Alec hated parties. Loathed parties. Despised parties. Every word that had to do with hatred, then that described him. Instead of interacting with the guests, he always hid away in the emptiest room where it was nice and quiet and no one could bother him. His parents always insisted it'd be good for him to socialize and get to meet new people, but he wasn't a sociable person. His palms got clammy whenever someone approached him. His heart beat faster when someone talked to him. His vision grew black on the edges and he feels woozy as if he's about to pass out. Parties just weren't his strong suit.
Isabelle, on the other hand, was the life of the party. She loved being at the center of attention and meeting new people. She didn't hide away like Alec did. Or feel sick to her stomach whenever a crowd was in the room. Isabelle was, though he'd never admit to her, perfect in every way, shape and form. She was their parent's pride and joy. As was Max. Even at 9 years old, he was already a charmer and very intelligent for his age.
Given that this was Max's first rune ceremony, Alec would suck it up and overcome his anxiety when it came to parties. This was important to him (and to Max too). He knew that Magnus had put a lot of thought and time into planning this for his little brother and he didn't want to mess it up just because he was a little anxious. This was Max's big day. It had to be perfect.
"Yoo hoo! Alec! You decent in there?" Isabelle sang out from the hallway of his bedroom door. He had spent the majority of the day in his room just after Magnus left trying to pick something nice to wear, insisting that it was easier for him to be there the day of the party so that way no one could bother him. His mother was only too happy to have him home. She didn't really like Magnus that much.
"I'm decent," he sang out. He turned when he heard the door open, seeing Isabelle's head like inside his bedroom. "Hey. I'm almost ready. Just deciding whether or not I should wear a tie."
"I wouldn't. You got a relaxed vibe going on without one." Isabelle examined him from a distance. There was a broad smile on her face when she looked him up and down. "Looking very handsome and suave in blue, Alexander Gideon."
"Thanks," said Alec as he looked himself over in the mirror. "This was the only dress shirt I had that wasn't too wrinkly or didn't really fit. Does it look okay?"
Isabelle picked up his jacket and smoothed it out with a hand. "It looks perfect. You look very handsome. I'm sure Magnus will love it."
Alec beamed. He actually wasn't thinking of anyone for once when he got dressed. He only thought about himself, which was rare. He never put himself first. "Thanks. Are you all set to go? Or do you need another hour for makeup?"
"Har har. Very funny. You'll be glad to know that I'm all ready when you are. When you're as good with makeup like I am, putting it on is a breeze. The real question here is are you ready?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Because you look nervous as hell. Plus you're sweating."
Alec looked at himself in the mirror. Sure he looked a little pale; but not as pale as Izzy looked. He wondered if there was something wrong. "I'm fine. Just a little nervous that this party will be a complete bust and no one will show up."
"Max will. It is his party after all."
"Still. What if I mess up as a host somehow? What if-"
Isabelle placed a gentle hand on her brother's shoulder. "Alec. You need to chill out. Stop thinking of the what if's and start thinking of the present. Right now you're getting ready and about to head to Magnus'. Don't think any further ahead than that. You'll just work yourself up."
Alec took a deep breath. His sister's gentle hands felt reassuring on his shoulders and arms. "Right. Right. Think of the present. Don't think ahead," he grumbled. Easier than done, in his opinion. "Do you think Max will enjoy himself? I mean that's if he isn't already corrupted by mom's way of thinking."
Isabelle straighted out his jacket as he slipped it on. She was quiet for a moment, probably considering his question. "I say he'll have an amazing time. Every kid loves parties and presents. He's no different."
True. Max loved getting gifts, no matter what the occasion. "True. I got him a new stele. It has his favorite runes on it."
"I got him a bow. He's taken a shine to that weapon. Just like someone else I know."
Alec peered down at his sister and smiled crookedly. Isabelle nudged him playfully with an elbow before making her way to the bedroom door again. "I'll see you in a little bit?" Alec asked.
"Of course. Wouldn't miss this party for the world," she winked and left Alec alone in his room.
An hour later Alec was at Magnus' doing some last minute decorating. While he was running around frantically trying to make sure everything was perfect, Magnus just sat quietly on the couch and watched him with a smirk on his face.
"I don't know how you're so calm about all this," Alec said. "There's still a ton of room left for improvements. Like this chandelier could be a different shade of white-"
"Alexander," Magnus said. His voice was so soft yet so commanding that Alec stopped what he was doing to look at him. When Magnus smiled, the chandelier above their heads changed color. "Calm down. I've personally attended to these decorations myself. It's a Barcelona theme. Spain was one of my favorite places to live back in the day. Their taste in decor is exquisite."
Alec reached to fix the tablecloth when Magnus smacked his hand away. "I was just-there was a fold in it-"
"Shhh. No more fixing things. This is your brother's big night. Spend time with him. Celebrate with him. If there are any problems that need tending to, I will tend to them personally. Just relax and have fun. Have a drink or two. You deserve to have a night off."
Alec's mouth worked mechanically as if he didn't know what to say. Finally, he cleared his throat and nodded. "Thanks. You know, all this wouldn't have been possible without you. I probably would've went out and accidentally bought 'Happy 60th Birthday' decorations. Or 'It's A Girl!'"
Magnus laughed. "No worries. I love a good party as much as the next person. So my advice to you is just relax and let me handle things, okay? You're a special guest tonight. Not a host."
Alec breathed out through his nose. "Right. Guest. Not a host. Guest, not a host-"
"Alec," Magnus took the Shadowhunter's hand and gently squeezed it. "Everything will be fine. This party will be the talk of the next few centuries of Shadowhunters. Their ancestors will tell the tale of how a warlock threw a party for one of their own and how amazing it was."
It was Alec's turn to laugh. "You really think so?"
"I know so," Magnus kissed Alec's chin (because that's all he could reach at the moment; Alec's shoes added another inch or two in height) and grinned. "Nobody likes a party pooper. So just have fun. I can't have fun unless you're having fun."
Alec nodded. "Okay. I'll try."
The doorbell to the penthouse rang and both men turned to look at the door.
"Looks like the first of our guests have arrived." He looked at Alec with a smile. "You ready to party the night away?"
Alec had to smile back; the warlock had a contagious smile. "Let's get this party started."