#kindaresilient

What she isn’t prepared for is the answer Max gives.

“How about… brother?”

It’s all Maryse can do to stop herself from crying on the spot, nearly beaming with pride before turning her gaze to meet Magnus’ and catch his reaction.

It’s priceless. Magnus nods at Alec, and while he’s clearly surprised it’s the most pleasant daze of amazement, his features softening and a smile spreading immediately, voice heavy with emotion when he replies, “Sounds like a plan,” with a barely noticeable hitch to his words. But Maryse can see it - the relief at the love and acceptance they’re all here to give him, unwavering and unquestioning.

In that one word Max conveyed something the rest of them echo, and watching Magnus avert his gaze to recollect himself for a moment Maryse can see how much this family means to him. And Max is right - that’s what Magnus is now, and always will be.

Husband. Son. Brother.

Family.

—

There will always be talk, Izzy learned at an early age. In fact, she’s long since come into the opinion that if people aren’t talking about you in some capacity then you’re probably doing something wrong, because anything worth doing is going to be controversial to someone. Or maybe that’s just how she justifies her own habitually scandalous decisions time and time again. She’s used to it. In fact, though she’ll never admit it, sometimes she intentionally seeks out the thrill factor of knowing she’s going to get a rise out of people for simply speaking her mind.

But that’s her. When it comes to her family, however, it’s a different story altogether.

After picking more than a couple of fights with other Shadowhunters - peers and elders alike - over their opinions on her brother’s then-boyfriend, Alec pulled her aside one day and made her promise to just let them go. Which she did, reluctantly, and was about to do again while walking down to the cafeteria with Max, Alec, and Magnus.

“Can you believe we can’t even go a day at our own Institute without seeing more of them walking the halls like they own the place?”

She doesn’t have to look over to know the ‘them’ in question is, quite pointedly, the warlock linking hands with Alec. She’s also quite certain the jab at Downworlders in general is meant to reference Simon as well, who is around more and more often spending time with her. Izzy opens her mouth to say something but, remembering her promise to Alec, simply rolls her eyes and continues walking instead. Out of the corner of her eye she watches the muscles in Alec and Magnus’ arms and shoulders tense between them, their grip on one another a little tighter while refusing to justify the  provocative insult with a response. And then–

“Excuse me,” comes the sound of Max’s voice. Max, who stopped short a second or two ago without them noticing, and was now turning to face the two Shadowhunters passing by in the opposite direction. “That was very rude, and that’s my brother you’re talking about. You should apologize.”

One of the men, surprised to be called out by a child, turns to face Max with a condescending grin. “C’mon, kid. We weren’t talking about Alec.”

“Neither was I,” comes Max’s simple reply. Isabelle watches as he shifts slightly to turn around and give Magnus a small, determined nod, as if to say ‘Don’t worry, I got you’. And though Max turns right back around to face the older Shadowhunters Isabelle’s eyes linger on Magus instead.

She watches the way Magnus holds himself a little straighter, shoulders back, chest out. She watches Magnus try to mask the shock of Max’s actions, and then the pride over them, before finally managing something relatively neutral.

The two men exchange a questioning glance and Izzy realizes they’re actually considering picking some bigoted fight against a child until they see the same thing she sees: Magnus, hand no longer in Alec’s but lightly clenched at his side, ready to fight anyone who would dare pick on a child for exhibiting something as simple as manners. Of course, Magnus is careful to remain directly behind Max, so when the two men decide to leave without another word Max turns around with a victorious grin, none-the-wiser that it wasn’t entirely him who scared them off.

Izzy watches carefully as Magnus kneels down to Max’s level. “Thank you for that, Max. But I don’t want you to get yourself into trouble for me, okay? If something like that happens again just ignore them.”

Max frowns. “You’d do the same if someone was making fun of me, wouldn’t you?”

And damn, when did her little brother get so clever? Izzy smirks, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth in an attempt to hide it. She knows she shouldn’t be encouraging this but she can’t help it - watching Magnus’ face contort in an attempt to come up with some answer that wins for everyone. In the end he can only nod.

“Of course I would, Max.” Magnus finally admits, knowing there’s no other answer he can give.

“Alright then.” Is all Max replies, already starting to walk ahead of them down the hall.

“He gets that from the two of you, you know,” Magnus says to Alec and Izzy. And with Max safely in front of them Izzy allows her smirk to show through in full, positively beaming.

“He certainly does.” And she couldn’t be prouder.

—-

Jace was put in charge of Max’s training a few months ago and the improvement he’s made in that short amount of time shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. He is a Lightwood, after all, though his tendency to favor rune work and tactical studies over actual physical battle left everyone a little concerned during the first few years of his proper training.

Turns out he just needed someone who knew him better, and could properly play to his strengths while improving his weaknesses. Max is quickly becoming a natural, picking up on new weapons much faster than most of the other Shadowhunters his age due to his extensive studies in the how and the why of them rather than just hitting and jabbing at will. That, Jace supposes, comes from having a former Weapons Master for a sister.

“You’re not this mean when you’re training Simon,” Max whines, retrieving the staff Jace just hit out of his hand for the dozenth time that afternoon.

“You’re right,” Jace returns. “I’m meaner to Simon, so consider yourself lucky. Now get back into position.”

“Or…” comes a voice from the doorway, where Jace and Max both turn to see Magnus with a travel carrier full of smoothies. “You could take a well-earned nutrient break. Fresh fruit smoothies to fuel what have got to be two very exhausted Shadowhunters by now.” Magnus pauses, eyes darting specifically do Jace. “That is, if it’s alright with your instructor.”

Jace looks like he’s about to protest when Max runs to his side, already repeating, “Please, please, please?” and Jace can only sigh in defeat.

“Fine. But only for 10 minutes. No, 5 minutes!” Jace says, raising his voice as Max is already halfway across the room to where Magnus waits, a plastic cup already held out.

“Thank you, Magnus!” Max says, eagerly taking the cup. “This is why you’re my favorite brother.”

Max says it loud enough for Jace to hear, and Jace is positive that’s on purpose, because Max gives a side-eyed glance in his direction to see his reaction. Jace is about to protest when he catches the way Magnus’ expression lights up, lips curling up in a wide grin he couldn’t stop if he tried. Jace always saw how important Alec was to Magnus; anyone would have to be blind not to. But he’s only just now starting to realize how much their entire family means to Magnus, not just Alec.

So instead of insisting that Magnus is only the favorite because he hasn’t been around long enough to be annoying - a comment he’d only be making in jest, of course - Jace remains uncharacteristically silent as he follows behind to grab the other smoothie.

“Yeah, well Magnus is my favorite brother, too. So I guess we’re even.” Jace finally says, just loud enough for Max to hear. “Thanks for these,” he adds, no longer surprised at the little extra thoughts Magnus puts towards the rest of them these days and how seamlessly Magnus blends into their lives now. “Want to join us?” Jace asks, motioning to the mats. “Maybe you wouldn’t be the favorite if you’re the one knocking him over once and a while.”

Magnus looks down at his outfit with an exaggeratedly helpless shrug, as if it’s an excuse and he couldn’t just use his magic to change. “Not today. I wouldn’t want to ruin my date night makeup, after all. Guess I’ll just have to stay the favorite a little while longer.”

Watching Max run up to give Magnus a hug goodbye, Jace knows he doesn’t mind that one bit.

—

The party to celebrate Alec and Magnus’ new positions in Alicante is a similar mix of attendees as the wedding, full of Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike, this time at the much more neutral ground of the Loft.

Magnus is surprised at how many of the faces that were unfamiliar to him at the wedding are, at the very least, acquaintances now. A few of the Shadowhunters come over to congratulate him while he hangs off to the side with Raphael and he knows almost all of them by name now.

Alec, at the moment, is tied up in the corner with his parents and siblings who are fussing over trying to get one nice photo of the lot of them. Simon, the unfortunate soul behind the camera, looks like he’s starting to realize this could easily take the rest of the night at this rate.

Raphael snickers as Maryse licks her thumb and uses it to get a bit of something off of Jace’s face while Jace squirms away in protest.

“Do you ever feel like you missed out, not having that experience? Doting parents, siblings to taunt you… just a normal family life?” Raphael asks. Magnus knows the lengths Raphael went to keep his time with his family as close to normal as possible (given his circumstances) while Magnus’ own experience with family from a young age was… well, traumatic, to say the least.

Magnus is about to answer when he hears his name from across the room.

“Wait, Magnus! You need to be in the family picture, too!” It’s Max, eagerly breaking free of his dad’s grip around his shoulders to motion for him to come join them.

Magnus turns to Raphael with a smile. “I used to. But it seems like that life didn’t pass me by forever… It just took a little longer to get to me.”

Magnus looks at the Lightwoods and sees the live he often wished for - the life he never dared to dream he might have one day.