[AO3 Crosspost] We have joy, we have fun, we have seasons in the sun

[terresdebrume]

✗ TECHNICAL DETAILS

FANDOM: The Shadowhunter’s Chronicles
SERIES: Tomorrow will be perfect
RATING: General
WORDCOUNT: 1 500
PAIRING(S): Malec
CHARACTER(S): Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood
GENRE: Fluff
TRIGGER WARNING(S): -
SUMMARY: In a world where Alec left the Lightwoods at eighteen -two years before they met Clary- the existence of the Shadow World has been revealed to Mundanes. Four stories, four moments of a relationship the day before they leave for Alicante and the Crisis Council that’s being planned there.
The evening before they travel to Europe in order to meet with the Lightwoods, both Alec and Magnus experience some nerves… and some laughter, too.
NOTE(S): This takes place in 2015 -so Alec is 26, and was written before I even read COLS, let alone any of the following books in the series.

TOMOROW WILL BE PERFECT ON LJ: [Series Masterpost]

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“Well, I think we’ve got everything covered.”

Magnus sits back in front of the rosewood vanity he keeps in the bedroom, the thing looking almost empty without Magnus’ usual arsenal of make up and skin-care products. He’s almost glowing in the dim light though, still damp from the constant heat and rain, and Alec is half-considering abandoning his book and going over there to kiss the other man already, but he also knows now isn’t the time.

It’s clear from the way Magnus slumps in his robe of burgundy cotton that he’s not concerned only about their suitcases, and Alec knows better than to think a kiss could possibly solve this kind of problems.

“Do you think they’ll like me?”

This time, Alec picks up his bookmark and closes his copy of A feast for crows, setting his reading glasses on the bedside table next to the witchlight he’ll need to remember when he finishes packing tomorrow.

With a grunt, he leaves the bed and walks up to Magnus, pulls the linen crate away from their bed and uses it to sit in front of his boyfriend, feeling more nervous than he probably should.

“It’s going to be alright,” he says as he catches one of Magnus’ hand in his -Alec has known life or death situations before, but he still can’t fully keep the shiver out of his voice this time. “You don’t have to be so nervous.”

“Oh, listen to yourself,” Magnus mutters, “you’re even worse than I am, and it’s not you who’s going to meet your non-human boyfriend’s parents… do they look as normal as you at least?”

Alec snorts, presses Magnus’ hand, and nods.

“Yes, they do. Most people from the Shadow World have human-like appearances only with some… additional features, I guess.” Magnus snorts. “I don’t think they’ll give you much trouble,” Alec admits, mouth twisting in a grimace. “You’re a Mund—well, you’re human, for one, and also they’ll probably be too busy dealing with me to pay much attention to you.”

Magnus glares at him and Alec grins with as much innocence as he can muster -but he was never as good as Jace at that game, and he kissed goodbye to whatever was left of his boyish charms the day he decided to grow a beard, which means he’s not surprised when it doesn’t seem to be settling Magnus at all.

Still, there’s more anxiety than anger in the green of Magnus’ eyes -the color itself is called chartreuse, or at least that’s what Magnus says, but to Alec it’s always been more evocative of a cat. Magnus is the cat, and Alec is… probably something like a labrador. They make an odd couple but up until a month ago, they’ve always seemed to work things out without too much damage.

Of course, that was before the existence of the Shadow World was all over the newspapers… it struck Europe first, giving Alec just enough time to brace himself for the shit storm and tell Magnus the truth before the news really hit Jakarta -but it still left the both of them tired and less at ease with each other than they used to be.

“You’re not exactly reassuring me.”

“I’m trying my best,” Alec admits, “but I’m not exactly confident in all this either. I mean, I haven’t seen or talked to any of them for the past eight years… and I literally sneaked out on them before they could decide whether or not they’d let the Clave takes my Marks off. They did usually respect the Covenant—”

“Hey,” Magnus interrupts, clicking his fingers between them, “Bahasa Indonesia, please. Or English if you have to but make it understandable for me.”

“Long story short,” Alec sighs with an apologetic smile, “the Clave is our government, he Covenant our law and these” -Alec points to the parabatai Rune drawn on his neck- “are the Marks.”

Alec watches Magnus’ right hand come up to trace the Mark with his fingers, featherlight over the black lines -exactly what you’d expect from a future surgeon, Alec thinks, except more tender than professional when they’re together.

Alec tilts his head away, leaving more space for Magnus to explore -a game they’ve played before, but back then Magnus thought he was looking at tattoos, simple drawing in the skin, not objects of power.

“You are nervous,” Magnus muses, following his words with a quick kiss to to Alec’s forehead. “You hide it much better now though…”

“Actually,” Alec admits, giving in to his impulse and pulling Magnus on his lap, “I used to be a lot better at it. For some reason I just don’t feel like being too reserved with you –don’t laugh, I know it’s cheesy but it’s true!”

Magnus is still laughing, leaning into Alec’s chest and squeaking when Alec starts tickling his sides, biting his shoulder just hard enough to redden the skin without breaking it. With a yelp, Magnus bolts away from Alec and turns to face him again:

“You know I’m ticklish here,” he says, pretending to scowl. Alec grins, and Magnus sighs. “Well, I guess I should be happy you haven’t revealed a new personality along with unexpected origins.”

“Totally not a new personality,” Alec agrees. “You’re still expected to deal with all the spiders -and possibly glare at Jace when he makes fun of me for it.”

“So Jace is your brother, right?” Alec nods. “And then there’s Isabelle and… Mitch?”

“Max.”

“Right.” There’s a pause, which Magnus uses to come back into Alec’s lap, straddling his hips and putting his hands on the back of his neck -Alec leans back against them with a pleased hum. “You know, regardless of everything else, I’m glad you get to see them again.”

“Me too,” Alec admits with a smile, but also more nerves than he would like, “Now all I have to worry about is making sure they don’t traumatize you into leaving me.”

“Oh please,” Magnus snorts, “As if they could. From what you’ve told me so far you guys are the equivalent of American W.A.S.P.s… I’ve dated white people before. I can handle bigoted relatives for a week, don’t worry.”

“At least we’re not actually white,” Alec jokes around the abrupt lump in his throat. “Though Shadowhunters don’t exactly pay a lot of attention to that detail.”

What Magnus says next sounds a lot like the Dutch for You’re being silly, but Alec doesn’t know the language enough to be a hundred percent sure about it, so he doesn’t reply.

“A land without racism,” Magnus sighs in Alec’s hair, “fantastic. See, I like Idris already.”

Alec laughs then, something loosening in his chest as he pulls Magnus down for a long, lazy kiss that has them both panting before long, their underwear tenting in the most pleasant way, and Alec’s fingers dig into the dip of Magnus’ hipbones, just hard enough to chase blood and keep the taller man in place.

“Also dry heat,” Magnus continues when they finally need to breathe, “fashion, of course, and I’ll finally be able to watch Plus Belle La Vie live ag—hey!”

Alec, seizing the back of Magnus thighs, gets up from his improvised seat and walks them both toward the bed, Magnus’ legs wrapping around his waist for more stability.

“See,” Magnus says with a chuckle, “where am I going to find a guy shorter than me who can do this if I leave you? Magic tattoos don’t exactly grow on trees!”

“Excuse you,” Alec protests, not bothering to tease Magnus on his weakness for short men, “Rune aren’t the only source of my strength -I actually work out to keep my man happy!”

Magnus snorts while Alec sets him down on the bed and all but slumps over him, pushing all his weight on his boyfriend just for the hell of it. They’re both snorting like middle-schoolers who just heard a dick joke by the time they’re in bed, and Alec wriggles into a more comfortable position with more duck-like noises than strictly necessary.

He ends up snuggled against Magnus’ left side, nose buried in his neck, and sighs so hard he can feel the nerves pouring out of him… they’ll be back before they can reach their Portal tomorrow, but for now, Alec feels settled.

“How about we ditch it,” he mumbles against Magnus’ skin. “One less hunter isn’t going to hinder them. I vote we bypass Idris and we go to a place where TV actually works.”

“You’d feel guilty,” Magnus yawns in answer, slipping out of his robe and stretching until his backbone lets out a loud pop. “And not just about not going to see your parents. It’s only for a week… and if we don’t like it, we can always leave.”

Alec nods as his hand finds Magnus’ and snakes their fingers together before falling asleep with the echoes of Isabelle’s laughter floating at the edge of his dreams.