happy birthday

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in which magnus is an incredible boyfriend.

~

He had let Izzy down. There was simply no other way to put it, Alec Lightwood was a terrible brother. Izzy was going to be so upset, and it was all his fault.

He had tried. He had put up sticky notes everywhere he could possibly put them up without Izzy noticing. He had made a note in his monthly planner. Heck, he had even asked Magnus to remind him every other night.

But he had still forgotten.

Alec paced around Magnus's living room nervously, his hands running through his hair every now and then before they returned to being clasped behind Alec's back.

He hadn't gone to the Institute, not yet. He couldn't face Izzy, the look of disappointment on her face was something he simply couldn't handle at the moment.

Which was why he had opted to take the day off and stay at Magnus's loft, like the coward he was.

He hadn't even called to wish her a happy birthday yet, and it was already 12:30. The guilt was eating him alive, but Alec had never been a good liar, especially not when it came to lying to his sister. She had always been able to weasel out any truth from him in a matter of seconds. So any options of coming up with a crappy, poorly thought out excuse were ruled out.

The only option he had left was to come clean, but he wasn't going to admit to it, not just yet.

Alec continued to pace, his bare feet beginning to trace a light path on the carpet, which was never really one particular color.

"Why...Izzy disappointed....bad brother....hate myself." Alec murmured under his breath, his movements growing increasingly agitated.

His frantic pacing was suddenly disrupted by Magnus (who looked incredibly stunning, as always) walking into the room with a book in hand and seating himself comfortably on the sofa, seemingly oblivious to a very panicked Alec Lightwood walking around in circles next to him, digging his feet hard enough in the carpet to form bottomless pits.

Alec simply stared at the warlock, both because he was unable to look away and because he desperately needed reassurance, no matter how pathetic he seemed, but didn't know how to ask for it.

After a while of uninterrupted (and quite creepy, he had to admit) staring, Magnus finally turned towards him.

"Yes?" His boyfriend asked him, amusement coloring his tone.

"I forgot Izzy's birthday." Alec stated in that blunt way of his. He never seemed to have any filters on when it came to Magnus. Not that it mattered anyway. Magnus always seemed to know exactly what Alec was thinking, irrespective of whether Alec told him or not.

"I'm sure she'll understand." Magnus said simply, his voice frustratingly calm as he turned back to his book.

"But Magnus...." Alec practically whined. He knew he was being childish but he didn't care.

"Alexander." Magnus said, not looking up from his book. "Izzy's your sister. She won't hold something like this against you."

Alec turned away from the warlock then, seeing that he wasn't going to get any reassurance after all. He resumed his pacing, beating himself up silently in his mind as he did so.

"Call her." Magnus said suddenly, disrupting the nervous silence in the room.

"What?" Alec asked, surprised that Magnus had spoken. He turned towards his boyfriend, who was seemingly still engrossed in his book.

"Call her." Magnus said again.

"I can't. She'll.." Alec's voice trailed off as he noticed Magnus raising his eyebrows, his expression disapproving. Even though Magnus  wasn't even looking at him, let alone talking to him, and even though Alec was a fully grown, mature adult, he still felt like a child being reprimanded for something incredibly stupid.

"Okay, okay." He muttered under his breath, pulling his phone out of his back pocket as he very pointedly ignored the smug smile that now decorated Magnus's face. "I'll call her."

He stalled for a moment, but eventually told himself that he couldn't put this off forever, and pushed down on her contact before tentatively pressing the phone to his ear.

The phone rang once, twice, three times, and Alec had almost given up, assured that she was mad at him, when she finally picked up.

"Hey, Iz?" He asked cautiously, careful not to throw any more salt than necessary into the wound.

"Hey, Alec!" She answered brightly.

Well, that was unexpected.

She's doing this on purpose. Alec told himself. She's trying to make you guiltier. He wouldn't really hold it against her. His sister could be petty when she wanted to be.

"I'm really sorry I didn't show up today." He continued. "I wasn't feeling so good." He finished pathetically.

So much for coming clean.

"It's fine." She said, her voice still perky. "Get well soon."

"Yeah, thanks." Alec said. A moment of silence ensued, and he could sense that she wanted to say something. Better to just apologize first, maybe it would ease some of her anger. "Listen, Izzy, I-"Alec began before he was cut off.

"No, you listen, Alec." Izzy exclaimed, her voice brimming with an undercurrent of an emotion that Alec couldn't quite put his finger on.

Here it comes. He thought miserably.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" Izzy practically yelled into the phone, her voice filled with gratitude and utter joy. "I love the shoes, they're amazing!" She gushed.

Wait, what?

"I- Izzy...what?" Was all he managed to get out.

Suddenly, it all dawned on Alec.

It was you. He thought, giving Magnus an accusatory but grateful glare. In return, Magnus simply smiled as he turned the page in his book, not once looking up at Alec.

Alec shook his head in disbelief, wondering when Magnus would ever cease to amaze him. Clearly not anytime soon.

He smiled then, letting out a sigh of desperate relief, before turning his attention back to his sister.

"You're welcome, Iz. Happy birthday."

×××

[a/n:]

disclaimer: this wonderful idea is not mine, i got it off of twitter.

that being said, i love it regardless, and i certainly hope you guys do, too. i figured y'all could use a break from the agonizing fics. i know i could.

not to be greedy, but... maybe a few votes would be nice?

all the love,
dana.

p.s. #SaveShadowhunters . always.

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