He loves this moment. He loves this part of Magnus just like he loves all parts of Magnus, but this is special. This is something only those closest to Magnus see, and to be allowed this privilege makes him feel more important than he’s ever been told he could be. As a boy, he grew up in Jace’s shadow, always quieter, always less worthy of praise. It didn’t matter that he could handle a bow like he was born for it. He just wasn’t fast enough, wasn’t charismatic enough, wasn’t good-looking enough. He’s used to it. He doesn’t expect or need to be seen to perform his job, and he’s always thought he could live with that, could spend the rest of his life cleaning up Jace’s messes and playing uncredited supporting roles. But then Magnus saw him. He saw him and found him the most interesting thing in a room that also contained Jace and Isabelle, and Alec can’t go back. He can’t forget the dizzy elation of being somebody’s first choice.

Seeing Magnus so relaxed and happy was doing things to his insides and had him suddenly wishing that he could do that everyday. Make Magnus Bane laugh in some way or the other. Because right at that moment, he was sure he’d never heard anything as beautiful as the sound of Magnus laughing, nor had he seen anything as beautiful as that radiant smile.

It is a sad story. It doesn’t necessarily mean it has to have a sad ending.

‘What says romantic evening more than candles?’ ‘Romance doesn’t have to equal fire hazard.’

As long as I have lived, parents have shunned their children for the choices they made. Every species, every race, every world, every century. Parents see a representation of their own pride in their offspring, and in every situation, there are parents like you and parents like me. You wanted your children to make you proud by being another generation of you. I want my children to be whoever they want to be as long as they are happy.