riverviewlogs | I have found the one whom my soul loves

Entry tags:

I have found the one whom my soul loves

who: Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane, Jace Wayland
what: Dealing with a new complication in the Lightwood, Bane, Wayland household
when: Early September
where: Their apartment
warnings: sexual content

After a few strange moments, things seemed to be getting back to normal. Izzy seemed comfortable with her new role with the police even if Alec wasn't sure how his little sister ended up being a scientist when he couldn't remember her being interested in science in the past. Max was settling in and thriving now that he was allowed to explore the world and interact with Mundanes. Magnus seemed to be enjoying having a new business to run. Jace's PTSD had miraculously eased after the frightening morning when he woke up unable to remember what had happened hours before. Alec knew that was from the loss of some of Jace's memories but none of them would push him to take the cure that would force them back into his mind.

They were all happy, even if there were the occasional moments when Alec wondered about how Jace looked at him. Or how he looked at Magnus sometimes when he thought that Alec wasn't looking. If he was still the jealous boy that hadn't been able to deal with Magnus' past lovers, he would start to wonder, but he knew that Magnus loved him. Neither Jace nor Magnus would hurt him by acting on the strange... whatever it was that was going on. And Alec wouldn't hurt Magnus by acknowledging the strange tension and longing he sometimes felt when he was around his parabatai. Whatever was going on was a fluke, an abnormality created by their experiences during the wars. It didn't change that they were all content with the new life they were building.

Maybe that happiness was why Alec bought the little jar with the red string. It was part of an old legend he'd read about years ago and he'd been curious. He knew where the string would lead but he thought it might be something cute that Magnus would like: a myth showing that the two of them were bound together even if they could never official use runes to declare their marriage. Before he'd drifted off to sleep, he'd tied the bit of string to his left hand and then curled up with his husband, certain that the magic would manifest as a string leading to Magnus.

The next morning, he'd forgotten about the string until after he'd eased out of bed, gently kissing his husband's cheek before heading for the shower. Magnus might grumble later about Alec letting him sleep but his husband deserved the extra rest while Alec began his training. It wasn't until he'd finished most his usual morning routine and was about to strip out of his pajama pants when he noticed two red thread that shimmered around his finger, trailing down to lead into the bedroom.

Two. One had to be Jace and the other...

Alec smiled as he followed the red string to the bed, sitting down beside Magnus. Pressing another kiss to his cheek, he nuzzled his husband's ear, knowing that would get his attention eventually. "Karissima, there's something I want to show you."

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On the surface, it seemed like life for the little Lightwood family was getting back to normal, or whatever semblance of normalcy that they held on a daily basis. Magnus was getting used to having the youngest sibling around, but he found Max to be much more friendly and, if he's totally honest, more likeable than he had upon their first meeting. Izzy was now a familiar presence in his life and had been since living in Wayward Pines, something that had brought them together more as friends than just two people who cared about Alec. But Jace continued to be an unknown variable, at times fitting seamlessly into the life they were all building together but sometimes on edge in ways that made Alec, and thus Magnus, concerned. The issue of his memory was passed them, it seemed, but everything it had brought to light still lurked in the edges of Magnus' mind, and surely Alec's as well. On top of that were the longing looks that Alec didn't see Jace giving him, the blushes that crept over his golden skin when he walked in on the husbands during an intimate moment. They'd discussed the possibility of Jace having feelings for Alec, but those had been quickly shot down. There was also the fact that Alec had a vastly different set of memories than anyone else, except maybe for Max on a few points. It put Magnus on edge, wondering if he was from their future or, most disturbingly, another reality.

All of these things weighed on Magnus' mind in various combinations and sizes, but at the end of the day he was able to fall asleep next to the man he loved. He knew it was a blessing to be allowed such a simple happiness and the chance to build a life together. Even among all of the problems, they had each other and they were doing their best to keep each other and their family happy. It was the reason he decided not to partake in the various soulmate potions that were being sold, not needing one to know that Alec was the one soul to spend his life with. And though he thought it would be a cute reminder of their bond, even without parabatai or marriage runes, he didn't know if Alec would think of it as too possessive.

So it was a clueless Magnus who went to sleep next to Alec, as he did every night, and it was in that same state that he woke slowly the following morning. Groaning softly, Magnus shifted in bed and instinctively reached out for Alec to pull him close. The soft brush of lips against his ear definitely caught his interest, and he wrapped his arms around Alec's waist so he could reach down and squeeze his ass. "You don't have to announce it that way if you want me to look at you naked, Alexander," he said with a sleepy grin as he opened his eyes and looked up at his husband, mark unglamoured as it always was when they were alone. "And if it's your blowjob skills, well, I do love when you show those off," he added to tease.

As he kissed his husband, Alec couldn't help thinking how lucky he was that they had managed to arrive in this world. Wayward Pines had been a blessing, even with mad scientists stealing their memories and the potential apocalypse. It had brought them together, giving them the life that the Clave had forbidden. No one could condemn them. No one could threaten to strip away Alec's runes... No one cared that a Shadowhunter wore a Warlock's ring and had promised his heart to him.

Letting out a mock indignant sound when Magnus' hand found his ass, he grinned down at his husband. "By the Angel, you're beautiful." He still wasn't sure if 'beautiful' was the right word to use even if it was true. Magnus was stunning when he was relaxed and sleepy, free of the glamours that hid his marks. Knowing that he was one of the few people that saw the bright gold-green of Magnus' eyes always made his breath catch, awed by his husband's trust. Sometimes he thought that he was the only being who had ever thought that the sight was erotic. Another one of the first that Alec cherished with Magnus.

Laughing softly, he kissed along Magnus' jaw before stealing a kiss. "Sorry, but you missed the naked Alec moment. I do want to show off, but that wasn't what I was planning." But he could easily be persuaded to wait to show Magnus the surprise until after he'd showed off something else instead. "It can wait if you want me to wake you up before your surprise."

Magnus, too, was sometimes struck by how lucky they were to be together. Not only had their meeting and relationship back in New York been one full of chance and struggle, but they'd been spirited away to alternate realities on two separate occasions. And yet they always had each other through it all, and even if they were still struggling with memories—mainly Magnus' lack of them—he couldn't have been happier.

"That's because you see me through your gorgeous eyes," he replied, grip firm on Alec as he pulled him against him. He could practically taste the toothpaste Alec has used to brush his teeth, and though he lamented his own morning breath, he liked the idea of dragging Alec back into bed after he'd clearly tried to leave before. He wanted to wrap himself up in Alec, his husband who was the only person to see so much that Magnus tried to hide and yet loved him more for his flaws.

Grumbling, he pressed kisses along the permanent path of his deflect rune. "Damn, what a wasted opportunity," he said with a sigh. Eyes blinking open and looking more alert, Magnus groaned at the offer and squeezed Alec's ass again, bringing him closer. "Now I'm even more curious about this surprise, even if I would literally never turn down such a lovely wake-up call. But it's your surprise to show, so you can decide how and when," he said with a softer smile, never wanting Alec to feel pressured to give anything he didn't want to, no matter how much Magnus teased.

Laughing softly, Alec let himself be dragged back into bed, making sure not to put too much weight on his husband. Draping an arm over Magnus' stomach, he pretended to pout. "I don't think my eyes being gorgeous makes me more perceptive," he teased gently.

Tipping his head back, he shifted so that Magnus would have better access to the rune on his neck. "If you keep doing that, you'll get a second chance for naked Alec time." If his surprise goes well, there would be naked Alec and Magnus time. Maybe a few hours' worth of enjoying the morning without interruptions. "I can show you the surprise here."

As he spoke, Alec suddenly felt shy, nervous that Magnus might not appreciate the magic that he'd tried. Magnus could be suspicious or dismissive of magic that wasn't his own, especially when Alec was the one using it. Pulling away for a moment, he considered his husband, then took his hand, twisting it so that Magnus' hand was splayed against his. The bright red string wrapped around his finger, brushing against Alec's wrist as it looped downward to arc toward Magnus' hand.

There was another string tied around Alec's finger that ran along the bed and out of the room. Leading to Jace, he assumed. Their souls were bound, just like his soul was bound to Magnus. "I know that you've been unhappy that we can't have runes so I wanted to find a way to show you that our hearts and souls are bound. You are the one I love most. I share my soul with you, Karissima."

Magnus felt himself relaxing back towards the line between sleeping waking, comforted by Alec's warm and familiar body. "I don't know any other logical explanation for why you're so observant of others," he said even though it was a blatant lie. It was easy for him to assume that Alec had spent so much time in the shadows while his siblings basked in the light, and so long hiding truths about himself, that it had become easy for him to focus on others and see things about them he had practiced hiding in himself.

"If that was meant to deter me, you're doing a terrible job," he said with a grin, pressing his teeth to Alec's neck. He loved the thought of a lazy morning together in bed, free of responsibilities as long as Alec didn't have to patrol. "Really? And it's not sexual?" he teased, his smile softening when he could sense Alec's nervous energy.

Watching as their hands moved, his first thought was how he hadn't noticed the string on his finger immediately followed by the reminder that Alec was incredibly distracting. His second thought was on the second string, obviously meant for Jace as Alec's parabatai. These followed in quick succession only to be replaced by Alec's explanation as if he worried how Magnus would react to it. Reaching for the string on Alec's hand, Magnus wound it around his fingers and then laced them with Alec. "Aku cinta kamu, Alexander," he said with a swell of love in his heart. "And I'm bound to you," he echoed.

Rolling his eyes, he gave his husband a fond look before snuggling closer to Magnus. "If that was true, then you'd be the most observant of all of us." He knew that others hadn't thought of Magnus' eyes as beautiful. They'd been the reason for some of his greatest heartbreak, but Alec thought they were beautiful, each glimpse of their true color a gift that Magnus shared with only a few beings.

"I thought a surprise might interested you more than naked time." His teasing turned to a quiet moan when Magnus found the perfect spot on his neck. He knew better, of course. The two of them could rarely keep their hands off each other whenever the had time alone. "It's romantic not sexual." But it might lead to that if Magnus kept nibbling on his neck.

And if Alec's surprise wasn't a disappointment to Magnus. He still wasn't quite sure how Magnus would react. His husband worried more about the proper traditions related to marriage than Alec did. He was able to wear gold and Magnus' ring. Runes weren't as important as those two pieces of Shadowhunter ceremonies, but they mattered to Magnus so Alec wanted to find some way to give him something special.

Smiling as Magnus wove the strings around their fingers, he placed his other hand over his husband's heart. "Aku cinta kamu, Magnus. Runes don't matter, but if you want to do something..." Alec had been considering it since they'd painted designs on each other for the Expo. "We could do something similar. Tattoos or magic, if there's that kind of magic."

"Everything about you interests me, sayang," he said, the bright smile on his face turning wicked when Alec finally moaned that special way he did when Magnus teased his neck. "Romantic or sexual or platonic, I love you and doing things with you." Even if they hadn't done anything platonic in what felt like years, he treasured any kind of activity they did together.

Covering Alec's hand with his own, he felt its warmth beneath his palm and on top of his chest. It was still thrilling to hear Indonesian from his husband, especially those three words that held more weight to Magnus since he'd never said them to anyone else. But the English that followed surprised him, enough that his eyes widened as he smiled softly in disbelief. "I thought you'd want runes," he explained, knowing that he'd mentioned them before but never imagining that Alec would think Magnus put weight in them. He wanted Alec to have the real Nephilim marriage he deserved, something he hadn't thought he'd ever get because of his sexuality. Even though he'd been able to give him a marriage, a life beyond the Institute, there were still limitations because of his demon blood.

Pulling Alec close, he kissed him fiercely and threaded the fingers of his free hand through his hair. "I love you, my Alexander, and I'd love to find some way to mark myself with that love," he added with a bright smile and blush.

"I don't think we've done anything platonic since we met." Not since the day that Alec had snuck out of the Institute to ask Magnus out. Even that nervous, awkward moment had turned sexual or at least romantic. "I love you and doing things with you. I think that turns everything we do into romance." That sounded like something out of one of Izzy's romance novels but it was true. Even when they had been lazy, watching those model TV shows that Alec didn't understand, it was still romantic to them both.

Watching his husband, Alec waited for Magnus to think over what he'd said. It as important, something he knew that he shouldn't rush. He knew that Magnus loved him. Their vows were just as sacred as the ones that the Silent Brothers would have led. This time together, feeling each other's heartbeat, teasing each other and sharing a quiet morning was just as important as any ceremony they could have had. "Magnus, runes don't make a marriage. My parents spoke the words, drew the symbols that were supposed to reinforce that promise, but Robert still cheated on her. They don't make the marriage true. What we have right here is real and more honorable than most marriages."

It sounded strange to describe a relationship as honorable, but Alec had learned too much about his parents' marriage to think of it as right. The things that Robert had done...

Making a surprised sound when Magnus pulled him out of his thoughts and closer to share a kiss. This could never be wrong. Loving Magnus this much, sharing this passion with his husband was what their relationship should be even if they couldn't share the runes that should never have seemed so important. "I love you, Magnus." Brushing his fingers along Magnus' cheek, he grinned when he felt the faint heat of his husband's blush. "Are there Indonesian symbols we could use? Your culture is just as important as mine." Alec never tried to ignore that part of Magnus' life but he also knew how much pain those memories could bring. "Or we could choose something else."

"Good point. Even if I had to resist my feelings for you, they were never anything close to platonic," he agreed. His first thought about Alec, wondering who the mysterious hottie was, had been enough to predict the rest of his reactions to Alec. Smiling at the logic, nodding and kissing Alec, he couldn't help peppering a few more kisses over his lips. "I like that definition of a romance. No matter what we do together, we love each other. That's incredibly romantic."

Even with the teasing, both verbal and physical, Magnus stilled so he could take a moment to let the gravity of Alec's words fully sink in. Here was a man who had been so concerned with tradition and the customs of his culture, but he was willing to ignore them in favor of love. It meant more than Magnus could ever put into words, and his grip tightened on Alec where his hands rested. "I'm so in love with you," he said suddenly, words spilling out of him before he'd even formed them in his mind; he spoke straight from his heart and soul. "I want to marry you again. We could have a ceremony here." Even if they were already married, even if they'd had a wedding and vows and rings, Magnus wanted to declare his love for Alec to everyone.

Closing his eyes to feel the soft brush of fingertips over his skin, he blinked them open again to look up at Alec with golden irises. "We could find something. Indonesian tattoos are more about the overall design." He pulled Alec in for a kiss, pressing their foreheads together when they pulled apart to breathe again. "I'd also love something that represents you, a mark of you on my skin."

Alec began to speak, wanting to tell Magnus that there had never been a reason for him to resist his feelings, but he knew that it wasn't important now. They'd broken up for many reasons and bringing up those problems when they had worked past them would ruin the importance of the surprise he'd given his husband. "Romance isn't just flowers and compliments." Leaning in he pressed a soft kiss to Magnus' lips. "Even if I want to give you that as often as possible."

As he pulled away, he watched Magnus' expression, knowing the moment that his husband understood what this meant to him. Runes were important but the love they felt was more important than traditions or Law. Love and family were the most important things in Alec's life and he grinned when he saw that Magnus had realized what he meant. Feeling Magnus' fingers tighten around his, his heart ached with the kind of happiness he'd never thought was possible. "Good, because I'm so in love with you." He was about to tease Magnus, when he offered to marry Alec again. "Yes." It shouldn't be possible to grin so much, to be so happy. Maybe Magnus was more magical than Alec had ever assumed.

"We can get married and my family can be here." That had been something that had hurt almost as much as not having clear memories of the ceremony. Alec knew his parents would never be pleased over the marriage, but his siblings would want to be there to see them married. "No one here can stop us from having a proper ceremony." The Law couldn't touch them. No one would condemn them. The thought almost took his breath away.

His grin turned to a soft, adoring smile when Magnus' glamour faded. By the Angel Magnus was beautiful and he wanted to marry him again. "It doesn't have to be Indonesian. I just don't want it to just be about Shadowhunter tradition." Making a soft sound before returning the kiss, he brushed his thumb over Magnus' chest, trying to imagine a mark there to show their love. "Arrows for me and sparkles for you?"

Magnus smiled at that, appreciating the sentiments because he shared the same opinion. It was probably one of the reasons their relationship worked so well; they understood each other and so often held similar beliefs about everything from personal struggles to how a relationship should be. "You know I never turn down a gift, especially because I love giving them to you as well."

And slowly, Alec's fierce love and loyalty to those he cared about was reminding Magnus of what it was like to feel for others. It had been relatively easy to accept Alec into his heart because his love for the Shadowhunter burned so brightly that he couldn't ignore it, but becoming part of the Lightwood family meant that he was learning more about other relationships built on neither romantic love nor need-based friendship. "Good, that means we are both so in love with each other," he said, kissing him with laughter on his lips.

Even if it had been an impromptu proposal, his heart soared when Alec was so quick to accept it. Grinning brightly, he hugged Alec close and rolled them over in bed until he was on top, looking down at the incredible man who had agreed to marry him twice. "Jace can be your man of honor as he should be," he said, knowing how important it was to Alec that his siblings be there when they hadn't been before. "And I'm certain that Isabelle would love to help me make the preparations." There wouldn't be many, considering it would likely be a small ceremony, but they had been meeting people and making enough friends that some might want to attend.

"We should find something unique to us, then," he said softly. He couldn't wear the runes of the Nephilim, and using Indonesian felt disingenuous considering how far he had intentionally removed himself from the culture. And he wanted to have something that fit them perfectly and would continue to do so forever. Chuckling at the suggestion, he covered Alec's hand with his own to press it against his chest. "I like the thought of arrows, but I think that glitter may be hard to read as a tattoo," he teased.

Alec wanted to tease his husband, but laughter and happiness seemed to steal away his words. Instead of speaking, he returned the kiss, holding Magnus close while trying to show him how much he loved him, tell him all the things he could never find the right phrases to express. He hoped that the little kindnesses he gave his husband and the kisses and touches that they shared hinted at how much he felt. "I love you so much," he whispered between kisses, grinning at how pleased Magnus seemed over their plans.

As soon as Magnus started moving, he wrapped himself around his lover, grinning up at Magnus when he got comfortable atop him. For a moment, he considered unwinding his legs from Magnus' hips then decided he liked this position too much to let go. Lightly playing with the hair at the back of Magnus' neck, he considered the phrase his husband had used. "Don't Mundanes call that 'best man'?" Hadn't Clary mentioned something about being Maid of honor or something like that. "Or am I the bride?" Scrunching up his nose at Magnus, he considered what that might mean. "I'll wear a bride's gold, but I'm not wearing a dress. I'd look terrible in one."

Magnus could plan whatever he wanted except that fashion choice. Alec was not going to wear a wedding gown no matter how much Magnus might give him cute, kitten eyes. "Izzy would like to help, but try to keep her from getting too crazy with it." Alec vaguely remembered Izzy teasing him about crazy wedding schemes that had horrified him.

"We should." He knew that Indonesian was an iffy subject for Magnus. It was the language that meant the most to him, but it was also where his greatest heartbreaks had occurred. He almost suggested something Spanish, remembering that Magnus had mentioned spending most of his childhood there, but that might not be something he wanted to remember either. And Magnus was right. It should be something unique to the two of them. "If not glitter then fire." That would be the best representation of Magnus' magic.... if it wasn't another painful reminder of the past.

Magnus felt every ounce of love as Alec seemed to press it into his very skin, warm pressure and a heartbeat he wished to match. Everything they shared, from grand gestures to small affections, filled his life with light the likes of which he'd never experienced before. More and more, Magnus was finding it impossible to imagine a life without Alec in it, something he would need to make decisions about later on in their lives when he was willing to face them head-on. If he was going to marry the love of his life twice, he was going to do more than simply let him fade away and out of his life.

Focusing on the promise of a wedding rather than distant futures, he kissed along the column of Alec's neck and down to his chest. His lips lingered about his heart, mind already bussing with spells they might use to mark one another. Even if Magnus was excluded from using runes, that didn't mean the ceremony couldn't include another kind of magic. Blinking up at Alec when he corrected him, Magnus shrugged while smiling. "I thought he'd be both the best man and the maid of honor, considering how I don't have anyone here to fit the role." Plus, it would save them the headache of there being two grooms and double everything else that came with it.

"No one is the bride," he reassured Alec even though he was confident that his husband had been joking. "That's rather the point for you, isn't it?" Humming soft laughter, he kissed Alec again. Imagining him in gold and black sent a thrill through Magnus, and even if fiances were not meant to see each other's attire before the wedding, Magnus wondered if he'd be allowed to pick Alec's suit for the occasion. "No dresses, though it's a shame since you have such lovely arms," he teased with a grin while squeezing Alec's shoulders.

Indonesian meant a lot to Magnus as his first language, but many of his ties to the culture had been lost over the centuries. He felt just as connected to Spanish literature and English poetry as he did American fashion and Brazilian cuisine. Perhaps it was one reason he was envious of the heavenly runes as symbols free of language, universal in their meanings and uses across the globe. "Flaming arrows," he said, half teasing and half thoughtful, "I think we can work with that."

Alec slowly relaxed his hold on Magnus, humming softly as his husband kissed his way down to his chest. Brushing his fingers through Magnus' hair, he smiled when Magnus lingered on the spot where the wedding rune was supposed to be. "Izzy could be maid of honor. She helped us get together. Without her, I wouldn't have dated you." She was the one he had confided in when he'd realized he wasn't 'normal'. She had helped him sneak out of the Institute, even going to Magnus and giving him the 'shovel talk' and then telling Magnus she approved of their relationship. Even if she'd occasionally been grumpy over how quickly they acted like a married couple, she deserved a place in the ceremony.

Fighting back a smile, he ran a finger along the curve of Magnus' ear, playing with one of his earrings. "For me it is." Returning the kiss, he nipped softly, pretending to pout when Magnus pulled away. "But I don't have the legs for it and think how much I'd have to wax to be able to wear a wedding dress." He probably shouldn't give Magnus ideas like that. If he wasn't careful he'd end up in a spa getting whatever treatments that Izzy and Magnus raved about.

Watching Magnus, he tried to gauge his reaction to Alec's suggestions. He had the feeling they were close to the right answer to finding the right symbols for their wedding, but they weren't quite there. It was too bad Clary wasn't with them. She might be able to design a rune that would work. "It's too bad we can't use the Alliance design as the base." Taking Magnus' hand, he kissed the spot where he'd drawn the rune the first time before kissing his boyfriend in front of most of the Shadowhunters in Idris. "We know that one is safe and it's important to both of us."

Edited 2017-10-11 16:11 (UTC)

Even after all this time, Magnus never failed to reel at how trusting Alec was of him. It would have been easy for the Shadowhunter to still harbor instinctive doubts about letting a warlock have the upper hand in certain vulnerable situations, and yet Alec so easily let his guard down. And his trust in Magnus was well-placed, too, because no one on the planet would defend Alec as fiercely as his husband would. Even if he possessed powerful magic, it would never hurt Alec. Letting a thin stream of it spark between them, he poured warmth and love into Alec's chest where he could imagine their marriage symbol might someday sit.

"That's a good point. She helped us both along the way," he agreed, smiling up at Alec and leaning in to kiss him properly on the lips. "And she's important to you, which is the only reason I need to ask her." After all, Alec had his family around him and there was no reason not to give them honored roles in the wedding when they were now Magnus' family, too. But even with serious thoughts on his mind, he snorted at the thought of Alec waxing his legs. "You have wonderful legs, darling, and a high enough pain tolerance that you'd probably enjoy a hot wax."

Grinning as to not give away whether or not he was being facetious, Magnus settled down on top of Alec and admired the red string tying them together. Though his eye caught the second one on Alec's hand, his heart only clenched slightly at the thought of it leading to Jace in the other room. "Art never was my forte," he said to distract himself from thoughts of parabatai. Perking up slightly at that, he turned his hand over to cup it against Alec's face. "Another stolen memory, one I'd like to have back if it's about something we might be able to use for the ceremony."

Watching his husband, Alec almost couldn't believe that he could be so lucky. Almost. He'd known the instant he'd seen Magnus in Wayward Pines that this was someone special, someone who held part of his heart and soul. Now that he could remember most of his past, he still cherished the simplest gestures of affection that they shared.

When that affection was accompanied by the familiar, loving warmth of Magnus' magic, he couldn't help being awed by being able to have this with Magnus. Or ignore the desire that shivered through him when his lover's magic flow into his chest. Biting his lip to hold back a moan, he barely caught his breath before Magnus was kissing him.

Momentarily forgetting about their wedding, he made a needy sound into the kiss before Magnus pulled away. Before he realized that Magnus was trying to plan the ceremony, he chased after his husband's lips, ready to kiss him again until he realized he really shouldn't distract him. "You should ask her for you, not for me." Izzy would be part of the wedding one way or another, but the 'how' should be Magnus' decision as well.

Grinning at Magnus, he knew he couldn't even pretend to be offended by the suggestion. "I might be into a little pain, but not like that. Not unless you made it worth it."

Watching Magnus as he focused on the string, Alec guided his husband's hand to his lips for a kiss. He was considering rolling them over to see how tangled up they could get in the bright red string, when he noticed that there was more than one string on Magnus' hand.

Gently touching the cord, he ran his fingers along it, assuming that it was a symbol of some lover from Magnus' past. Alec knew that his husband might have more than one soul mate, but he assumed that the string would end or be tied in a knot of some kind. Instead if trailed along the floor beside the one that Alec knew represented Jace. "Magnus, did you notice that we both have two red strings?"

They were both lucky, though at times Magnus thought that it must be more than that. He'd lived for so long without someone like Alec in his life—he'd had friends and lovers, of course, but nothing compared to the soul-deep sense of connection and belonging that he had with Alec. If he thought about it, he was terrified at the possibilities of if he hadn't been born immortal, or maybe had been killed a century or even just a decade earlier, they would never have met. That kind of fate definitely felt like being each other's soulmates rather than simple luck.

Feeling Alec shiver beneath him, Magnus was drawn away from metaphysics and back to purely physical thoughts. The sounds Alec made, always so honest and unrestrained, made his cock twitch where it pressed against Alec's hip. "We should think about the wedding another time," he said, surprising even himself by they lack of interest in party planning; it wasn't surprising considering the distraction stretched out beneath him.

"Some people are into hot wax play, you know," he said with a laugh but no indication of whether or not he shared said interest. "I never want to hurt you, though, and I'm glad you wouldn't ask that of me." It would be impossible to give anything beyond the bites and scratches that were often entirely unintentional results of his overwhelming passion.

He was ready to engage in some overwhelming passion when he noticed Alec's interest shifting from kissing Magnus' hand to inspecting the very specific target of his smallest finger. Magnus hadn't given much thought to his own red string—he loved one soul at a time, always had, and Alec was very clearly the one he loved. Brows knitting together in a frown, his eyes also traced the winding curve of his second string. "What..." For once, he felt at a total loss for words. "Do you think it's because of your soul bond with Jace?"

Rolling his hips, he tried - and failed - to give his husband an innocent smile. "Are you sure? I know how much you love parties." Playing with Magnus' hair, Alec tried to act like he wasn't thinking of all the ways he could make his husband come. That could be a form of wedding planning. It would help them on their second honeymoon.

"If you want to try hot wax, we can, but I don't think it's on my list." He'd try it if it was something Magnus really liked, but it wasn't something that had ever interested Alec. There had to be other ways to get similar sensations even when a lover wasn't a warlock who liked to use magic in the bedroom or wherever they decided to have sex. Pulling Magnus close, he gave him a sweet kiss that was a silent 'thank you' for being open-minded to both his fantasies and what might make him uncomfortable.

When he pulled away he kissed along Magnus' jaw, hands sliding down his husband's back, tracing most of a love rune above his heart. "I know you don't. No matter what they say about Shadowhunters being masochistic, I'm not." And he'd never ask Magnus to cross that line. He loved the feel of Magnus' fangs against his skin and the sting of his nails when they both lost control, but he couldn't imagine either one of them wanting more pain than that while they were together.

It was almost disappointing that they had to focus on the strings instead of each other, but Alec had wanted Magnus to see that they truly were connected even if they could never share more than the Alliance rune. He just hadn't expected there to be more strings than one connecting him to Magnus and another connecting him to Jace.

Alec studied their hands again to make sure that he hadn't been mistaken. He wasn't. One string connected him to Magnus and the others led to the bedroom door. "It has to be but why wouldn't it be yours connecting to the one that ties me to him since he has part of my soul?" Two strings implied that Magnus' soul was somehow linked to Jace's as well.

Alec hadn't really thought of how having a parabatai would influence having a soul mate. They were bound through the ritual and their childhood together, but he'd never thought of it beyond that. Until he met Magnus, he'd never thought of having anyone in his life that might be a soul mate who was also his lover. "Does it bother you?" he asked softly, unsure of how Magnus might answer. It was one thing to know about parabatai in an abstract sense, but seeing a tangible link between the three of them when Magnus had been jealous of Jace before might anger Magnus.

Magnus moaned, unrestrained in the comfort of their own bedroom, as he felt Alec's hips pressing against his. "I love parties, but nowhere near as much as I love you," he replied with a soft smile that barely contained the lust simmering beneath the shining affection held in his eyes. "I love you, and your soul, and your heart, and mind, and body. I love touching you and being touched by you. I love being your source of pleasure and finding pleasure in you."

Shaking his head, he nipped at Alec's bottom lip. "No, it's not something I enjoy, darling, don't you worry." Though he had tried it, and could be enticed by the right lover, there was no reason for them to do it together when neither of them wanted it. Chuckling lightly at Alec's comment about his own kind, Magnus brushed the hair from his eyes. "And I am far from a sadist, though my enemies might say otherwise," he teased, closing his eyes as he mentally followed what he knew to be a love rune before Alec had gotten halfway through drawing it.

His mind was thoroughly distracted from love runes, weddings, and everything else by the fact that there were two strings connected to his finger. It went against everything that he believed about himself and his heart as he had always felt that he loved one person at a time. He saw nothing wrong with polyamory, just had never considered it for himself, mainly because he could be a jealous lover. "I don't know how this magic works," he said, hedging slightly as his mind fought to catch up with the situation.

His eyes slowly shifted from the string back to Alec, and he realized his husband was sensing his unease and probably thought it was his own fault. Reaching up with a hand, he set it on the side of Alec's face to cup his cheek and smooth his thumb beneath his lower lip. "I'm not upset with you," he said to begin, needing Alec to understand that first and foremost. "It's just that," he hesitated, gathering his thoughts and putting them into careful words, "I've never thought of myself as the kind to love two souls simultaneously. I care for Jace because I care for you, and I know how deeply the bond between parabatai runs."

For a moment, Alec wished he had his husband's gift for words. He wanted Magnus to know that he felt the same about him. That he belonged to Magnus heart and soul and that he loved everything about his husband. The warm smiles that Magnus only gave him, the laughter and affection that filled each day they shared together. Even the things that Magnus had tried to hide from him, the fears for the future and the darkness of Magnus' past were things that Alec loved. "I love everything about you. The things that make you shine so bright that I couldn't imagine not falling in love you and everything else." All the things that might ruin the mood when they could spend a morning together. "Sometimes I still can't believe I'm the one that you love and want to share that pleasure with."

Inhaling sharply at the nip, he smiled as Magnus confirmed that he wasn't interested in that particular kink. His drawing of the love rune paused when Magnus mentioned enemies, a rare, dangerous light flickering briefly in his eyes. He almost said something about having already dealt with Magnus' enemies but if mentioning the future might disrupt their morning in bed, explaining that mission would definitely ruin the romantic gesture Alec had attempted with the soulmate magic.

As Magnus processed the visual reminder that their souls were tangled up with a third person, Alec almost pulled away, then told himself that this was not going to harm their relationship. It was something that Magnus needed to think over. Knowing that parabatai were bound together was different than having the proof of it tangled around their fingers. "I don't know either. Does anyone know how the magic of souls work?"

The knot of nervous worry that he'd been trying to talk himself out of eased when Magnus touched his cheek. Catching his hand, Alec kissed each finger, then Magnus' palm, wanting to reassure them both that this - they - would be okay. As he listened to his husband's explanation, he understood why Magnus would be confused. In some ways, Alec was confused and he'd grown up with the concept of parabatai and lived with sharing his soul with another for years.

"With parabatai I don't think it's you love one or the other. I don't think it means you have to be in love with both of us, but for the relationship to work, you have to care about both." The words were spoken slowly, as if Alec was trying to test them to see if they felt right. "Could we truly be happy if you hated Jace?" He knew that Jace and he had been miserable when Alec had hated Clary. That might have been part of the reason they had been estranged for so long. Carefully running a finger along the string that connected Magnus to Jace, he struggled for a moment, trying to remember if there was anything in the legends about relationships, but the Clave had almost no information on the bond. "It could be a platonic bond. Or it could be that we're like those 'buy one get one free' sales Izzy likes so much."

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I have found the one whom my soul loves

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