◈ Magnus X Alec One Shots ◈ Malec ◈

Maxwell Lightwood Bane Is Babysat

'Max! Come down, please!' Alexander called out as Magnus stood beside him, filing his nails gracefully. I peered out from my bedroom door to see both my parents in dashing suits, ready to go on their dinner date- not that I knew that at the time. I scampered down the stairs and smiled at my two dads but looked at them curiously. 'Why are you both in suits, daddies?' They chuckled quietly.

'We are going on what adults call a date so for tonight someone else will look after you.' Alec cooed softly, bringing me onto his knee. I was small for a five-year-old and I fit nicely on Alec's left knee, balancing slightly on my other daddy's leg too.

'Whose looking after me?' I asked, leaning my head onto father's chest, swinging my legs as I did.

'You know my brother Jace?' I nodded rapturously. I remembered Alec's parabatai, Jace and how he was believed to be one of the best shadowhunters on this planet. He was as good as my father but my father would always be the best, in my eyes anyway.

'Jace is the one coming tonight; he should be here any second.' I jumped off my father's legs and began to scurry around excitedly, making sure all my plastic weapons were on show along with a few of my father's swords that he didn't know I'd taken.

Daddy smiled at me softly, his cat eyes reflecting the setting sun in the window whilst my father looked in denial that the scene in front of him was happening. 'Max! Give me those swords!' He shouted, although rather nicely. I looked at him timidly but stood my ground. My father was much taller than me, though, and I barely made it up to his knee so as he loomed over me, I began to cower back. But, I stood my ground. My father often persuaded me to stop playing with weapons but I never would because weapons were fun and I saw father with them all the time so that means I deserve them too.

Just as father was about to get angry, there was an obnoxiously loud knock on the door. That could only mean one person, Jace. Father went to answer the door and left me with daddy, who was smiling deviously. 'You can't play with those with father in the room, I've told you that before.' He lectured but I was glad that he didn't forbid me from playing with weapons in its entirety, only when father was around. Daddy was the nice one but that didn't mean I didn't love them both equally. I loved them both too much to express.

Jace came into view and I smiled brightly at him and he gaped at me. He didn't see me often and it was probably two years since I had last seen him. I had been prohibited from leaving the house when the magic had begun and now that I was at least moderately in control, I was glad to see a few familiar faces.

'Max, my bro.' He smiled, his hands readying for a handshake. I followed exactly what he did and after a minute of fumbling, we had made the coolest handshake ever.

Daddy looked at us smiling albeit that my father looked rather jealous. My father was jealous of a lot these days. Daddy said it was because he wouldn't be around as long as he was. The thought sent a frown to my face but within a second I was smiling gleefully as Jace picked up one my father's swords and examined it carefully.

'How did Max get my sword, Alec.' He laughed, the noise echoing throughout the small living space.

'I have no idea but anyway, Magnus and I are heading out now. And Max, clear those weapons away.' He sighed wistfully and grabbed my daddy's hand and dragged him from the room- a small smile emerging on both of their faces. It had been a long time since either of them had been alone too.

'So, Max, what do you want to do?' Jace asked curiously, probably sure of the answer already.

'Sword fight!' I squealed and rushed to one of my plastic swords as Jace did the same. A bright smile was plastered on both of our faces as I pointed my sword upwards and he pointed his down. The height difference would be a challenge but the oh-so-strong Maxwell Lightwood Bane could do it.

'Fight!' Jace announced and it commenced. We both ran around childishly, Jace looking as if he enjoyed it just as much as I did. I had overheard my parents talking about Jace's wife, Clary, stopping him from his childish antics and I could only assume this had been an escape. I wondered why she hadn't been there too but I was dragged from my thoughts as I felt a blade on my back.

I spun around and faced Jace, both of us dancing in a patch of moonlight, glistening off the swords ethereally.

I jabbed forward and hit his stomach and he groaned, pretending to fall back. Although, at the time, I believed I had stabbed him and I was victorious.

'Healing tune activated.' He shouted, jumping to his feet with a raucous laugh.

'That's cheating!' I whined but he just smirked and held his sword up again. He pretended to jab me but even though he would have missed anyway, I sent a few small sparks that way and suddenly the sword was being pushed away.

Jace laughed whole-heartedly and spoke: 'who's the cheater now, huh?' He asked, both sending us into a minute of laughing, loud enough for the neighbours to hear.

I was enjoying this, it was like playing with someone of my own age but maybe that was the danger. Someone of my own age didn't know what to do when my magic got out of hand. Someone of my own race would have known, even. But, Jace wasn't like me, neither was father. And, in that moment, I realised, I was so screwed.

'Jace!' I looked down panicked to me hand which was now alight. The flames licked at my skin but never burnt it. It still stung and I had failed to extinguish it even on my third attempt. Jace began to panic as well and all went downhill from there.

By the end of the night, the loft was trashed and much of the furniture was burnt to a crisp. Jace and I had turned it into a game, that had calmed me down and somehow the situation wasn't serious anymore. It was just a game. We continued on after that, even when my magic was under my control again. I loved it. He was kind. He wasn't scared. I was thankful for that.

Although, I wasn't so thankful when my father came back. The door had creaked open and suddenly, I saw too shocked figures. One laughing slightly but the other- furious.

My father was that man. He was angry more than I had ever seen him and the moments to follow where not what a child should have seen.

I quite enjoyed it, though, because despite my liking of Jace. I quite enjoyed the black eye my father gave him.

word count: 1203

published: 20.03.17