Chapter Text
Magnus woke up to a familiar scent.
He felt… safe. Warm. But his head was pounding, sleep clouding his thoughts.
Morning sunlight streamed through the windows. He’d probably only been asleep a few hours, but he felt rested enough.
Someone had their arms wrapped around him, securely around his waist and pulling him flush to their chest.
Magnus inhaled, sleepy brain trying to process what was happening.
The scent of alpha flooded his nose, and for a moment, he panicked. The Games- he’d been in the Games, and an alpha- he’d gone into heat, he could still smell traces of it, and…
Magnus lifted a shaky hand to his neck, worming it out from under the sheets- wait, these were his sheets- and his fingertips brushed against… a Bondmark. He was Marked.
His sheets. Magnus glanced around, cursing his headache. This was his bedroom. Had he brought some alpha back to his apartment, heat-drunk and high on the bond?
The bond was blocked off right now, instinctively suppressed as he tried to muddle through his thick, clouded thoughts, but the alpha was right here, right behind him, and he’d claimed Magnus, and-
The alpha behind him shifted, mumbling something incoherent and sleepy into Magnus’s neck.
Magnus should feel more cautious than this. More scared. Why did he still feel so relaxed, damn it?
How could he even-
Shit. Right. The bond.
Not daring to move, Magnus hesitantly closed his eyes, feeling out for the bond in his mind. He had to check.
It was fuzzy and distant, but it felt curiously… warm. Magnus bit his lip, and then he cautiously lowered his mental barriers.
Warmth flooded through him. Suddenly Magnus realized why he hadn’t freaked out as much as he should’ve- he was surrounded by a familiar scent, familiar warmth.
Alec.
It was Alec.
Without even realizing, Magnus’s body relaxed, fear draining from him quicker than it had come. Alec wouldn’t hurt him, ever.
Magnus squirmed in his arms, turning to face him but no longer attempting to escape his grip.
Alec was fast asleep, arms looped around the omega, their chests now pressed tightly together. His eyes were closed, every muscle in his body relaxed.
Staring at his beautiful, relaxed face, memories began to flood back to Magnus.
The Games. Confiding in his friend. Holding each other. Going into heat. Alec taking care of him.
It had all been so… despite the unfortunate circumstances, it had been perfect. Alec had been perfect.
Magnus shivered, remembering Alec’s hands exploring his body, his lips against Magnus’s, his cock pressing against Magnus’s hole…
Magnus shook himself out of those thoughts. Now wasn’t the time.
He closed his eyes, feeling out the bond. He gave a content sigh when he felt it, their bond filling his mind, feeling the warm, tingling feeling of being connected to his alpha flooding down to the tips of his fingers and toes.
Alec was still deep asleep, completely at peace- Magnus could feel it. He buried his face in Alec’s chest, smiling against his skin and feeling the rise-and-fall of his best friend’s- his mate’s- breathing.
It was silent, comfortable, warm. Alec still smelled like sex and alpha and mate, heady and musky, but he also smelled like… himself. He smelled like Magnus’s friend, his alpha. It was familiar and comforting.
He didn’t know how long he lay there, curled in Alexander’s arms, letting himself drift in and out of consciousness. But after what felt like an eternity, he glanced up at Alec’s beautiful face, eyes tracing over his features, and then saw that Alec’s warm hazel eyes were open. Sleepy, but clearly awake.
“Hey,” Alec said softly, voice rough with disuse.
“Hey,” Magnus repeated back to him, lips curling into a smile as he looked up at his alpha.
Alec shifted slightly in the bed, first dipping forward to scent Magnus’s neck, relishing his omega’s sweet scent, before pulling back to see Magnus better. His arms were still loosely wrapped around Magnus as he found a more comfortable position.
They sat in a slightly awkward silence, both unsure of what to say.
Alec couldn’t help but stare at Magnus, eyes drinking him in, absorbing every feature of his face.
Magnus was his mate.
He still couldn’t quite process that.
Alec had a mate. An omega, his omega. And- and Alec was someone’s alpha. And not just anyone’s, Magnus’s. He was Magnus’s.
Magnus, his best friend, his closest confidant.
Magnus was his mate.
Part of Alec was overjoyed. The man he loved was his mate.
He’d always thought if he did get a mate- likely at his parents’ insistence- it would be forced. The bond would be stilted and uneven, intrusive. Someone who was pleasant enough, but not someone he loved and trusted.
Perhaps he could learn to trust them, even care about them- what with the bond and all- but they’d never have his heart.
But Magnus? Magnus was… everything.
But then.
The circumstances of their mating. What had happened.
Even if Magnus did love him- which, Alec smiled, he did, because… there was that warmth in his chest, that love he could feel in the bond- but was he ready? Did he really want this?
Did Magnus really want to be Alec’s omega? Move in with him, have sex with him (now that he was no longer in heat), be with him?
Love or not, being an alpha’s mate was… was hard. He was irreversibly tied to Alec now. Did he want that? Deserve that?
Obviously, Alec would never do anything Magnus didn’t want. But that was the question, wasn’t it: did Magnus want this?
It was so much. So much was changing in such a short time.
Just yesterday, they’d been close friends. And now, they were… well, basically married. It was a big shift, one that Alec wasn’t sure how to handle. As much as he wanted this, wanted Magnus, it was… a lot.
And there was the other question.
Did Alec want this?
He would never forgive himself if he unintentionally played with Magnus’s feelings… nor would it be great to be bonded to someone that he’d hurt, someone he was fighting with. Which was selfish, of course, but then… what if neither of them really wanted this? What if it had been (quite literally) the heat of the moment, the pheromones and strong feelings of friendship mixed up and mistaken for love? What if Alec was just kidding himself?
His worried thoughts were interrupted by Magnus’s soft mouth on his, warm and insistent.
As if he could feel Alec’s troubled thoughts (wait shit) Magnus’s hands cupped his face, firm body pressing close as he kissed Alec. He’d propped himself up, pushing as close as he could to the alpha.
Alec made a surprised noise against his lips, but easily let Magnus control the kiss, kissing back without hesitation, arms still loosely wrapped around him.
He didn’t pull away, letting Magnus kiss him as long as he wanted. It felt so good.
Eventually, it broke off naturally, leaving Magnus breathing against his lips, eyes hooded and expression soft. His arms slipped around Alec’s waist, quickly rolling them over so he was laying on top of him.
Magnus beamed down at him, eyes sparkling. “Good morning,” he said.
Their bond was humming to life, fading from a low background hum to a comforting pulse in the back of Magnus’s head, as if it was slowly waking as they did. It was just as warm and loving as it had been yesterday- but no heat or pheromones to bolster feelings that weren’t there.
Flat on his back and looking straight into his friend’s- boyfriend’s? -beautiful brown eyes, Alec smiled back. “Good morning.”
Magnus leaned down and kissed him again, slow and lazy, eyes closing as he enjoyed the feeling of Alec’s lips on his.
Magnus couldn’t help it- Alec was irresistible, and now that Magnus could kiss him whenever he wanted, he was sure as hell going to.
Alec’s big, warm hands slid up his bare back, gently pulling him closer. But after a moment, Magnus’s perfect bliss was interrupted as Alec broke away.
His hazel eyes were dark and worried. “Magnus… do you want this?”
Magnus blinked. Alec could feel through the bond he was confused. “I… what do you mean?”
“I mean… we didn’t get to talk about this much, did we? We’re mates, Magnus, that means… Do you want that?”
“To be your mate?” Magnus asked.
Alec didn’t respond, looking away.
Magnus hesitated. Alec’s face fell.
“I… perhaps not so soon,” Magnus said finally, choosing his words carefully. “I- we just confessed our feelings for each other. In other circumstances, I would have preferred to wait a while. But… Alec?”
His last words were gentle, prompting Alec to look up. Alec met his eyes.
"You know," he said, almost hesitantly, "I... I've always wanted this."
"What?" Alec breathed.
“You used to, uh… get me through my heats,” Magnus said sheepishly, lips twisted into an embarrassed, nervous smile. “I’d steal one of your old shirts and…”
Breathe in Alec’s scent. Curl up in it and envelop himself in an alpha’s scent, moaning as heat ripped through his body.
Alec seemed to understand, hand gently stroking up Magnus’s back.
“I…” Alec was blushing, Magnus realized with a grin. “Me too?” He said it almost like a question. “You got me through my ruts, sometimes,” he admitted, still blushing. “I mean, the thought of you. I always felt… guilty afterwards. Because you’re more to me than…” he gestured, trying to find the words.
“A sex object?” Magnus asked, raising an eyebrow.
Alec nodded miserably.
“I’m not mad, you know,” Magnus said. “I literally just admitted to doing the same thing.” He paused, tilting his head. “I was ashamed, you know… but I couldn’t help but want it.” He looked into Alec’s eyes, warm and earnest. “This. You.”
Alec’s arms around him, his gentle hands on Magnus’s body, the omega completely safe with him… and yes, his cock, his knot- that had been the fantasy to get Magnus through his many miserable heats spent alone.
“I wanted you, too,” Alec confessed. “I wanted to hold you like this. I wanted to cuddle with you and make love to you and… and all of this. This feels like a fantasy, or a dream.”
Magnus smiled. “This is real,” he whispered, punctuating his words with a kiss. “I’m here. And yours.”
“Mine,” Alec mumbled, kissing him again, open-mouthed and affectionate. “And I’m yours, too.”
“Mine,” Magnus agreed, laughingly pulling him into another kiss. They kissed, Alec's arms pulling him closer from where they were circled around his waist.
Magnus's strong arms wrapped around Alec in return, the kiss growing longer.
But eventually, Magnus reluctantly pulled away, unable to hold back a smile as Alec chased his lips with a little whine.
“Alec, I’m glad we’re mates.” He said firmly, bringing a hand up to cup his face. “I trust you. I love you. And… I do want this. Maybe if I’d had a choice I would’ve waited, but I don’t regret this. I would choose you again a thousand times.”
Magnus could feel Alec’s uncertainty ebbing away in the bond, but not faded completely. He sighed softly, lips curling up. “You’re still worried,” he said fondly. “What is it, darling?”
Alec bit his lip. “What if you’re… if you’re pregnant?”
Magnus’s breath stuttered. He’d… he’d forgotten that was a possibility. “I… I don’t know,” he admitted. “We didn’t talk about it much yesterday, I know, but- I meant what I said. I know that you’ll have my back.”
“We need to talk about it, don’t we?” Alec asked softly.
“Yeah,” Magnus admitted, sighing. He rolled off Alec, sending him a grin as he landed on his side next to the alpha. “But how about we take a shower first? Then maybe we can get some breakfast or something. Talk over food.”
Alec couldn’t help but smile, chest hurting with the love swelling in his heart. “That sounds like a good idea,” he said. Then his brain completely caught up with what Magnus had said. “Wait, we? Do you… do you wanna take a shower together?”
Magnus hesitated. “Well, you don’t have to,” he said, a little too quickly. “If you need a little time alone, it’s really-”
“No,” Alec blurted out. “I just… no, I want to.”
Magnus grinned shyly at him, a slight, almost unnoticeable pleased flush flitting across his cheekbones. “Well, then, handsome,” he said, “Let’s go.”
He rolled out of bed, landing gracefully on his feet. He held out a hand, elegant as always, eyes sparkling happily.
Alec took his hand, unable to keep the grin off his own lips, letting his omega pull him up off the bed.
The complete lack of resistance as Magnus pulled him up combined with Alec’s momentum sent Alec crashing into Magnus, the other man wrapping his arms around him in a startled attempt to stay balanced.
He barely managed to stay upright as the taller man was completely pressed against his chest, wide hazel eyes staring into his.
Alec gave a startled laugh, hands flying to steady himself on Magnus’s shoulders.
“You alright there?” Magnus laughed, pushing him away slightly so they could gain their balance again.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Alec said, unable to stop himself from giggling a little bit. “We should go… we should go to the shower.”
“My shower is plenty spacious,” Magnus grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. “We should be fine.”
He led Alec by the hand to the bathroom- and even though Alec knew exactly where it was, he just himself be complacently led, Magnus’s warm hand in his.
It didn’t take long for them to undress each other, hands running down each other’s bodies, until they were fully naked.
Magnus had turned on the water at some point, and now they were face to face, bare for the first time together since yesterday.
Magnus was utterly beautiful, brown eyes deep and expressive, his body lithe and strong.
His scent was fainter now that water was running, but Alec could still smell the omega’s scent, smell his own lingering on Magnus’s skin.
God, why hadn’t they done this sooner? Alec wondered. How had he survived so long without Magnus… like this?
Their bond hummed affectionately. It was a lot more lowkey now that Magnus was no longer in heat and it wasn’t quite so fresh. Alec could feel vague, nebulous feelings from Magnus when he focused, and when they were strong he didn’t have to focus, but it wasn’t perfect.
That was okay. He didn’t need to read Magnus’s mind to be happy.
Following him into the shower with a grin, he thought: Yes, this is more than enough.
They washed together, side-by-side.
It was a surprisingly domestic routine, with little sexual context to it- although Alec may have moaned when Magnus helped lather body wash on his back and ended up giving him a massage, and Magnus definitely moaned when Alec offered to wash his hair and had massaged his scalp with strong, skillful fingers.
Sure, there was the occasional shy, teasing touch- Alec’s fingers brushing Magnus’s thigh, Magnus pressing his fingertips against a hickey on Alec’s collarbone- but it was painfully, wonderfully domestic. Honestly, it felt right.
Homey.
For example: Alec had to borrow Magnus’s sandalwood shampoo, but honestly, he didn’t mind. It smelled like Magnus- that was enough for him to like it. Then Alec laughed when the soap slipped out of Magnus’s hands and right onto his toes- not too painfully, but enough for the omega to curse up a storm.
However, it had, admittedly, ended in them making out against the shower wall.
Alec barely noticed the warm water pattering against his broad back as he continued to kiss Magnus deeply, their lips moving perfectly against each other, Alec slipping his tongue into the omega’s mouth.
Magnus, meanwhile, found himself pressed against the cool tile and kissing Alec. He had no objections to this arrangement.
Despite the newness of their relationship, it felt like they had skipped all the awkward dates and getting-to-know-each-other and even the marriage- and straight to the horny honeymoon phase, both of them practically unable to keep their hands off each other. Not to mention they were ridiculously, sickeningly happy. Sappy, true-love, “happily-ever-after” happy.
Magnus pushed forward, kissing back fiercely.
Alec’s hands slid down to cup his ass, squeezing gently and making Magnus moan against his lips.
“Are we doing this?” Magnus panted, slinging his arms around Alec’s neck, upper arms resting on his shoulders.
Perhaps it was unwise to have sex again so soon, but- well, Magnus was no longer in heat, so there was no chance of pregnancy. And he did look absolutely irresistible.
“Feels like it,” Alec laughed breathlessly, one hand tracing around Magnus’s hips to trail down the V of his muscles. The omega shivered, feeling the way his body reacted to his mate’s touch.
One of his hands curled around Magnus’s cock, making him whimper, while the other trailed down to his hole. Alec’s finger pressed against his rim. Water didn’t make the best lube, but Magnus was still rather loose from Alec’s knot- so he only felt the tiniest spark of pain when his alpha’s first finger slid into him.
Alec coaxed desperate moans from Magnus’s mouth, slowly stroking his cock and fingering him open.
Magnus was pressed against the cool wall of the shower, head thrown back and arms around his mate as Alec ravished him.
He gasped and arched his neck as Alec bent down to nip at his neck, gently scraping his teeth over the Bondmark. A shiver ran through Magnus’s body, their bond flaring with mutual desire.
Magnus could feel himself begin to get wet, slick beginning to leak out of his hole.
Alec kissed him, Magnus’s parted lips barely responded as he whined softly into Alec’s mouth. Another finger slowly pressed into him, stretching him open. He could feel Magnus’s ass beginning to drip slick as he became more aroused.
Then Alec began to trail downwards, kissing down Magnus’s toned chest and twisting his fingers deeper into Magnus’s slick ass.
Magnus’s hips jerked, his shoulders pushing back as he tipped his chin up and moaned, eyes dazed and trained on the ceiling.
Alec was on his knees in front of Magnus now, two fingers thrusting into his ass, the omega’s thick, dripping cock inches from Alec’s face.
Alec’s lips curled into a smile as he took the tip into his mouth, swirling his tongue over the slit. Magnus cried out, hips jerking again.
Alec took Magnus’s dick deeper into his mouth, fingers scissoring in his ass.
Magnus gasped and moaned above him, body shaking with pleasure. The slick, wet heat enveloping his cock was unbelievable, not to mention Alec looked heavenly on his knees- his wide, warm hazel eyes blinking up at Magnus, soft lips wrapped around his cock.
And the fingers in his ass stretching him wide open, his own wet slick dripping down his thighs, Alec’s thumb stroking across his balls and making him shiver harder.
Alec slipped another finger inside him, moaning softly around his cock.
Magnus whimpered, the vibrations of Alec’s moan buzzing through him and sending electric shocks of pleasure up his spine.
He felt decadent, shivering and leaning against the shower wall for support as his best friend sucked his cock and stuffed three fingers up his ass.
Alec was excellent at this- he knew exactly what to do to make Magnus feel good. He swiped his tongue along the underside of the omega’s cock, perfectly working Magnus’s cock with his mouth.
He was enjoying the noises Magnus was making, memorizing each needy whimper and gasp, imprinting his memory the weight of Magnus’s dick on his tongue, the way Magnus’s hips kept blindly rolling in tiny circles, trying to hold back for Alec’s sake. Memorizing the feel of his hot slick dripping around his fingers, walls clenching tightly.
Alec’s own cock was hard and twitching between his legs, eager to be buried in Magnus’s tight heat.
He gave Magnus’s cock one last, hard suck, the flat of his tongue pressing against him and tasting the bitter pre-cum leaking down the shaft.
Then he pulled off, slow and teasing.
Magnus made a weak protesting noise as Alec’s mouth slid off his cock, lips dragging against the sensitive shaft teasingly.
He sagged back against the shower wall, panting. “Ale..alexander…” he moaned.
“Enjoying this?” Alec grinned, red lips wet and a little swollen. His fingers were still spread in Magnus’s ass, now maddeningly still.
Magnus looked down at him, brown eyes wide and dazed with lust. “You are sinful, Alexander Lightwood,” he breathed.
Alec laughed, pressing a kiss to Magnus’s thigh. His cock was still hard and dripping, as needy as Alec’s was.
“You ready for me, sweetheart?” Alec asked, fingers twisting deeper into him.
Magnus choked out a whine for a second, before for valiantly suppressing it. “Y-yes,” he managed.
Alec pulled his fingers out roughly, watching Magnus’s pink rim twitch around nothing and clench down around air.
He pressed a soft kiss to his mate’s loosened, wet hole, feeling Magnus’s answering moan deep in his bones.
He paused for a moment, then pressed his tongue against his mate’s rim. Magnus whimpered, hips twitching as he suppressed the urge to ride Alec’s face.
Alec bit back a grin, then leant up to lick into Magnus’s hole properly. Magnus cried out, voice jumping in pitch than falling back down into shambles as he felt Alec’s tongue thrusting into him. He clutched uselessly at the smooth tile on either side of him, fingertips scrabbling at the cool surface.
Alec hummed, enjoying the taste of Magnus’s warm slick- it was indescribable, musky and sweet. He continued to earnestly eat Magnus out, tongue dipping inside his wet hole and licking against his sensitive walls.
Magnus felt his legs trembling as he slumped further against the wall, lips hanging open as he struggled for breath, only able to focus on the wet heat of Alec’s tongue inside him. Tingling waves of pleasure were rushing through him, crashing over him and coursing hotly through his veins.
Alec’s hands steadied his hips, firmly keeping them in place. He nudged Magnus’s thighs further apart, giving him better access, tongue still not letting up on his assault.
He pulled back to press kisses against Magnus’s soaked inner thighs, breathing a little heavily. His cock was hard and heavy between his legs, hot with desire.
“You wanna cum like this?” Alec purred, glancing up Magnus’s body to look at his face. Magnus looked like a giant like this, towering above him, all honeyed skin and lithe muscles- beautiful.
“Want you inside me,” Magnus gasped. His voice was weak, barely louder than the running water. Alec had almost forgot they were in the shower- but he ignored the still running water in favor of standing, pressing his body along Magnus’s and pinning his back against the wall.
His wet fingers trailing up Magnus’s sides again, and then his hands curled around the curve of Magnus’s hips. Magnus’s arms came to loosely loop around him, helping himself stay upright. Their broad chests were pressed together, warm water and sweat between them.
Alec kissed him, soft and sweet, before pulling back to look into his eyes. Magnus looked wrecked and needy, pink lips parted in a soft ‘o’, brown eyes dazed with pleasure.
Alec steadied his hips the best he could, nuzzling into Magnus’s neck and scenting him as he lined himself up.
Magnus shivered, tipping his head further to side to give him more room. Alec littered his neck with kitten licks and fluttering kisses as he began to inch his hips forwards.
Magnus groaned at the stretch, lips falling open all the way as he shook in Alec’s arms. His hands came up to clutch between Alec’s shoulder blades, trying to distract himself from the delicious sensations.
He could feel the thick and heavy stretch of Alec’s cock entering him, sliding deeper inside him. All the sensations were assaulting him at once, Alec’s musky scent surrounding him, his own slick dripping down his thighs, Alec’s arms winding around him, his alpha’s hands on his ass, Alec’s mouth on his neck, sucking hickeys into his skin- it was all so good and overwhelming that Magnus couldn’t help but writhe and groan and whimper in his arms.
Alec fell forward, clutching Magnus closer as he continued to press his hips forward.
Magnus was tight and oh-so-good, and Alec had only been with him like this once before and it wasn’t nearly enough to prepare him for the indescribably perfect, slick heat of him. Alec was gasping for breath, feeling how Magnus’s walls clenched tight around him, squeezing his cock perfectly.
Their bond was hot and thrumming, background sensation to the pleasure coursing through their bodies.
After what felt like hours, Alec was all the way inside him, long and thick cock buried in his omega to the root. He panted against his mate’s neck, clutching Magnus as close as he could.
“Oh fuck you feel so good,” he breathed, trying to focus through the buzzing pleasure clouding his brain, vibrating in their bond.
Magnus arched against him, succeeding in pushing Alec a little deeper and crying out as he did.
Magnus’s head was swimming, his ass feeling unbearably full and stretched open. Alec was completely still, dick buried in Magnus’s ass, arms trembling slightly around him, warm breath brushing against the omega’s neck.
“M-move,” Magnus moaned, voice somewhere between a demand and a plea.
Alec pulled his hips back, groaning at the feeling of Magnus’s slick walls sliding around his shaft, then abruptly filled Magnus again, beginning to set a languid pace.
Magnus rocked his hips in time to the thrusts, meeting each roll of Alec’s hips with a desperate little jerk of his own. Sometimes, Alec’s cock would hit inside Magnus just right and press against his prostate, sending a wave of pleasure surging hotly up his spine.
“H-harder, please,” Magnus gasped, body eagerly slotting against Alec’s as the alpha drove in and out of him. Alec could feel him getting wetter, his hard cock twitching and dribbling pre-cum between their stomachs. “Alexander…!”
Hearing his full name roll off of Magnus’s lips wasn’t exactly new to Alec- Magnus had been doing that for years, even when no one else dared to- but hearing it like this… sultry and wrecked… it was heavenly.
Alec put more force behind his thrusts, trying his best to find that perfect angle to hit Magnus’s prostate more fully. He knew he’d found it when Magnus suddenly cried out, higher pitched than usual and loud, eyes squeezing shut.
Alec grinned, ducking his head into Magnus’s neck even as he continued to thrust at that angle, slamming his dick into Magnus’s sweet spot over and over again.
Magnus’s legs were trembling violently, and at this point, Alec was practically holding him upright, pinning him against the wall and fucking him hard.
“Oh- oh, fuck, fuck- you’re taking it so well, baby,” Alec moaned, the words falling from his lips without thought. “You feel so fucking good, Magnus, fuck-”
Magnus didn’t seem to have any complaints with this, just continuing to whimper and moan as Alec abused his prostate, trying to keep up with Alec’s quickening pace, rolling his hips eagerly.
Alec unplastered a hand from Magnus’s back, working it between them to grasp Magnus’s throbbing cock.
“A-ah!” Magnus moaned, unable to control the steady stream of noises spilling from his mouth. Gasping whines and mumbles of Alec’s name, needy little pleas for more.
Alec moaned loudly, speeding up as much as he could, fucking his omega harder, stroking his dick steadily to the rhythm of his thrusts. His orgasm was building in the pit of his stomach, hot and tingling.
He wanted to see Magnus fall apart on his cock, wanted to fuck him until he didn’t remember his own name, wanted to make Magnus feel every inch of him for weeks.
Right now, he was slicker than ever, thighs trembling and soaked, fingers clawing at Alec’s back, whole body shaking with suppressed pleasure.
Alec’s knot began to swell, catching on Magnus’s rim. Magnus groaned, low and bone-deep. He could feel himself clenching down more, ass milking Alec’s cock as the base grew inside him.
Alec caught his breath, pulling back more and pushing back in harder, filling him up over and over, hitting his prostate consistently. He was getting closer, his knot growing slowly.
Magnus whimpered out a please. Alec’s knot swelling in his ass was still a foreign feeling, unfamiliar and odd- but it was fucking delicious, stretching his rim open.
It was still surreal, being fucked and knotted by an alpha. But despite his earlier misgivings, Magnus felt nothing but pleasure. And he could tell Alec was close- feel Alec’s cock throbbing inside him, could feel his knot, only half the size it had been last night but growing, their bond tingling hotly.
Alec kept fucking him, hard and fast, hand still steadily stroking his cock at a maddeningly slow pace, until Magnus could no longer keep up, only lie there take it.
Pleasure flooded through him, overwhelming his senses.
“Fuck, fuck, A-Alec, please… fuck… knot me, fuck me!” he begged, unable to stop himself from babbling. He was on the brink of orgasm, slick practically squirting out of him. Another time, with anyone else, he would’ve been embarrassed as hell. But with Alec, it just felt good. Everything felt good.
Alec moaned, hips stuttering as he approached the edge. He released the omega’s cock, hand going to anchor on his hip. He wanted Magnus to cum on his cock, wanted to drive him to maximum heights of pleasure.
“Magnus, fuck, you’re amazing-” he whimpered, rotating his hips in small, hard circles.
Magnus shivered desperately. Alec’s wide knot was full size inside him, the hot pressure of it and the way Alec’s cock pressed against his prostate constantly made the feeling pooling in his gut hotter. He was so close. So fucking close.
Their bond pulsed, heating up and throbbing with the feedback loop of pleasure.
“Cum for me,” Alec growled, lips brushing Magnus’s Bondmark, resisting the urge to bite him.
Magnus yelled out Alec’s name, throwing his head back and screaming. His cock jerked between them, body tense all over as he came, pleasure washing over him in waves. He tightened around Alec, writhing against the wall.
Alec followed soon after, emptying himself into his omega with a moan of his name.
He took a moment to just stay there, panting against Magnus’s neck, recovering from his orgasm. Magnus was just as sweaty and breathless as Alec, trying to catch his breath and hold in the whimpers at how Alec’s knot was still buried inside his oversensitive ass.
It was different than being knotted while in heat- still very pleasurable, but… different.
Alec’s thumb gently stroked his hip, lips resting heavily against Magnus’s Bondmark as he continued to breath heavily.
“That was…” he panted.
“Amazing,” Magnus agreed, purposely trying to relax so his sensitive walls didn’t clench down. He felt ridiculously full, the amount of Alec’s seed stuffed inside him hot and satisfying.
Alec began to come down from his high, catching his breath and fading back into reality. He could feel Magnus’s cooling cum between them, he could feel Magnus’s hot skin under his fingertips, he could feel the warm, thick air in the enclosed shower. The water had run cold- or rather, cooled noticeably- at some point. Magnus was trembling, there were red marks on his hips and colorful, misshapen hickeys littering his neck.
He looked utterly breathtaking.
Magnus smiled at him, brown eyes sparkling happily. Their foreheads resting against each other. “I love you,” he said softly.
“I… I love you, too,” Alec said, and it was probably the sincerest thing he’d ever said.
He grinned, leaning forward to kiss Magnus on the lips for a moment. Then he leaned away- causing Magnus to hiss slightly as Alec was jostled inside him- and made the water hotter. It was a temporary solution to the uncomfortably cooling water, but acceptable for now.
He kissed Magnus again, hands going to back to his lower back, hips, and thighs, massaging them firmly. Magnus could stand on his own, but his muscles were definitely cramping after all this time in the same position.
Magnus looked a little dazed, barely kissing back as he stood there, enveloped in the alpha’s arms and speared on his cock.
“You okay?” Alec asked, eyes a little concerned.
Magnus gave a soft, pleased sigh, eyes finally focusing back on Alec. “I just… I never knew being knotted would feel so good,” he said, voice soft and almost dreamy.
“You’d never… been with an alpha, before?” Alec asked quietly. Magnus could feel uncertainty and fear creeping through their link, sour and sharp.
“No,” Magnus admitted. “At least, not sexually. I was too scared.” Seeing Alec’s face, he hastily amended, “Not of you. Never of you. Just… getting pregnant. Mated.”
Alec winced, a spike of regret and sorrow flooding through him like ice water.
“Hey,” Magnus said sternly, hands shakily coming up to cup his face and turn him towards Magnus. “This is different, okay? I told you already, I love you and I want this. This isn’t what I was afraid of.”
Alec bit his lip. “Are you sure?”
Magnus’s love and absolute certainty washed over Alec, and he felt how much Magnus meant that.
“Absolutely.” Magnus said firmly.
And Alec’s doubts finally began to truly wash away.
It took several minutes, but eventually, Alec’s knot began to deflate, warm cum trickling from Magnus’s hole. Magnus couldn’t help the soft moan that spilled from his lips as Alec gently pulled his still swollen knot from Magnus’s slick ass.
He hadn’t gone down all the way, but Magnus was still slick enough that it came out with very little pain.
Magnus shivered. A mixture of cum and slick was spilling down his thighs, and when he stood properly, steadying himself on Alec’s shoulders, his legs were wobbly and stiff.
He stumbled slightly, but Alec caught him. Alec was a little sore himself, but less so.
“You want me to carry you?” he asked devilishly, grinning at his omega.
Magnus laughed. “No, I’m good for now. Thank you, though.” He reached over and turned off the water, groaning slightly as he stretched his legs, the movement causing a little more slick to trickle down his thighs.
He stepped out of the shower, beckoning for Alec to follow.
Most of the sweat had been washed away by the warm water, but they cleaned up the rest, wiping the mess they’d made from their skin.
Alec threw on an old pair of sweatpants, not bothering with a shirt. He felt a little sore, but in the good way, his muscles loose and relaxed.
Magnus emerged from his bedroom with a soft smile, hair dry and soft-looking, and having apparently decided to go the opposite way that Alec had on clothes.
He was only wearing a large, overly baggy T-shirt. It was long and baggy, swallowing up Magnus’s lithe frame and dropping down almost to his knees. Alec recognized it as one of his old sleep shirts- it had hung loosely off his frame much like it was hanging off Magnus’s, even if Alec was taller, but it was comfortable. It probably smelled like Alec, too, come to think of it.
There was something very hot about Magnus wearing his clothes.
(Not to mention it really showed off his long legs.)
Magnus grinned. “So,” he said cheekily, clearly knowing exactly what Alec was thinking as his eyes raked up and down the omega. “Breakfast?”
“Breakfast,” Alec agreed after a beat. “I can make pancakes.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Magnus said, laughing. “I can make something. Or we could go to that little café down the road-”
Alec walked forward and pecked his forehead with a little kiss, arms sliding around his waist. “I want to,” he said, eyes warm. “Besides, no offense, but I’m a better cook than you.”
Magnus gasped in fake offense. “Take that back, Alexander!”
Alec laughed. “Nope,” he said, pulling away and starting towards the kitchen. “One time you nearly destroyed my microwave because you forgot to put milk in your oatmeal.”
“So?” Magnus said, rolling his eyes. “That doesn’t mean I can’t make toast!”
“Blackened toast.” Alec snorted, walking into the kitchen. Magnus followed, still protesting but without any real heat or conviction.
“Well… maybe I like it like that!”
“No, you like it lightly browned,” Alec said absently, looking around the cabinets for the pan he needed. “Besides, I just wanna do something nice for you.”
Magnus bit back a smile. “Well, you did something nice for me in the shower,” he pointed out slyly.
Alec rolled his eyes, a very light blush settling on his cheeks. “That was nice for both of us,” he said.
“And breakfast isn’t nice for you?”
Alec laughed. “You know what I mean,” he said. “And I know you like pancakes.”
“Yes, I do,” Magnus admitted.
“Well, then,” Alec grinned, “Sit back and let me make you breakfast.”
Magnus smiled, biting his lip slightly and slipping into a stool. He looked rather pleased and sweet, despite having “lost” the argument.
The atmosphere was relaxed and happy as Alec busied himself looking for ingredients, humming softly, trading light banter with his mate.
The comfortable feeling was shattered by a loud, insistent series of knocks on the door.
When the Games were over, Isabelle walked out and looked around. She was an alpha, and her mother always insisted she go in and claim some omega.
She never did, of course.
She’d hooked up with betas and alphas and even the occasional omega during the Games, but she’d never claimed anyone. She didn’t feel the need to, nor did she have any interest of forcing herself on someone.
Isabelle always came out of the Games and searched for the people she knew- they rarely all stuck together during the Games, as they were always released in different places and the facility was a maze. But afterwards, she always met up with Magnus, Simon, and Maia. Clary and Jace would often come to give them a ride, if they didn’t already have one. Alec always had his car with him, and he always left before they could see him.
Isabelle knew her big brother always took the Games hard, preferring to go home and shower and shut himself away for the day. She’d be there to drag him out of it the next day.
But for now, it was time to find the others.
She met up with Simon and Maia without a problem. Alec’s car was, predictably, gone, and Clary and Jace had already texted to say they’d be there in a minute.
But Magnus wasn’t there.
And then it had been almost an hour. Isabelle was starting to get worried.
“Do you guys have any of idea where he might’ve gone?” she asked, lips twisting into a frown.
“Maybe he caught a ride with Alec,” Jace suggested.
“No, you know Mr. Grumpypants,” Clary said, frowning. “He always wants to be alone after the Games.”
“Yeah, but he’s totally smitten with Magnus,” Maia pointed out. “If the guy asked, I’m pretty sure Alec would do almost anything.”
Isabelle sighed. “All the worse, then. After the Games, he probably wouldn’t trust himself alone with Magnus. Which is ridiculous, of course, but… my brother’s a worrier.”
“Besides, Magnus knew we would be here to give him a ride,” Jace said. “So why would he ask anyway?”
“I don’t know,” Isabelle said, frustrated. “But we can’t find him anywhere!”
“Why don’t we just ask one of the officials?” Simon piped up, blinking.
They turned to look at him.
“What? We have to sign out to leave, remember? They might know.”
“That’s… actually a good idea,” Jace said, sounding extremely surprised.
“You’re welcome,” Simon said cheerfully. “But don’t worry, I’m sure Magnus is fine. He’s a tough guy, he probably just… beat someone up in the parking lot or something, I don’t know.”
“Yes, because that sounds like Magnus,” Clary said dryly. “Randomly beating some stranger up.”
“I mean, if they were being rude,” Maia said.
“True enough,” Clary agreed.
“Well, I never said they were a stranger. Maybe he punched out that Sebastian guy!” Simon said.
“Back on topic!” Isabelle said loudly, cutting them off. “We need to find Magnus.”
“Alright, alright,” Clary said, raising her hands. She didn’t sound too concerned. “But Simon’s right. He’s probably fine.”
Isabelle wasn’t convinced. She had a feeling something was different. Something big.
Something was wrong.
They ventured back towards the main entrance, looking around for any sign of life. It was still open, even though the Games were closed, for paperwork and staff and clean-up and such.
The others lingered outside as Isabelle went in.
Isabelle approached a tired-looking man in a gray uniform with the Games logo on it. He was sitting behind a desk just inside the door, looking rather like he didn’t want to be here. His nameplate said Raj.
“Hey,” Isabelle said, a little sharper than she meant to, catching his attention as she walked up.
He sighed. “How may I help you?”
She took a deep breath, calming herself. It wasn’t this guy’s fault that she was worried.
“Our friend, he- we haven’t seen him since the Games ended,” Isabelle said, a little of her anxiety over this leaking into her voice. “We were wondering…”
Raj’s face softened a fraction. “You wanted to know if I could tell you when he left?”
Isabelle nodded. “His name is Magnus Bane,” she said. “He’s an omega.”
A little bit of surprise flashed over Raj’s face. He hesitated. “I can’t give you any personal information, such as where he lives, or his mate’s name,” he said firmly.
“I already know that,” Isabelle said, slightly irritated, “And he doesn’t have a mate.” Her voice took a hint of pleading. “I just need to know if he left safely.”
Raj sighed, but he didn’t look too annoyed. “Alright,” he said. “What was his name again?”
“Magnus Bane,” Isabelle repeated, leaning forward in anticipation.
Raj typed for a moment, looking intently at the screen. After a moment, his face fell slightly. “I’m sorry about your friend,” he said. “He got mated. He’s probably with his alpha.”
“What?!” Isabelle breathed, face going pale.
“He left early this morning with an alpha.” He squinted at the screen. “It says here he’d gone into heat.”
Isabelle’s face was practically pure white, her eyes wide and horrified.
Heat. No. No, in heat, Magnus couldn’t have… he couldn’t have protected himself.
“What’s their name? What alpha took him?” Isabelle practically demanded.
“I can’t tell you,” Raj said. “It’s classified information.”
Isabelle wanted to scream at him. Demand the name, an address, anything to get her friend back. But what would she even do?
“Please,” she said. “He’s my friend.”
“Look, kid,” Raj said, sighing, “I can’t. I could lose my job. And even if I could, there’s nothing you can do for your friend. He’s someone else’s omega now.”
“He belongs to no one,” she hissed.
Raj shook his head, not saying anything else.
Isabelle clenched her jaw and spun on one heel, practically throwing the door open and marching outside.
What could she do?
If Magnus had an alpha now, then… legally, they could do pretty much anything they wanted to him. There was little protection for omegas under the law. And Magnus may be tough, but he was bonded to whoever this was for life. There was a chance he was even pregnant.
The thought of her friend, so full of life and happiness and potential, so strong and intelligent and independent, being forced to be some asshole’s stay-at-home housewife made her blood boil.
The mistreatment of omegas was awful enough, but imagining it first-hand, affecting one of her best friends…
She shivered, anger, fear, and horror fighting in her chest.
She saw her friends look up, alerted by her clicking heels on the stone.
They saw her face, furious and pale and worried, and their faces went from amused and vaguely concerned to extremely worried.
“Izzy, what is it?” Simon asked, tilting his head.
There was a long beat as Isabelle struggled for words.
“…Magnus got mated,” Isabelle finally choked out, voice quiet and horrified. “He went into heat. There was an alpha… I… I don’t know where he is.”
“What?” Simon asked, face paling considerably.
Clary leaned against her car as if she’d just lost her balance. “Magnus…?”
“What the hell?” Jace practically demanded. “He- you can’t… what the hell?”
“We need to find him,” Maia said, eyes determined and hard. Her fists were clenched and shaking. “This alpha, do we know anything about them?”
“No,” Isabelle said reluctantly. “Just that they claimed Magnus.”
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” Maia said, voice calm and steely, barely cracking to show the fright beneath. “Alec’s a cop, right?” Isabelle nodded. “Good. We’ll need his help. If we can get the records, we can find the guy’s name and address. From there, well…” she grimaced. “Alec’s a cop. He can probably help us hide a body, right?”
“Maia,” Clary exclaimed, eyebrows flying up.
Maia glared. “What? Do you have a better idea? Whoever this person is, they have the cards here. If they want to, they can own Magnus. Not only that, but they’ve bonded to him. They could use that against him if they’re still alive.” She looked around at them, no expression on her beautiful face. “And I don’t know about you, but I don’t plan on letting Magnus stay in the hands of whatever sick-o claimed him when he couldn’t say no.”
Simon hesitated for a moment, then nodded, something determined flashing in his eyes. “I’m in,” he said, voice firmer than any of them had ever heard it.
Isabelle nodded without hesitation. “Me, too.”
“Izzy,” Jace said, hesitating. “We’re talking about killing someone here.”
Isabelle stared at him for a moment. “If it were me or Alec, would you hesitate?”
“But you’re alphas-” Jace began to argue, but she cut him off.
“Would you hesitate?”
“…No,” Jace admitted.
“Then we’re damn well not hesitating for Magnus. He’s family, too.”
Jace bit his lip, but nodded. “Fine,” he said. “I’m in.”
Clary looked around them. “This is crazy,” she said. “This is crazy.”
They all stared.
She sighed. “I’m in,” she said. “Of course I’m in. That doesn’t mean it’s not crazy.”
“Well, we need to go to Alec’s, then,” Maia said, chin high. “I’ll drive.”
“It’s my van,” Simon protested, but she waved him aside, walking ahead towards it.
They split off, Clary and Jace going to their own car and Isabelle following Simon and Maia.
This evening had taken an interesting turn.
It didn’t take them long to drive to Alec’s apartment when they were all driving at probably dangerous speeds.
The apartment was- or had been- shared by Alec and Magnus, which only lent to the depressing yet resolute atmosphere as they approached the door.
“Who’s gonna break the news to him?” Simon whispered.
“I will,” Isabelle stated, lips tightening. She raised a fist to knock, but Maia stepped forward and pounded on the door loudly.
“Open up, Lightwood!” she yelled.
When he didn’t answer after a minute or so, Isabelle sighed and pulled out her key.
“Why didn’t you use that right away?” Jace asked. “And… wait, why don’t I have a key?”
“You don’t have a key because you’re an irresponsible little shit,” Isabelle said. “And I was hoping Alec would answer on his own.”
She unlocked the door and tossed it open, practically marching inside, determined to find Alec. The others trailed after, Simon closing the door after them.
“Alec!” Isabelle called. “This is important.”
“What is it?” Alec sighed, sounding annoyed as he emerged from the direction of the kitchen.
He looked odd- a little flushed, and only wearing sweatpants.
“Magnus is in trouble,” Isabelle said. “Big trouble.”
Alec looked confused.
“Alec, he was mated. At the Games. We can’t find him anywhere.” Isabelle tried to break the news as gently as possible, knowing this had the potential to devastate her brother.
“What?” Alec blurted out.
“We can’t find him, but don’t worry, we have a plan.”
“We’re gonna find the asshole that claimed Magnus and kill him,” Maia said bluntly. “You’re a cop. You’ll help, right?”
Alec blinked, absorbing this information. “I… no. I-”
“What?!” several of them demanded at once.
“You won’t help us?” Maia asked, furious.
“He’s fine-” Alec began to explain, but he was cut off.
“He’s not fine. He’s with an alpha, he was taken against his will-”
“No, I mean he’s fine, he’s really-”
“-what, just because he’s an omega-?”
“Of course not!”
Someone trudged in from the other room. “Why are we arguing?” Magnus asked, sounding a little sleepy.
Everyone fell silent, all of Alec’s visitors staring in shock.
Magnus looked… actually, he looked good. His hair looked fluffy and unstyled, his face bare of the usual flourishes of makeup. He wore only a too-large t-shirt which hung off of him, exposing his collarbone and shoulder, and very clearly showing the hickeys on his neck.
He looked utterly relaxed, too, entire body loose and soft as he padded towards Alec, leaning against him. He looked over at them, raising his eyebrows.
“What’s up?” he asked, completely casual.
There was a moment of continued silence.
“Well,” Alec said, sounding… actually a little amused. “They just burst in here and told me all about their plan to murder someone.”
“Ooh, murder! Do tell,” Magnus said, clearly interested. He probably didn’t think they were serious.
“Magnus!” Simon practically squeaked, finding his voice. He launched forward, wrapping Magnus in a hug.
Magnus awkwardly hugged back, clearly unsure but warm anyway.
Simon squeezed gently for a moment, before letting go. He paused, sniffing the air. “Wait, you smell like Alec. A lot like Alec. And… oh!”
He jumped back, seeming slightly alarmed, but after a moment, he began to grin.
“What?” Maia asked, crossing her arms.
“Wait, should I tell them?” Simon asked, looking over at Magnus and Alec. They only gave him a bewildered look.
“What?” Maia demanded.
“What’s going on here?” Isabelle asked in a similarly irate tone.
“They’re mated!” Simon blurted out, grin spreading across his face. “Congratulations! You two have been pining for years.”
Magnus said, “Thanks,” sounding a little bemused, at the same time Alec said, “Wait, you knew?”
Maia eyed Alec. “You claimed Magnus while he was in heat?” she asked, voice a little dangerous.
“No,” Magnus interjected quickly. “Well, yes. But we talked about it. Alec had my full consent.”
“Talked about it while-”
“No,” Alec said, “Of course not.”
“Wait. Why did you go into heat during the games? Don’t you keep track of your cycle?” Maia asked, turning to Magnus.
“Well, yes,” Magnus said, looking away with a small shrug. “But I only snuck in enough heat-blockers for three days. And I gave away my last day to… someone in need.”
“Who?” Jace asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.
“A little girl, if you must know,” Magnus said flatly. “She was only a teenager, and she was about to go into heat. I was hardly going to leave her there alone.”
“Well, you did the right thing,” Clary said, frowning. “But how did…. this,” she gestured between them awkwardly, “happen?”
“What I would like to know is who’s murder you were planning,” Magnus said, clearly changing the subject.
“Doesn’t matter,” Simon squeaked.
“Yeah, it’s pretty much irrelevant now,” Jace said, rolling his eyes.
Alec raised his eyebrows.
Isabelle rolled her eyes at the others. “We couldn’t find you after the Games,” she told Magnus. “We got worried, and asked the authorities if you’d left. When they said you’d been mated while in heat…” She shrugged. “We decided to find whatever alpha had taken advantage of you and kill them.”
Maia nodded sharply. “And we needed Alec’s help to find out their name and address, and possibly some help on not getting caught. Because he’s a cop.”
Magnus stared for a moment.
“I can’t tell if that’s well-thought-out, or completely reckless and thoughtless,” Alec said, but he sounded impressed.
“You were going to kill someone for me? Like, actually kill someone?” Magnus asked, sounding both touched and slightly confused.
Alec shrugged. “Babe, I’m pretty sure everyone here would kill someone for you.”
He glanced around for a moment, then cleared his throat awkwardly. “I mean, any of us would probably kill someone for… anyone else here. Because. We’re friends.”
Magnus beamed at him.
“Babe?” whispered Jace, scrunching his eyebrows together.
“Don’t worry, I’d planned on giving you the kill shot,” Isabelle said cheerfully.
Magnus turned his grin to her. “Much appreciated, darling.”
“So wait, you two are definitely mated, then?” Clary asked.
Magnus tugged down the corner of his shirt that had been wrapped around his shoulder, exposing the Bondmark on his collarbone.
“Huh,” Clary said. “And you’re both… you’re both cool with this?”
“Yes,” they said in unison, raising their eyebrows at her.
“Okay,” she said, spreading her palms in mock-defeat. “As long as you’re both happy.”
“So to be clear, you won’t be killing Alec?” Magnus asked, raising his eyebrows slightly.
“Probably not. I mean, if he hurts you-” Maia began, but Alec raised his hands in mock surrender.
“I wouldn’t,” he interrupted, jaw set seriously. “Ever.”
Maia sighed, shoulders relaxing. “Yeah, I know,” she admitted begrudgingly. “Doesn’t mean I can’t give you a hard time.”
“Well, we were going to make breakfast, initially,” Magnus said, clapping his hands together. “How about instead we all head to Taki’s? Breakfast with friends?”
“Shit, I think I left all the pancake ingredients out,” Alec said, frowning.
Magnus rolled his eyes playfully. “It’s fine, Alexander. We can clean it later.”
“Taki’s sounds good,” Simon said, beaming.
“We could stay here and have pancakes,” Jace said hopefully. Pancakes were his favorite breakfast food.
“Sorry, we don’t have enough pancake mix,” Magnus said, not sounding that sorry.
“Taki’s sounds good,” Clary agreed cheerfully.
“Okay,” Alec said. “But, uh, I should probably go get dressed.” He glanced over at Magnus, a slight blush dusting his cheeks. “We. We should get dressed.”
Magnus glanced down and bit his lip slightly, suddenly realizing what he was wearing. He’d been aware, of course, but somehow it hadn’t registered that he was mostly naked- no, worse than mostly naked, the way this shirt drooped over his collarbones and hung to his thighs was practically provocative. Which, a while ago, had been exactly why he’d worn it.
But now he was very… exposed in front of his friends.
Not that he thought they’d judge him or do anything untoward, but… it still left him feeling a little more vulnerable than he’d like.
He blushed slightly, tugging at the shirt’s hem. “Yes,” he said, keeping his voice steady and light. “We should go get dressed.”
Ignoring the slightly teasing and amused looks from his friends, Magnus quickly retreated to his bedroom (soon to be their bedroom as he had the bigger room) and Alec followed close behind.
“Okay. So. Magnus and Alec are a thing now. Cool.” Simon said into the awkward silence, shoving his hands in his pockets.
Jace gave him an unimpressed stare, but Clary grinned. “I know, right?” she said. “I mean I kind of got that vibe from them, but I wasn’t sure if I was just reading into it or not.”
“Definitely not,” Isabelle laughed. “Alec’s been into Magnus since we were kids. When they first met Alec never shut up about him. He was always going on about some kid he’d met in class.” She dropped her voice in a loose imitation of Alec. “He’s so pretty, Izzy. And he’s really funny. And he’s so cool!”
Maia laughed. “Oh my god, Magnus was exactly the same way,” she said. She’d known Magnus longer than any of them had, as they’d been in the same foster home for a while. “But I didn’t think it was this serious. And honestly, I didn’t think Alec felt the same way.”
“If you knew Magnus felt the same way, why were you so mad whe-?” Jace began, but Maia cut him off.
“Because even if Magnus liked him, it would still be fucking rape if he’d been in heat when he’d asked for Alec to claim him,” she hissed.
Jace held his hands up in mock-defeat, backing down. “Okay,” he said placatingly. She glared at him.
Thankfully, at that moment they were interrupted Magnus and Alec emerged from the bedroom, fully dressed and laughing between themselves.
It didn’t take long to get to Taki’s. They’d all loaded into Simon’s van and Clary’s car- Maia in the front of Simon’s van, Magnus and Alec pressed close together in the back, and Isabelle in the front of Clary’s car with Jace exiled to the back.
They all filed into the restaurant, talking and laughing until they were seated at a table in the back.
As they all crowded into the booth, Jace observed his friends.
Everything seemed pretty normal, like any other night where they all hung out and got dinner together.
But his brother.
Alec was leaning back in the booth, eyes sparkling as he laughed at something Magnus had said. He looked more relaxed and happy than Jace had ever seen him, one arm slung around Magnus’s waist, the omega practically pressed up against his side, head resting on Alec’s shoulder with ease.
Jace had been… hostile to Magnus at first. He’d seen the other boy (for they had been only boys at the time) as a threat. Alec was his best friend, no one else’s.
After all, up until then, he’d been essentially Alec’s favorite person, the most important person in his life. Only Isabelle was at the same level, and she was his little sister.
But then Magnus Bane waltzed in and suddenly Alec’s attention was going somewhere else.
He still cared about Jace, of course, but… did he care about Magnus more?
And besides, Magnus was… loud. Strong, outspoken, unafraid to fight. That wasn’t necessarily bad, but it was unnerving. Especially when combined with his rather lavish fashion style. He was intimidating, and Jace did not like that. He liked being intimidating, not intimidated.
Eventually, he’d gotten over it. He’d figured that he was Alec’s brother, and no one was ever going to be more important than him and Izzy. And Magnus wasn’t all bad when you got to know him- he had a great sense of humor, for one, and was willing to team up for pranks.
But looking at them now, he couldn’t help but feel like he was no longer the most important person in Alec’s life.
The way Magnus was snuggled against him, casually relaxing in his arms in a way that seemed out-of-character for the ever-poised and dangerous-looking omega, said it all. The way Alec looked at him with an overwhelming amount of love and affection, the way he leaned into his touch said it all.
Really, the Bondmark peeking out of Magnus’s collar said it all.
Maybe Jace didn’t like Magnus that much. Maybe he didn’t like Alec with the omega that much. But if Magnus made him happy, then he wouldn’t butt in.
Besides, watching them like this, curled close together and happy, he could hardly be angry. Not really.
He watched as Alec casually scented Magnus, dropping his head into the omega’s neck to nuzzle against his Mark for a moment. Magnus arched into the touch with a pleased little smile, and Jace had to look away, feeling like he was intruding in their moment of intimacy.
Alec really had moved on.
Alec noticed Jace staring.
He knew that Jace didn’t approve. Even if Jace wasn’t going to say anything, Alec knew.
But he was past giving a fuck, at this point. He loved Jace like a brother, but Jace could get over it. Magnus was here to stay, and Alec loved Magnus. He didn’t need Jace’s approval, even if he would've appreciated it.
Besides, he thought, glancing down at Magnus, who was still curled against him and laughing at something Simon had said, he had everything he needed.
And he did.
Sure, it wasn’t over- they still needed to tell Alec’s parents, still needed to talk about the possibility that Magnus was carrying their child.
But right now, that didn’t matter.
With Magnus, his mate, in his arms- or rather, under the one arm that was draped around his shoulders- and his family and friends surrounding him… he felt at peace.
Happy.