Aku Cinta Kamu

Imagine a pre-canon Alec (miserable and alone and knowing that all his future holds is duty and a wife he can never love) being transported to a post-canon-ish world where Magnus and Alec are happily married. Alec is HOTI-NY, Magnus is High Warlock of Brooklyn/Consular Warlock of the Americas, and everything is basically sunshine and rainbows.

Pre-canon Alec (in post-canon Alec's body) sees the love and joy that the other Alec has in his life and hurts, wondering if it's even possible for this to be his future. It takes a few days for Magnus to figure out how to get the Alec's switched back again and in that time, Alec, touch-starved and lonely Alec, quietly approaches Magnus, who he knows he'll never see again after the switch and asks one thing.

Alec is blushing and stammering, but he manages to get out that if Magnus would be okay with it, if other-Alec wouldn't be mad, would- would Magnus hug him? Just the once?

Also

Malec ~ A love story ❤️

My revelation regarding this was spurred by a little-known film that actually didn’t do very well in theatres at all, from the early 90s called Corina Corina.

Starring heartthrob of the time Ray Liotta, fresh off his Goodfellas fame and…..Whoopie Goldberg??? as his love interest??????

Bear with me here.

Corina Corina is the story about a man whose wife died, leaving him alone to parent his 8-9 year old daughter alone in what appears to be the late 50s-early 60s.   His daughter, Molly, is non-verbal due to the trauma of her mother’s death and is dealing with feelings of isolation as a result of her mourning process. Ray Liotta’s character makes a concentrated effort to be a good dad for her, but it’s real clear that both of them are still dealing with the death of his wife. Because Ray’s character works full time, he needs to find a nanny to watch his girl and pick her up from school. After a couple of terrible experiences (one with a hilarious appearance by Joan Cusack) he decides to hire Whoopie Goldberg. Whoopie Goldberg’s character is a college educated black woman (in the 50s!!!!) who appears to be doing domestic work because its the only work white 50s America will hire her for. She and Ray’s daughter Molly get along well because she is the first person to take Molly’s decision to be non-verbal seriously and learn an alternate way to communicate with her.

Long story short, Whoopie Goldberg and Ray Liotta fall in love and live happily ever after. 

But, more importantly, the way the movie built their love changed the way I was able to process hetero couples on screen forever.

1. First, they were both provided with alternate romance options from the beginning of the movie. Ray was given an extremely attractive white lady love interest, and Whoopie was given an attractive and charming black man love interest. Both of them were given opportunities to return their affection but both pointedly chose not to.

2. They were attracted to each other based on common interest. They both liked the same music, they both bonded over their ability to play the piano, they both loved molly, they both helped encourage each other in their chosen fields (whoopie’s was english, and ray’s was being a songwriter), they both respected each other’s opinions and they both were honest with each other about the circumstances they were in.

3. They were realistic about the issue of a black woman being in a relationship with a white man in the era, and didn’t glide over racial identity issues. Ray made sure that his white neighbors knew that he loved her and didn’t care what they thought. He even explained to his mom that Molly emulating black culture wasn’t shameful and that she should mind her business about the way he felt about Whoopie Goldberg.

4. When Ray confessed his feelings, it was incredibly heartfelt and he was literally crying.

5. They didn’t pursue a romantic relationship until Whoopie wasn’t working for him anymore. And they didn’t gloss over the issue of power disparity in that equation. Ray doesn’t condescend to Whoopie at all through the movie, but once he’s aware he has feelings for her, his new goal is to let her know that he unquestionably considers her his equal both in private and in public And its clear that he’s aware that this is the first thing that must be settled before anything else. 

By the time you get to the end of the movie, the entire concept of Ray Liotta being with Whoopie Goldberg seems not only normal, but exceptionally romantic and you’re left wondering why you thought they would be a gross couple to begin with when they’re sO cLeArLy MaDe fOr eAcH oThEr

I now call this the Corina Corina standard. 

If a movie has a hetero couple and their relationship isn’t as fleshed out as Ray/Whoopie, I now have difficulty accepting whats occurring. 

The concept that two hot straight people who are vaguely near each other just doesn’t do it for me anymore after watching Ray Liotta walk through a black neighborhood in the 50s and knock on Whoopie’s door to beg her to come home to him.

Oh so you say your characters are in love?

Madzie filling out "paperwork" in purple glitter pen as Alec's doing reports

Madzie standing next to Alec with an identical scowl while he's talking to Clave reps

Alec: "that's unacceptable, Consul" Madzie: "that's unaccewptabew, Consuw!"

Alec in ops directing Shadowhunters constantly asking Madzie for clarifications which she always has on her tablet and relays in her little kid voice

Eventually this progresses to Madzie just fully running Ops (age 7). Alec's like "she's better than any adult Shadowhunter I've worked with"

Magnus calls Alec's office and Madzie picks up the phone. "He's in a meeting Uncle Magnus" (Magnus: "is this violating child labor laws?" Alec: "its called extracurricular activities Magnus")

The Clave is like, Mr Lightwood you can't make a warlock child your second in command. And Alec's like you have a better candidate? And they don't.

Madzie at the Downworld council taking notes by Alec's side. Meliorn: are you here representing the warlocks or the Shadowhunters? Madzie: I'm a free agent. Alec: don't try to box her in Meliorn.

every time they go to a meeting together in Alicante they come back with these identical looks of irritation on their faces and Madzie's like "I need a fucking ice cream after that" and Alec's like "fuck yes" and Magnus just watches them leave with utmost perplexity like "i don't know what's happening here but i'm afraid to interrupt it" (Madzie definitely learned swear words from Alec)

on the flip side, Alec takes all of Madzie's toys and games and stuff EXTREMELY seriously so Magnus will return home and Alec and Madzie are sitting on the floor with a circle of stuffed animals just scowling and looking angry. and Magnus is like "what's going on," and Alec says "Mr. Pinky and Jessica are fighting (gesturing to some stuffed animals) so we're trying to figure out a conflict resolution" with the same tone he uses to talk about Clave legislation and Magnus is just like "I need a drink"

Madzie in Alicante: my imaginary friend Booboo says we can't pass this bill Alec: did you all hear that? Booboo says no

Talking With Strangers. Shadowhunters. Alec x Magnus. E. Chapter 7/11. 4,500 words.

Summary:

It’s definitely them. It’s a very involved kiss, possibly the French kind. The video keeps looping. Alec stabs it into a pause with an unsteady thumb.

Fellow students and friends, Alec and Magnus have a well-established housemate arrangement. It’s thrown for a loop when a kiss gone public threatens Alec’s ability to stay—so Magnus suggests a foolproof solution. What’s a little marriage of convenience between friends, after all?

i.e. a university AU with 1) fake marriage 2) mutual pining 3) slice-of-life 4) smutty romantic drama

In this part: A bit of business, a bit of pleasure.

(Or start from chapter 1.)