology in his eyes, no fear, no panic. Just an apology. “Are you okay with him knowing?”

Alec scoffs like Magnus just told him a joke.

“I’m in love with Magnus “Academy Award Freaking Winner” Bane and he loves me back,” Alec says, reaching out to brush a strand of hair off Magnus’ forehead. “I don’t care if Jace knows. I don’t care if the whole world knows. If they don’t like it, they can suck it.”

“I’ll be happy to suck it,” Magnus quips.

Alec levels him with a glare, but his eyes tell another story.

“Alec?” Jace’s voice calls out from downstairs.

“Are you okay with him knowing?” Alec echoes, pointing with his chin in the direction of the stairs as he starts getting dressed -- to Magnus’ great disarray.

“Darling, I’m okay with anything as long as you are.”

Alec beams. “Come on then,” he says, holding out an inviting hand.

Magnus smiles and takes it, letting himself being guided down the stairs as if he didn’t know this house as well as his own.

“Finally!” Jace exclaims when he hears the sound of footsteps approaching. “Dude, why is your kitchen table wrecked? Did you have a fight with a grizzly last night?”

He swirls around and freezes at the sight of them holding hands, what Magnus is sure to be sappy smiles on their faces.

“You know what?” Jace says slowly. “Please don’t answer that. Did you break the coffee machine too while you were banging or can I make myself a coffee blacker than Mom’s soul while you explain to me what is going on here?”

Magnus smirks, absolutely thrilled at the idea of traumatizing the poor Jace with descriptions as graphic as possible of exactly what happened the night before but Alec elbows him in the ribs in warning and he ends up pouting instead.

.

“They’re still here,” Alec sighs, peeking through the curtains.

“I’m sorry I led them back here,” Jace says with a grimace. “Maybe if I leave they’ll go away?”

Alec doesn’t reply. His brow furrows in reflection and he turns to face Magnus.

“What do you want to do?” he asks.

“You’re my agent, darling,” Magnus replies. “What do you advise to your client?”

Alec shrugs. “It’s not the same when I’m involved too,” he admits, scratching some at his eyebrow scar. “As my client, I would tell you to get out before they get even more suspicious and I would issue a statement about you spending the night on the couch because you drank too much or something. I’d deny the whole thing. But as your friend and… stuff, do you want to do that?”

“Stuff?” Magnus echoes, chewing on his bottom lips to hold back a laugh. “Just stuff? At least, go with hot stuff.”

Jace snorts, shaking his head and Alec flushes, a delicious blush spreading below his collar. Magnus is quite happy to be aware of how low it can go.

“Do you want to do that?” Alec repeats, clearing his throat.

Magnus doesn’t have to think about it very long.

“Not really,” he says. “What I want is to beat them at their own game. These vultures have been ruining enough of my relationships as it is, I don’t want to let them touch the only important one when it’s only just begun.”

Alec smiles softly and wraps an arm around his shoulders, pressing a kiss against his temple.

“Ugh,” Jace exclaims, his face pulled into a disgusted grimace, “you just got together and you’re already disgusting.”

“For an actor, you’re not that good at lying,” Magnus counters with a conceited smirk.

“Yeah well at least it didn’t take me what? five? six years to figure out Alec was in love with you,” Jace retorts.

“Please don’t start,” Alec growls, rolling his eyes. “Jace, you’re going to help.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. They’re here because of you so you’re going to help.”

Jace blows out an exaggerated sigh. “Fine,” he mumbles, but Magnus knows he is overplaying it. “What do you need me to do?”

“That picture you took of us earlier,” Alec says, gesturing between Magnus and himself, “the one you sent Izzy?”

“Yeah, she wasn’t happy about that,” Jace snickers.

“Post it,” Alec goes on, ignoring Jace’s intervention.

“What?” Jace and Magnus exclaim in a same disbelieving voice.

“Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, all of them,” Alec insists firmly. “Post it. We’re not going to let them have the exclusivity and make money out of us.” He turns to look down at Magnus, “You want to beat them at their own game? That’s the best way I know. Get the info out before they do.”

Magnus glances up at Alec in a mixture of awe and astonishment. He can’t quite fathom how this man can still surprise him after all this time.

“Okay,” Magnus smiles up at him, rising on his tiptoes to plant a kiss to his mouth. “Can I post something too?”

Alec nods. “Yeah. A double-edged blade,” he replies with a playful wink. “Double strike and twice as hard.”

Magnus scoffs, rolling his eyes, and plucks his phone out of his pocket, slouching on the couch to open his Twitter account.

“Okay, done,” Jace says.

Magnus goes straight to the blonde’s Twitter account and has some trouble stifling a laugh.

The picture he took earlier is one of Magnus and Alec standing up on the patio, closely intertwined in each other’s arms. Magnus is looking up at Alec with a wide smile on his lips, his arms around Alec’s waist and Alec is looking right back with the same happy grin, his eyes lit up with pure glee.

@jacelightwood The real winner of this picture is the person taking it (aka me) for not puking from the sappiness. #help #getmeoutofhere

He tagged both Magnus and Alec, and Magnus’ phone is already vibrating in his hand from the amount of notifications he is receiving.

Magnus quickly types in his own tweet and doesn’t wait for Alec to check over his shoulder before he sends it, a mischievous smirk tugging at his lips.

He counts in his head, chewing on his bottom lip to hold back a laugh. Jace doesn’t have that much restraint because he all but roars in mirth.

3… 2… 1…

“Magnus! No!” Alec yells disapprovingly.

“Magnus! Yes!” he counters joyfully.

@magnusbane Waking up to pancakes and this man after a night of celebration… Happy days. #thankyou

The photo attached to the tweet is one he took this morning. It shows Alec, shirtless, his hair peaking out in every direction, smiling happily at Magnus while he pours syrup on his pancakes. On his side sits Daniel the Oscar, shining under the morning sun.

“Magnus,” Alec whines, but it is somehow muted by Jace cackling in his back.

“Fine,” Magnus sighs. He shuffles with his phone for a second and looks up, beaming at Alec. “There. Fixed it.”

Alec glances down at his phone. “I hate you,” he sighs, defeated.

Magnus grins, sending him a wink.

@magnusbane I meant the Oscar, of course. Not the devastatingly handsome shirtless man on the second plan. #hotstuff

.

@magnusbiceps @magnusbane OMG. OMG. OMG. They’re totally a thing!!!

@bane_hoe @magnusbiceps @magnusbane They are! I can’t breathe.

@chairman_bane @magnusbane that power couple tho

@blingandbane GUYS. CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE HICKEYS ON ALEC’S NECK? WHAT ARE YOU @magnusbane, AN ANIMAL?

(Magnus might have liked that one and broken the Internet. And that poor fan of his.)

@bane_hoe @blingandbane @magnusbane At least we know what he meant by “night of celebration”.

@chairman_bane @bane_hoe @blingandbane @magnusbane I don’t think anyone had any doubt about what he meant.

@malec_shipper1 I think Malec broke me.

@banecourtshipper @magnusbane He’ll get back together with Camille eventually. They belong together.

“I swear I will find them and I will make them eat their phone if they keep going on about you and Camille,” Alec grumbles under his breath.

Magnus smirks and climbs onto his lap, straddling his legs and wrapping his arms around his neck.

“I love you,” he murmurs.

“And I love you,” Alec replies on the same tone, setting a hand flat against his back to push him into a kiss, devouring his mouth with undisguised passion.

“Guys, please, I’m still here,” Jace whines.

“I just got here and I already had to separate you twice,” Isabelle chimes in. “Can’t you two behave yourselves?”

Magnus blindly flips them off over his shoulder. They wasted too much precious time already.

If they think he is letting go of Alec anytime soon, they better think again.

.

Nowadays, Magnus is still a bit startled when he realizes that Los Angeles is indeed his home.

Most of the days, he doesn’t like this city.

It is purely impossible to catch a taxi here, and he isn’t even sure he ever saw one outside the airport zone. Everyone seems to be trying too hard to follow the latest trends, praising some new-age product one day to trash all over it the next. Friendships work the same way.

Here, he has seen too many broken dreams, too many careers that ended up too quickly and aspiring actors who never got the luck and opportunities he was fortunate to find on his way. This is oddly ironic, that the city that represent the splendor and the unfathomable possibilities of the USA could be filled with countless unfulfilled dreams.

Sometimes, he feels out of place. Sometimes, everything feels fake, or too much, or too pretentious. Sometimes, this place doesn’t feel like home.

But nowadays, Magnus knows home isn't a place. It can be anything you make it be.

To Magnus, home is Alec.