Magnus always loved holidays. There were many holidays that he found to be a little more joyful than others, such as Halloween, or perhaps Valentine's Day. There was, however, one holiday that seemed to outshine the rest. It always had, for Magnus. Not only were there the most dazzling decorations, but there were the best songs, the most ridiculous sweaters, and a sort of warmth from the cold beauty that had started to gather outside.
"Christmas is coming up," he told Alec one day, when they had been enjoying each other's company in the house, "do you think we should decorate the house?"
This, with Alec laying down, spread out on the couch with his head against Magnus's chest, and Magnus draping a comfortable arm around him, they did it often. Sometimes, Alec would read aloud from a book to him, other times, he would fall almost immediately asleep after a particularly long day. Alec always looked so much more peaceful as he slept soundly, more vulnerable, as if he wasn't worried about anything else that was happening in the world.
Magnus wondered to himself what Alec dreamed of.
Magnus himself always seemed to end up dreaming of Alec.
There had been one night of long, slow kissing that had resulted the two of them falling asleep on the couch, their bedrooms dark and empty. The next day, both of them had been late on their schedules, and needed far too much coffee to be able to keep themselves wide away. It had been worth it though.
Magnus loved the sense of peace and serenity that the other boy seemed to bring with him wherever he went. The minute Alec was around, there was a tight tense in Magnus's shoulders that would suddenly relax, and disappear momentarily. Alec didn't even seem to know that he could have this effect on other people, but that fact just seemed to make it even better. They would just sit sometimes for hours, Alec's terrible gray sweatshirts collecting Magnus's fabulous glitter, or one of them might've been stroking Chairman Meow lightly on the head.
Magnus could get a little jealous every once in a while, when his cat would jump lightly off his lap, making almost a mad dash for Alec's pets and attention. Alec would always seem surprised, but then gently run his hands down the animal's back, and then he would smile a little to himself when the cat let out cheerful encouraging mews.
Magnus supposed that he really couldn't blame Chairman Meow, though, Alec was a very wonderful person. Especially when you managed to snag all of his attention.
Chairman Meow had snuck off somewhere to another portion of the house, his tail had been swaying high in the air as he left Alec's lap. It was rare of him, to leave his lap. It seemed to be the place he loved the most, and Alec would often find his pants covered in small, thin cat hairs. Not that the boy really minded now. He was already used to Magnus's glitter seeming to get anywhere.
Alec looked slightly panicked, his eyes widening. Some of Magnus's glitter had managed to stick to his dark hair, shining brightly whenever he moved his head. It was so, terribly endearing.
At another time, Magnus would have the chance to reflect on his mushy thoughts and be disgusted with himself. Magnus had no idea why he looked so alarmed.
"Today is Christmas Eve, Magnus," he told him in a slow voice, "all holiday shopping is done, everything is in place, and now, just now, you want to decorate this place?"
Magnus waved his hand dismissively, "it might be very, very last minute, but we can just put some tinsel around the place, and we'll be done."
"Magnus," Alec told him, "if you haven't noticed, our house has thirteen rooms."
He was pleased that Alec had come to think of the place as their home, instead of just Magnus's. This was a place that they were sharing now, a place where both of them could belong. At first, when they had moved in together, Alec had been so timid around everything. Every time Alec walked into the room with one sort of quiet confidence, not questioning if he really belonged in this place, Magnus felt a short surge of joy sprout from his chest.
"So?" thought Magnus was now beginning to see his terrible point, "it just might be a bit messy, but it would still be classy."
Alec was quiet for a moment, and Magnus was hurt for a moment when he realized that his loved one might've been judging him.
"We can hang up stockings," Alec finally decided, "but nothing outside."
"Why not?"
"There is at least four feet of snow outside right now," he said flatly.
That was a very good point, which Magnus could not deny. Alec made a lot of good points every now and then, even if it did seem that his good points were out to make sure that Magnus couldn't really have any bit of fun anymore.
"Stockings it is, then," he said, and Alec replied with a small smile. It was the same smile that made Magnus melt inside, and made it a little hard for him to really breathe. It was amazing, how just one person could have such an effect on him. Magnus was just about to lean in to kiss him, when suddenly, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He considered pulling it out and crushing it under his foot. Alec waited patiently as Magnus answered the phone. There was no hint of annoyance on his pale face that Magnus himself was feeling.
When he answered the phone, he was still looking at Alec. He noted, with endearing amusement, that Alec's nose had started to turn red from the slight hint of chill that had managed to slip into their home from the outside world. He was just too cute.
"Hello?" he wasn't even trying to hide the annoyance in his voice now, "Magnus Bane, at your service. Because I really don't have anything to do with the rest of my life anyways."
"Now you are just laying it on far too thickly, really. Magnus," Catarina was over the line, and Magnus could still hear faint traces of her accent, even over the phone, "I suppose Alec is there with you as well? Good, there something I needed to tell both of you anyways. Put me on speaker so he can hear. It makes things so much easier for me to get the hold of you two now that the two of you are practically joined by the hip."
"Our agent has something interesting to tell us, my love," Magnus murmured to Alec. The boy raised an eyebrow at him, even though his blue eyes were bright and laughing. Magnus himself could scarcely believe that a while ago, this boy had been so terrified of who he was or what he was about to become. Now, he was nothing but comfortable, who knew exactly what he wanted, and wasn't afraid to go after it.
"Alec will be just fine, please, no weird names," Alec told him, "I don't want to be like those other weird couples."
Magnus smirked teasingly as he pressed the button for speaker, "Of course, darling."
Alec rolled his eyes at him. He was still smiling, though.
"Could the two of you please stop flirting for one moment to listen to what I'm about to tell you?" Catarina sounded annoyed, even through the muffled distance of the phone.
Magnus and Alec were quiet, and she saw this as a sign that they were listening.
"Camille Belcourt is holding a Christmas Party," Catarina told them, "but the issue is that the annoying woman had the nerve to send out the invitations at last minute. The two of you have them."
"I haven't checked the mailbox today," Alec sounded alarmed, "I didn't think that there'd be any mail today, it is Christmas Eve. I didn't think that anyone was even really working today."
"I'm doing my work right now," Catarina told him, not in an unkind tone. Alec looked sheepish, and Catarina could probably sense the look even though they were miles away from each other.
"It doesn't matter," Magnus told him, and he couldn't keep the hint of annoyance out of his voice, "we are not going anyways. Camille, if you haven't noticed, Catarina, is really nothing but trouble."
"You have to," Catarina told them, "Camille has a rather large fan base, and most of them are already talking about the scandal between you and her, Magnus. If you bring Alec with you, if you make it clear to Camille that whatever happened between you and her is long over, right out in a public place like that, she has no choice to forget the whole thing."
"Then all the drama would really be over," Alec said softly.
Magnus cast Alec a betrayed look, but Alec hardly seemed to notice it.
"Camille will be insulted if neither of you show up," Catarina Loss continued on, "then that woman will really want to stir up trouble for the two of you. For the rest of your lives, she's not going to leave you alone. Both of you know well enough that the life of an actor, especially with fame, is never quiet. But you don't know what it's like when that fame turns your world into a practical, burning hell."
Alec was silent for a moment, as if he was taking the time to think over all of this. Magnus watched him quietly. More than a few times, Magnus found that he was always watching Alec, he was always trying to drink in every detail about him.
"I'll go get the invitations, then," Alec finally said said, getting up, "thank you for letting us know, Catarina. I really don't know what we'd do without you sometimes."
"The two of you would probably be suffering without me around. The two of you probably wouldn't even be in the show business right now. And don't mention the thing about the invitations. It is my job," she said modestly, and then ended the call.
Magnus caught Alec's wrist when he was turning to head for the front door. Alec cast him an alarmed look, but it was more curious than frightened. His eyes were full of wonder as he looked at Magnus, as if he was trying to figure Magnus out. Magnus had gotten good at not frightening Alec anymore, and Alec had gotten used to this strange feeling between them by now. He held onto Alec lightly, because this boy, he was more precious to him than anything else in the world.
"Magnus? What is it?" he sounded so concerned for him that Magnus felt as if he was falling through empty air once again. He didn't answer, and Alec frowned slightly, opening his mouth to speak once again.
Magnus pulled him into a sudden kiss, almost as if it had been on reflex. There was a sound of muffled exclamation from Alec, but he kissed back fiercely, nevertheless. It happened every time Magnus kissed him, there was something that burned like an enchanted flame between the two of them. There was not a more exhilarating feeling in the world for him. Alexander was the one who broke away first, gasping lightly as if he was trying to force the air back into his lungs.
"What was that for?" Alec asked.
"Just to remind you," Magnus said, still holding on lightly to his wrist.
"Of what?"
"That at this wretched Christmas party, no matter what Camille says that tries to play with your head, that you are the one that I love. She is my past, but you are my future."
Alec nodded slightly, "you might have to remind for a couple more times when we're at that party, then."
At this, Magnus smiled, pulling him down towards him again. Alec didn't fight against him, if anything, he just leaned in more towards Magnus, as if he himself were stuck in some sort of trance.