Yo! Listen Up

Sure can! Here ya go 💕💕

"She isn't wrong. The rules have always been different for the Lightwood-Banes. Maybe it's time we reminded everyone why."

I am so sorry, El. That absolutely sucks. I hope you are feeling a little better.

I wrote this for you 🤍

“Another appointment?” Magnus asks, unable to stop himself from using the air quotes.

“Actually,” Alec says, picking up his shirt off the floor. All the buttons are still intact. Hm. Magnus should try harder next time. “I have a date.”

“Oh?” Magnus asks, interest piqued. He pulls his knees to his chest and rests his face in his arms. “I didn’t know you did those.”

“I don’t. My mom set me up. Someone from her church,” Alec replies, rolling his eyes. “The things we do for family, huh? How’s Cat, by the way?”

Magnus tries not to smile into his forearms. He likes that Alec considers Cat family—that he understands family comes in all shapes and sizes.

“Overworked and underfucked as usual,” Magnus notes, making the other man snort. “Do you go to church, Alexander?”

“Yes.”

“Do you think God forgives you?” Magnus tilts his head.

Alec turns around at that, top buttons still undone, a purple bruise slowly forming between his pecs. Magnus wants him to go like that to his date. Would make for a good ice breaker, wouldn’t it?

“Forgive me for what exactly?” Alec asks, raising an eyebrow.

“You know.” Magnus gestures vaguely. “Thou shalt not kill.”

“Ah.” Alec nods, like it genuinely hadn’t occurred to him. Magnus wonders if Alec’s simply used to it—so familiar with blood on his hands that he doesn’t see it as wrong. Or maybe he’s done worse. Magnus isn’t sure which is more disturbing. Or hotter.

“Does it bother you?” Alec asks him.

“Me?” Magnus looks up, surprised. “It doesn’t matter what I think, does it?”

“It does to me.”

“More than what God thinks?” Magnus hums.

“God’s not real, Magnus. You are,” Alec replies simply.

“I thought you believed in God.”

“I said I go to church. It’s not the same,” Alec says, grinning as he grabs his jacket. “Any advice?”

“Hm?” Magnus looks up from the spot on Alec’s shirt. He still hasn’t buttoned it.

“Advice on first dates,” Alec elaborates. “You seem to go on a lot of those.”

Magnus doesn’t know if that’s a complaint or a compliment. He decides it’s both. He gives the other man a cheeky smile.

“Check if he’s carrying a gun before you assume he’s just happy to see you.”

“You look like a Rafael,” Max says, letting his gaze sweep up and down the boy’s perfectly polished shadowhunter aesthetic.

Rafael stiffens, his grip on the seraph blade tightening. “What is that supposed to mean? What is your name?”

“Max.”

For some reason, that makes Rafael’s frown deepen. “Is that your real name?”

“If I were going to lie about my name, I wouldn’t pick Max,” Max says with a snort. “It’d be something way sexier. Like…Atticus.”

“You could’ve just asked me to eat with you separately. It felt like you replaced me with him.”

“Of course I didn’t!” Alec shakes his head vehemently. “My relationship with him is...it’s completely different.”

Maia arches an eyebrow. “I guess you don’t get to moan about Magnus to him.”

“I didn’t moan about Magnus—”

“‘Holy shit, Maia, he smiled at me in the elevator and remembered my name—’”

“I did not sound like that!” Alec protests, though his ears burn with embarrassment.

I just saw this comment on this chapter and omg the amount of people who don't understand how depression works is insane 😭😭😭😭😭😭

“The world is sometimes unkind to warlocks. Sometimes we feel a temptation to be unkind back.”

"This is what happens during a war. People die. Stop crying and pick up your sword."

“Mr. Lightwood-Bane, I wanted to apologize, I didn’t mean any offense when I agreed to go on a date with Kincaid-”

“None taken,” the man managed a smile.

“Speak for yourself,” Lance scoffed. “Arthur and I are disgusted and disappointed. Right, AJ?”

“You shouldn’t have agreed, Theia,” Arthur admitted quietly.

“Boys!” their father looked horrified. “Apologize to Theia right now.”

“I’m so sorry, Theia,” Lance said and climbed off his seat, taking his Milo with him. “I hope you have fun on your date. Make sure he doesn’t stab you too.”

Arthur picks something yellow. Atlas seeks out inspiration. Kincaid goes on his first date. Iris finds some handcuffs.

"Sir, we found a body inside your house." The man spoke just as Alec was about to call Rafael. 

"And?"

The man gave a quizzical glance as if he did not expect Alec to say that.

Why should Alec care about a random dead body in his house?

The man hesitated. "Someone died inside your house. We need you to identify the body."

Alec paused. "Why should I identify the body?"

"Alec—"Jace put a hand on his shoulder.

Alec turned to his brother and frowned. "Why should I identify some random body?"

The man in front of him, officer Miller, the same guy from the phone, inhaled heavily. "Sir, we think it might be the body of one of your family members."

// Magnus Lightwood-Bane dies under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a grieving husband and three children.

The further the investigation goes, the more Alec finds out about everything that his husband has hidden from him; shaking the very foundation of their family. The more secrets are revealed, the more his children are in danger.

Now, Alec is in a race against time to save whatever is left of his family. Only time will tell if he can really uncover all the secrets while protecting his sanity, or if he will end up creating a few of his own//

Chapter One of It Was All By Design