Breathless • Malec

xxvi. Magnus

"I love you too," I told him, kissing him deeply. I sniffed. "What is that smell-"

"Shit," Alec said, turning around to look at the now crisp pancakes. He sighed as he turned the stove off and picked up the skillet, shaking the remnants into the trash can.

I smirked, leaning back and crossing my arms. "I'm not going to say it, Alexander, but-"

He looked back at me, rolling his big blue eyes. "I know, I know. You told me so. How does Taki's sound?"

I patted my now rumbling stomach. "That sounds delicious."

Alec had just graduated about a month ago. He was currently looking for teaching jobs around the city and had an interview next week. He was currently living with me and I honestly didn't think that our lives could get any better.

We walked down the stairs of my apartment hand in hand. I squeezed his hand twice and he looked at me. "Hm?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. As I looked at him across the backdrop of the city, I didn't think I had ever felt more content.

"I just really love you," I told him as we turned the corner, ending up right in front of our favorite restaurant.

He smiled with all his teeth, and did I absolutely love his smile. I think it was what I loved most about him. That smile could make me do anything.

He brought his hands to my hips, kissing me in front of the entire street- something that two years ago, would've made Alec freeze with terror- and rested his forehead on mine. "I've never loved anyone as much as I love you, Magnus Bane."

"I'm glad to hear that," I told him as I opened the door to Taki's. "Because I feel the absolute same way about you, Alexander Lightwood."

A waitress came over to us and we moved to a booth. She handed us our menu's and I watched as Alec looked his over carefully. Nothing about him was perfect, but to me, that's what made him perfect.

"What is it, Magnus?" he asked, looking at me from the top of his bright orange menu. He hadn't bothered to do his hair this morning, and that's how I liked it. Messy and untamed.

I shook my head. "It's nothing. What are you getting, babe?"

He blushed, looking down at his menu. He liked to be called that, and I liked calling him that because it always made him turn bright pink.

"Probably the usual," he said, putting his menu down and covering my hands with his. He looked at me, his long eyelashes casting shadows over his cheekbones. The sun hit his blue eyes just the right way, making them look like a sparkling glass of water

In that moment, I knew that this was the moment that I had been waiting for. The adrenaline began pumping in my veins, and my heart thudded louder than a beating drum.

"Alexander Lightwood," I began, squeezing his hand. "I need to ask you something."

He squeezed back. "Go ahead. But before you do, I promise that I wasn't the one who knocked your Lucky Charms off the cupboard. I swear it was Chairman Meow."

I tilted my head. "You spilled my Lucky Charms?"

"No, Magnus! Chairman Meow did. He's trying to blame me for it, I think."

I shook my head. "That's not what I was going to ask you, but we will discuss the spillage of my cereal later."

"Then what was it?" He sipped the orange juice that the waitress had just come to set down.

I took a deep breath, knowing that I couldn't go back from this. "Alexander, I've loved you for a long time," I told him as I fiddled with the locket that he had given me for our first Christmas together. "I've made mistakes, but every path I've taken has led back to you. I can't imagine my life without having you in it."

"That would be sad," Alec grinned. "You would probably die of alcohol poisoning at age 30 if I weren't around."

I waved him off. "You probably are correct. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I love you. I will always love you, Alec. No matter what. I will always be by your side. That, I can keep an irrefutable promise."

I slid out of the booth in front of him, onto one knee. I was shaking so badly that I could barely pull the blue velvet box out of my pocket.

"Magnus-"

"Alexander," I interrupted him. "Please just listen." He gulped, then nodded. By this time, everyone in the restaurant was staring at us.

"Alexander Lightwood, I am asking that you love me as much as I love you. I guarantee to you that it may be an impossible task. I'm hard to love, you know that first hand. I will do stupid things, I will make you upset, but Alexander, I will never leave you. It will be an impossible task because I can't possibly imagine you, well, anyone loving someone as much as I love you."

At this moment, Alec was staring at me with wide eyes. He rocked at the edge of the bench and I couldn't tell if he was happy or upset. I took another deep breath, opening up the blue box to him, revealing a small silver band with a bright blue gemstone in the middle. Everyone around us gasped.

"Alexander Lightwood, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

He stood up, not saying anything for a second. He suddenly grabbed my shoulder and pulled me up to face him.

"Of course I will, Magnus Bane," he proclaimed. "I will absolutely marry you, the love of my life."

I assume that the crowd at Taki's was cheering, but I didn't hear anything besides the blood rushing through my head as I grabbed Alec's waist and kissed him so hard and so deeply, it was as if i would melt away if he weren't there.

I reached up running my fingers through his messy black hair. He was grinning, and I was sure that it was the biggest smile I had ever seen.

"Magnus Bane. I love you. I love you. I love you so goddamn much."

I felt his hands at my side, pulling me closer as he kissed me again.

"Alexander Lightwood," I exhaled biting my lip. "You will always leave me breathless."