Drop of Magic (Malec)

Becoming a Lightwood

      You're supposed to get used to things the more often they occur. This is something well known to humanity; that change takes adjusting but that we will, in turn, become accustomed to it eventually until it becomes the norm, until it becomes mundane.

I know first hand that this isn't always true. As I stretch my arms up above me, blinking open my eyelids and blearily taking in the beams of golden sunlight, I feel a soft weight draped across my torso and know I'll never get used to this. No matter how many mornings I wake up next to Magnus, carding my fingers through his dark, lush hair and watching the drops of sunlight settle on his perfect skin, I can't become accustomed to it. He's anything but mundane and if anything on this boring planet is magical, it's him. He slowly flutters his eyes open, long lashes brushing against his high cheekbones as he does. I greet him with a sleepy smile as I press my lips to his head. It's been over a month since I moved in, nearly 2 since I first met him.

"Good morning, Bane." I whisper against his temple, careful not to break the lull of the morning. With lips like ink, I paint my way down to his mouth, his skin my flawless canvas. He turns to meet me, working one of his elegant hands under my arm to the dip between my shoulder blades.

"Morning," he mumbles into my shoulder, nuzzling his way into my chest.

"We need to get up and get ready, sweetheart." I chide softly, shuffling him a little so I can move. He groans and with the maturity of a toddler, snuggles his face back into the pillows as he mumbles incoherently.

"Alright, I'll shower first then." I laugh softly and lean down to brush my lips against his mop of hair once more before I head to the bathroom. We arranged a lunch date with my mother and father at some high-class restaurant I don't want to be caught dead in. I'd be lying if I said I wanted to do this, or that I wasn't terrified. My father isn't so bad, I can tell he loves me and can't blame him for following my mother relentlessly. It's easier to be on her good side, I know this well, and for the family's sake and appearance, he'll never leave. I've known for years about the women on the side but know better than to blow that up. The family would remain intact and I would be the one broken once again. Once I'm finished drying my hair I wander back into the bedroom. Magnus is muttering something into the closet, head buried amongst his marvelous suits.

"Love?" I question carefully, leaning on the doorframe to watch him. He sighs as he turns to me.

"I can't find it."

"Find what?"

"My suit." I raise a brow and wait for him to tell me he's joking. After a beat of silence, I realize he's completely serious.

"Babe, you own like a million suits. Pick one." He nearly growls at me and I feel my brows shoot up.

"It's your parents, Alexander. I knew them before I met you. They know me as a wealthy, sharp-dressed businessman with a solid reputation. And this suit is perfect. Also easy to run away from Maryse in when she flips." I bite my lip and look at him, letting him know I clearly don't find his joke tasteful. Magnus steps towards me, smoothing his thumb across my lower lip until it comes free from beneath my teeth.

"Relax, I'm sorry. Not funny, got it."

"Not your fault, you're not wrong. I just wish you were." He smiles sympathetically and brushes my cheek with his thumb before turning back to the closet before us.

"You're wearing navy, correct? I'll wear burgundy."

We arrive at the restaurant fifteen minutes early- I know better than to show up any later. We're seated with my parents in a relatively empty area of the restaurant. Rich June sunlight filters through the skylight above us, dappling the white table cloth in its light. I grasp Magnus' hand in my own, knuckles white with tension as I force myself to exude confidence I don't feel. Even when my mother casts her eyes down upon our hands with disgust I stay steady, refusing to bow down to her anymore.  No heartfelt introductions occur, there's no love being shared across this table.

"Good afternoon mother, father." I say curtly, nodding my head at them, my hand still clasped tightly in Magnus'.

"Hello Alec, Magnus." My father smiles and shakes his free hand across the table.

"Lovely to see you again, Robert. I trust the business is going well? We're due to have a lovely summer, can only mean good things, if I'm correct?" My father nods and smiles. "And you, Maryse, are looking lovely as ever. Armani?" Magnus cocks a brow and gestures lightly to her handbag.

"Yes. Of course you'd know." She replies coldly, the venom evident in her tone. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from snapping so soon and smooth my thumb along Magnus' knee in sympathy. We break the awkward silence to order but it settles back like a thick blanket as soon as the blonde waitress scoots away to place it.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you to lunch," I begin my voice steadier than I thought it would be.

"Go on," my mother pushes sharply.

"Well, to start, I no longer work at Dumort," my father raises a brow in curiousity and suddenly the words are caught on my tongue. I swallow thickly before I can continue. "Magnus was gracious enough to offer me a partnership with him, and I accepted. We've been working together for nearly a month now." I half expect her to launch herself across the table with the look she's giving me but my father's hand is on her elbow now, like a reminder that we are in public, that there will be consequences for conflict. She flinches at the touch but her eyes never leave mine. I force myself to stare back, refusing to give in to her now. With Magnus next to me, I don't fear everything that always seemed so scary and the demons hidden within the Lightwood name seem washed out in the summer sun. She eventually scoffs and looks away as the food is placed in front of us. I thank the waitress but no one makes a move to eat.

"While we're on such a roll," my voice is strong and almost cutting, something I'm unused to, but the words are flowing now and I can't find a way to stop them.
"Might as well drop another big one. Magnus and I are dating." I look at my father for a fraction of a second and see something that nearly resembles pride before he locks it away. My mother's eyes are lava, hot, liquid, burning rage.

"Unacceptable. You will not bring disgrace to our family this way." Magnus, who has sat silently this whole time finally breaks at this and sets his wine glass down.

"Alright, I tried to stay out of this but seriously? Alexander is more than just a reputation. He's your son, a human being with a kind heart and mind. He's talented and loving and I will never let you convince him otherwise." I smile proudly at him. She stays still, glaring pure fury across the table.

"And we live together," I add insult to injury here, watching as her hands make fists around the napkin in them. It's silent now but it's anything but peaceful. The electricity in the air is almost enough to burn you. I don't feel weak or insignificant under her harsh gaze. Normally, I'm grateful that I seem to blend in with the wallpaper, but in this instant, I've never been more noticeable or more happy about it. For 2 years she couldn't look at me, but now, I'm all she sees.

"About Max, you cannot keep him from me. He is my younger brother, my blood as much as yours and he deserves to choose. He learns from you, Maryse, and all he's learning right now is how to be a judgemental, raging bitch." I hear her gasp at my outburst, though my voice was quiet enough to not be overheard, the words ripped out like a knife and I can almost see it in her eyes. My father says nothing, his hand still firm on her arm. Magnus and I stand and I pull a couple of hundreds from my wallet, tossing them on the table.

"Lunch is on us, please, enjoy it. It's probably gone cold, not that you would mind with your cold, dead heart." Magnus chimes in, smiling brilliantly at her before we turn away. It feels like walking away from a graveyard, which in a way is true. It's leaving a piece of myself here like I have been doing a lot lately. It's saying goodbye to the parts of me I never wanted and welcoming all these new pieces I'm picking up along the way. It's burying my past and picking up my future. I'm tired of choosing between my old life and this new one that I love. I'm determined now to have my pick of all of it. I want this new life with Magnus and Bane Architecture. I want the mansion we live in, the pool and hot tub out back that we frequent after hard days. I want his kisses and grumpy mornings tossed in with long nights with Jace, Izzy, Simon, Clary, and Max. I want to order pizza on Simon's couch with Magnus tucked in the crook of my arm. I want it all and for once I'm not afraid to take it. I can't keep the smug grin off my face as I sling my arm around Magnus' shoulder and exit the restaurant, feeling no weight left on my shoulders, feeling like a proper Lightwood for once in my life. I almost laugh at the irony.