Tumgik
#Alec Lightwood Birthday Bash
arialerendeair · 2 years
Text
Alec Lightwood Birthday Bash - Prompt Fill
From @to-the-stars-writing
I've seen a thousand amnesia fics, one or the other forgetting who they are, but what about a dual-amnesia fic where something happens on a mission or because of a spell and the others come in to find Magnus and Alec both temporarily forgot who they are, but they're still flirting like crazy with one another
~!~!~!~!~
When Alec woke up, there were three problems immediately apparent.
Number one, he was chained to the wall.  
Number two, he no longer had his stele, his bow, or seraph blades.
Number three, there was someone else across the cell and he looked like he was in even worse shape, if that was somehow even possible.  Which meant that he was going to be rescuing not just himself, but someone else too.  
"Hey," Alec hissed, glancing toward the ominous looking door.  "Hey, open your eyes.  I can't do this alone, and need your help."  
No movement, which meant that the other man was truly unconscious.  Alec frowned as he took the other man in properly - pants that, angels below, were they painted on?  A shirt that was... less fabric than it was supposed to be based on the slashes he could see, and a faint sheen of glitter on his eyes and hair could only mean one thing.  He was trapped in this cell with a warlock, for angels knew whatever reason.  
Alec looked around the cell again and tugged at his chains.  He had a little bit of give, which was more of a blessing than he would have expected, and his feet weren't chained to the ground.  Another quick check confirmed that he still had his boots, and even though the small knife he kept in the holster was gone (dammit, Jace was going to pout about that for hours, that had been a present), what he actually needed was not.  
Taking a second, Alec took a deep breath and focused - most of his runes had expired, but he could still hear the sound of guards much further down from their cell.  The only breathing he could hear belonged to him and the warlock nearby.  Which meant if he made a little bit of noise it wasn't going to bring anyone running.  He looked down at his boots and took a deep breath, testing all of his weight on the chains for a long moment.  
"Why do I get the feeling that you're about to do something devastatingly ridiculous that only shadowhunters know how to do?"
Alec looked up at the quiet voice and saw that the warlock was awake, relaxing.  At least he wouldn't have to be running around with an unconscious body.  That would have made things frustrating and unreasonably difficult.  "You have a better idea?  Magic, maybe?" he hissed back.  
The warlock hummed and shook his head.  "Unfortunately, however we ended up here and based on the..." he wrinkled his nose and licked his lips.  "Memory loss drought I can still taste the after effects of, my magic has either been drained, or I spent all of it.  I'm not without some skills, but nowhere near your own, I imagine."  
"I'll stand for you being able to walk," Alec muttered, ignoring the way that sparkling gold nail polish on his fingers shone on the faint light of the cell.  "You injured anywhere?"  
"Thankfully no."  A faint rustle.  "I am, however, not standing on the ground, so all of my weight has been on my shoulders and arms."  
Alec winced in sympathy.  That was going to mean he'd be able to walk but not do much in the way of fighting while his arms got their feeling back.  "I should be able to get us out of here," he reassured and looked up at his hands again.  "This might take me a couple of tries."  
He took a deep breath and lifted his legs carefully out in front of him.  Breathe in deep, and then move.  Shifting slowly with his grip against the chains, Alec brought his legs up further, bending himself almost in half to fumble with the secret latch on the side of his boots.  
"Darling, yoga instructors would envy that flexibility," the warlock praised.  "Not to mention that it does give one a wide variety of IDEAS, the nature of which is entirely inappropriate for our current predicament."  
Alec fought down the urge to snort, his arms starting to burn before he'd worked the lock pick half out of his boot.  He dropped his legs back down and breathed through the burning of his arms.  "Fuck, I need at least one more round."  
The warlock chuckled.  "Please feel free to do that as many times as you like.  I am quite enjoying the view.  I might enjoy a more practical demonstration later."  
Alec snorted.  "Pretty sure this is not the place to be flirting."  
"On the contrary, it's the perfect place to be flirting," the warlock correct.  "My name is Magnus, and I will be happy to take you out to dinner after this is over."  
"Your wife wouldn't like that," Alec said, his eyes drifting to the ring on Magnus' finger.  He took another deep breath and forced himself to relax, waiting for the burning to subside.  
Magnus looked at the ring on his finger, blinking in surprise.  "I've never had a wife, or a husband, mind you I am as equal opportunity as it comes.  Where did..." he flinched, his head aching.  "Ah, memory loss potion, right."  
Alec gave him a rueful grin.  "If it's any consolation at all, I would have said yes if you weren't attached."  He'd never met someone as beautiful as Magnus in all of his life.  If he'd had the chance, he probably never would have let someone like the warlock go.  "All right, let's try this again."  
Alec swung his legs up in an easy, determined motion and waited, breathing hard, for his fingers to bump against the lock pick.  It took three more tugs, but at last it was free in his fingertips and he could drop his feet again with a groan.  His whole body was sore and he was going to pay for doing that without runes tomorrow, that was for sure.  "All right, now to see if I remember how to do this..."
Magnus hummed.  "Where did a shadowhunter learn the art of lockpicking, I might wonder," he said, watching as the shadowhunter bit his lip in concentration, his eyes drawn back to the delicious sight of those lips reddening.  
"My siblings," Alec said, and that was enough explanation, apparently, for Magnus, who said nothing further as he finished getting himself completely unlocked, carefully resting the chains against the wall. 
Alec rubbed at his wrists and rotated them, looking down at himself before nodding.  He was pretty much unharmed, which was surprising, but he also suspected that whoever had given them both memory loss potions was going to be back soon.  He made his way over to the warlock and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.  
"Listen, I love being chained up," Magnus said with a squirm, his features twisting in pain.  "But I am going to be of no use to you if you don't get me on the ground soon."
"All right," Alec said and stepped in closer before an idea occurred and he flushed, clearing his throat.  There WAS a way that he could take Magnus' weight, so he could focus on the lock... "Don't stab me."  
"If I'm stabbing you, it's only going to be in decidedly sexy ways," Magnus shot back and he raised his eyebrows as the shadowhunter blushed even darker.  "While I am sure that my significant other does not approve, I can't help wanting to chase that blush with my tongue."  
"If you want to get out of here without possibly dying, I need you to be quiet for a second and just... let me get you free," Alec growled, closing his eyes to take a fortifying breath.  Magnus  was married, nothing could happen between the two of them and he was just doing this to help.  Reaching down, he grabbed Magnus' thighs and lifted him, easily.  
Magnus' eyes widened and he gasped.  "Uh, shadowhunter-"
"Alec," Alec muttered, getting Magnus' thighs situated around his waist, leaning in against him to keep him propped up against the wall to take his weight.  He felt Magnus cross his ankles behind his back and bit down the noise that he wanted to make as he leaned in, reaching up towards Magnus' hands.  
"If I didn't abhor infidelity with every fiber of my being..." Magnus breathed out, clenching his eyes shut as he had every inch of Alec, shadowhunter extraordinaire pressed against him from hips to arms.  "You would tempt a saint to sin, Alec.  Please hurry, or I'm going to embarrass us both."  
Alec bit down a groan and focused on the lock pick.  The first cuff, thankfully, was easy and he felt Magnus' relieved gasp, before his arm was flopped down, clearly numb.  He shifted and had Magnus throw the arm over his shoulder and moved his attention to the other.  "Don't worry, I'm not going to let you fall," he reassured as he worked at the lock.  
When Magnus didn't answer, Alec frowned and glanced down at him, but Magnus was biting down on his lip, his eyes screwed shut.  They were close enough that it would be so easy to...
"Alec," Magnus growled.  
Alec snapped his attention fully back to the lock and finally heard the click that signaled it would let him free.  He caught Magnus' other arm easily and slowly, with Magnus sliding down his body in a way that had the both of them groaning, low and desperate, until his feet were on the ground.  He reached up and carefully massaged at Magnus' shoulder, helping to work his circulation back to normal, before he moved to the other arm.  
Magnus was staring at him with unreadable eyes and Alec flushed, turning away from him.  "Are you all right?"  
Magnus nodded and tilted his head, studying Alec in confusion.  He looked down at his fingertips, a small blue flame sparking around his fingertips and he sighed in relief at the feel of his magic starting to return.  "Looks like I'll be back to fighting form soon."  
Alec nodded.  "We don't have too long, Magnus.  We need to get out of here and do it quickly.  If they were able to restrain the both of us - that means they caught us once and they could do it again."  
Magnus frowned and looked out past the cell door.  He closed his eyes and listened, a faint tendril of his magic reaching out.  "Two guards at the end of the hallway.  There's at least seven other prisoners.  More guards further along."  
"Do you know where we are?" Alec whispered, glancing out into the hallway.  They were on borrowed time, they needed a plan.  
Magnus opened his mouth to answer, but was nearly sent to his knees when pain hit his head, making him stumble.  Thankfully, Alec, who was the most chivalrous shadowhunter he had ever met in his life, caught him, easily, as though he'd been born to do it.  "Memory loss potion took that, which tells me we know where we are."  
"Right," Alec said with another nod.  "Do you know why they would have given me the potion too?"  
Magnus shook his head.  "I don't.  Nor do I know why they put us together when it seems most of the other prisoners are alone."  
"Well," Alec gave Magnus a shy smile.  "I'm glad that I'm not alone."  
Magnus swallowed, his heart giving a traitorous lurch.  He was married, he needed to remember that he was married and pretty boy shadowhunters were... were not meant for him.  "Me too, Alec.  Me too."  
Alec gave a nod and squared his shoulders.  "If you..." he hesitated, then held out his hand.  "If you were to take some of my energy, would it help recharge you?"
Magnus' eyes widened and he stared at the shadowhunter, who was looking at him calmly.  "I... yes, it would, but..." But no nephilim would willingly give their energy to a warlock like that.  
"We need each other," Alec said, his voice quiet but firm.  "And you need your magic to help the both of us get out of here, right?"  
"Right," Magnus agreed, his voice soft.  He reached out and took Alec's hand.  "I'll try to make sure it won't hurt."  With such different energies, such different power, that was going to take more effort than he could maybe afford but he would try.
Alec smiled.  "It's not going to hurt.  I know that you won't hurt me."  
Magnus swallowed, his thrice-cursed heart flipping in his chest again, and he reminded himself that he was married, that he could feel the power his partner had poured into the ring and took a second to blink away the tears before he closed his eyes and breathed in deep.  He reached out to establish the connection and gasped, Alec's soul, all his power, completely laid bare for him.  
His magic reached out greedily, drinking from the fountain of Alec's soul - but unlike any other session of sharing magic that he had ever done, there was no resistance, no hesitancy.  Alec trusted him, and trusted him not to go too far, and not to take too much.  Magnus wanted to sob that someone trusted him this easily, this much.  
Alec held onto Magnus' hand as tight as he dared, keeping him carefully supported as he felt Magnus draw more out of him, until abruptly, it was over.  Without thinking about it, Alec urged more of his power at Magnus, to take what he needed, because they were going to need it.  He felt Magnus muffle a noise into his shirt, but he held on tighter, until he finally felt Magnus steady himself, ready for their break out. 
Magnus sucked in a frantic breath. He wanted to say something, wanted to explain what it meant for them to be able to share energy, to share magic like this, because it was unheard of. It wasn't supposed to be this easy, and Alec's magic should have resisted him, but…
"Ready?" Alec asked, looking to the door. "I'm going to break down the door and we're going to race down the hallway. Grab what weapons we can and make our way towards an exit. Once we're there we can regroup."
Magnus shook himself and nodded, gathering magic around his palms. "That sounds like a plan. Try not to get yourself killed, shadowhunter."
Alec's lips quirked up. "Same to you, warlock." He winked at Magnus and turned back to the door. He took a deep breath and studied the door before he kicked at where the deadbolt was keeping the door shut, putting every ounce of his remaining strength rune into the blow.
The door burst open and he and Magnus were sprinting down the hallway.
By the time the Circle members, and Alec's had almost frozen at the sight of the scars on their necks, scars that he knew, that he recognized, that made his gut churn and fear choke his throat, turned to attack them, he'd grabbed a seraph blade off the table and skewered one of them while Magnus took care of the other. Relief surged through him at the sight of his stele and he grabbed it, activating runes as fast as he dared before he grabbed his bow. A quick survey of the room showed nothing else and he looked to Magnus, who was staring down at the shadowhunter in front of him in confusion.
"Magnus?" Alec hissed, keeping his voice down. "We have to keep moving, they're going to know we broke out soon?"
Magnus knelt down and touched the ring that was around the dead shadowhunter's neck. A jolt of familiarity went through him and he tugged it off, the chain breaking in an easy motion. He lifted it up and looked at the ring on his finger. They were clearly a matched pair. What was a circle member doing with it?
"What's that?" Alec asked, stepping closer. The sight of the ring had his head throbbing in pain and he nearly stumbled, frowning. "I, fuck, my head, Magnus what is that?"
Magnus' eyes widened and he looked over at Alec, then back to the ring. Alec's fingers were white-knuckled with his hold on the table, and on his ring finger was a very, very obvious tan line. A tan line that matched the ring in his palm. "Alec…" he trailed off and looked at the ring before handing it to him, his hand shaking. "You're… look at your hand. You're missing a ring."
Alec knew they needed to get the hell out of here, they didn't have time for this, but… there was no rune on his hand, which meant that he didn't have the wedded union rune on his chest either, so had he… worn a ring? His grit his teeth through the surging pain and took the ring from Magnus, locking his knees as he struggled to breathe through the pain. "This is part of what I forgot," he hissed, looking up at Magnus.
Magnus stepped in closer and grabbed the ring from Alec, shoving the ring onto his finger. "Sometimes you can trigger memories by putting something back into its proper-"
Alec didn't hear the rest of the words, it was like the world in front of him melted away. Magnus was smiling at him, his eyes bright and golden in a tuxedo with flowers all around them. Music was playing softly and Alec wanted, needed to kiss him with everything that he was. It was a perfect moment, Magnus' hands carefully cupping his as they traded rings and it was slid into place where it would always-
"Alec!" Magnus hissed.
Alec blinked himself back to where they were, captured, with more hostages and then down at his hand that was cupped in Magnus'. Their rings matched, and his eyes widened. He lifted his eyes to Magnus, wide and shocked. "Is that, Magnus, I…"
Magnus grinned, bright and excited. "Apparently I don't need to feel badly about flirting with you now, shadowhunter. My magic knows that ring, even if I do not, and it belongs right where it is."
Hope and joy surged through Alec and he yanked Magnus into his arms, squeezing him tightly, relief that he wasn't even sure he should be feeling making him weak. "We'll talk about this later," he promised, his eyes darting to the other cells. "First we have some cells to open and hostages to free."
Magnus' eyes were bright and angry. "And some circle members to take care of."
Alec nodded and Magnus turned towards the cells, but Alec grabbed his wrist, tugging him back. He dropped his eyes to Magnus' lips. He, he knew they'd kissed, he could almost see it in his mind's eye, but he couldn't remember what it felt like, how it felt to kiss Magnus. "I, Magnus…"
"Come here," Magnus ordered, yanking Alec down by the collar to seal their lips together. He didn't let himself get lost in how easily Alec responded to the kiss, nor did he pin the shadowhunter back against the wall. Instead he pulled back and grinned, winking again. "Now come on, we've got a job to do."
Alec swallowed and nodded, following Magnus back into the cells.
~!~
Hours later, Alec and Magnus were sitting side by side, holding hands tightly as they faced a barrage of questions from their friends and family.
"So let me get this straight," Jace said, rubbing at his temple. "You don't remember the fact that you're married?"
"Nope!" Alec said happily, even as he grinned at Magnus, who grinned right back at him. "Think we're both glad of it."
Catarina sighed. "You're sure it's an Agribar memory loss potion, Magnus?"
Magnus turned to her and smiled. "I am. I can taste it. Which means this particular brand of memory loss will wear off in about twenty-four to forty-eight hours."
"Why do you two look so happy about this?" Isabelle asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "I thought you woke up and didn't know who each other were."
"We did," Alec said, squeezing Magnus' hand again in apology. "But we uh, we figured it out as we were escaping. And now we're both exhausted and want to go home." He shrugged. "I can't go back to work until I can remember things again."
Magnus gave Catarina another winning smile. "And I certainly can't return to my High Warlock duties until I'm sure that I am operating at full strength."
Jace frowned and scowled at both of them. "Why do I get the feeling I'm missing something here?"
Isabelle's eyes widened and glanced between them and she started laughing. "Oh you two are unsubtle."
Alec shrugged. "Seems like a good opportunity."
"A good opportunity for what?" Jace pressed. "Are you both going to be okay?"
Alec cleared his throat. "I'll be back in two days, but I'm going to spend that time recovering with Magnus. I have a lot to remember." He gave Magnus a look and hoped that his blush wasn't showing too badly.
Jace's eyes widened and he groaned. "Oh fucking, fuck you. This is payback for Book Club, isn't it?"
Alec raised both of his eyebrows at Jace. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I am going to kick your ass in training so hard when you're back," Jace threatened, narrowing his eyes at Alec. "Enjoy your days off while you have them."
Catarina watched the shadowhunters stalk off, amused, before turning back to Magnus and Alec, who were still holding hands. "Can I make you a portal home?"
"That would be lovely, Catarina," Magnus agreed, his shoulders relaxing.
With a twist of her fingers, it was there, and Magnus wasted no time tugging both he and Alec through the portal, looking up at his shadowhunter. "We seem to have a unique opportunity in front of us, Alexander."
Alec raised his eyebrows, biting down a smirk.  “Oh?”  
Magnus licked his lips and started to gently urge Alec back to the bedroom.  “Unless you are too tired, of course, but I have no doubt had the chance to explore every inch of you thoroughly as is my right as your loving husband…” 
Alec snorted and rolled his eyes.  “I’m sure… where is this leading.”  
“Well, now I have the chance to explore you again for the first time ever.  If you would be interested in indulging me?” Magnus paused, waiting.  
Alec reached out to grab Magnus by the belt and tumbled the both of them to the bed, tugging Magnus in for another deep kiss, groaning against his lips.  
“That was graceful,” Magnus whispered.  
“Shadowhunter,” Alec said, smirking as he pulled Magnus down for another kiss.  
And later, when Alec woke curled in Magnus’ arms, all of his memories exactly where they should be, he sighed in relief and pressed in even closer, humming happily as Magnus’ fingers sank into his hair.  “Love you,” he mumbled.  
“I love you too, my Alexander,” Magnus breathed.  “Even when I have no memory of you, you are my everything.”  
Alec grinned and rolled Magnus back into the sheets again.  “Someone is angling to start our mutual day off right.”  
“Of course,” Magnus said with a challenging smirk.  “Now, why don’t you show me what you know how to do with all of those memories and experience of yours you have back now, hm?” 
“My pleasure.”  
79 notes · View notes
bytheangell · 5 years
Note
I just wanted to say that I’m a huge fan of your fics and I saw you reblogged a few of mine that I did for the Alec Lightwood Birthday Bash week, and I wanted to say THANK YOU, and you’re amazing and I hope you never stop writing. :) Have a great day/night!
I think it’s ME who should be thanking YOU for writing so many wonderful stories that day! (and, you know, all the other days too, I absolutely adore your writing!) Those were all so wonderful and I’m glad you shared them!! 
(but also ahhhhh, thank you!
3 notes · View notes
bussanbaby · 7 years
Text
this is a gift for my dearest @blushyalec​, hope you like it! happy birthday, darling! <3
When Alec’s phone pings loudly in the afternoon quiet of the loft, he sighs with relief, the message a welcome distraction from the Institute’s financial reports. The pen clatters onto the coffee table from Alec’s hand as he picks up his cell, swiping eagerly across the screen.
“I’ll be home in 15, see you soon,” reads the message signed under Magnus’ name; Alec smiles, lips pressing into a curved line. He throws the phone haphazardly onto the pillows, then disentangles himself from the plush blanket that kept him company for the last hour or so, along with the now empty cup of green tea. He carries the mug into the kitchen, eyes drifting over the adorably wonky drawings stuck to the fridge, each held up by animal magnets. His favorite is right in the center - three people, one with a bow, one with blue around the arms, holding hands with a smaller figure smiling wide.
Avoiding returning to the tedious number-crunching, Alec does a cursory sweep of the room, fixing all the little things he doesn’t really need to - folds up the blanket, rights the papers into a neat stack to finish them later, after they’ve all had dinner and maybe a little bit of wine (it would surely make the work more bearable), throws open the balcony doors to let in some fresh air.
The breeze rustles in the fabric of Alec’s dress shirt, plays with his hair as he looks out onto early-autumn New York. Even though it’s still warm enough for a thin jacket, and the sun is a pleasant companion, the leaves have already started turning all shades of orange and yellow. Alec thinks of suggesting a walk later, perhaps to Central Park, where instead of wine they can have coffee, their free hands warm in each other’s grasp.
“Dad?” A voice calls out from behind Alec, pulling him out of his little reverie. When he turns to glance over his shoulder, Edith is leaning against one of the living room pillars, a notebook dangling from her hand - her brows are furrowed and mouth downturned into a thoughtful line.
He smiles at her, hands lingering along the edges of the balcony doors. “What’s up, bubba?”
With heavy, exaggerated steps, she trudges over to the couch, flopping down onto it face first. Normally, Alec’s first instinct would be to worry, but by now he’s learned this is just for show; Edie certainly inherited Magnus’ flair for dramatics.
He indulges her, crouches down just about eye-level with the cushions to see a brown eye peeking at him curiously. Without any warning, he drifts quick fingertips over her sides, eliciting giddy squeals, high pitched and sweet like cotton candy to Alec’s ears. He loves hearing her laugh like this, uninhibited and clear, loves seeing her adorable face scrunch up in a smile.
“Dad, please! I give up!” Edith gasps out between leftover giggles as he settles next to her, one arm resting on the top of the couch. She tries out a glare, but it falls flat with the way her eyes are shining from behind mussed up hair. “You are being a meanie right now.”
“You still love me, though,” Alec teases and Edie rolls her eyes, deeming that enough of an answer.
“Speaking of,” She says matter-of-factly before crawling into Alec’s lap. She’s still small enough to fit comfortably between her dad’s arms, tuck her head underneath his stubbly chin so she takes advantage of that any time she can. Alec brushes away a couple of brown wavy strands, putting them behind her ear as Edith snuggles up closer with a pleased noise; Alec doesn’t mention the bony elbow digging into his stomach.
When she’s finally settled, she grabs her notebook, flipping it over to the first clean page, a pen covered in cartoon animals sticking out from between her fingers. “They gave us homework to write about love from someone else’s perspective. So can you tell me about how you love papa as a shadowhunter?”
One of his arms around her back, Alec cradles his daughter closer to his chest as she continues to look up at him, big brown eyes staring into his, one cheek squished against his shoulder. For a moment, he wonders when did she grow up so quickly from that little baby they were given; the chubby cheeks are still there, but she’s looking at him with that quiet, imploring curiosity, just a sliver of all that hides in her mind. Alec smiles with pride, almost to himself, the pad of his thumb rubbing at her shoulder through the fabric of her shirt.
With a question like that, where does he even start?
Alec hums, buying himself some time, gaze drifting over the ceiling.
“Love is a big concept, but I’ll try my best.” He starts, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table in front of him. Edith clicks her fingers and the pen lifts from her hand in a haze of pale blue, poised over the page. Even at such a young age, she’s comfortable with her magic, using it without much trouble for simpler tasks. There it is again, the pride. It visits Alec’s heart quite often.
“Shadowhunters fall in love once, usually. We pick a person and we give them our hearts. For me, that one special someone was your papa.” Alec turns the ring on his finger absentmindedly, all the ways to describe his love for Magnus crowding onto his lips. There are not nearly enough words in any language to say how much this wonderful, wonderful man means to Alec. “I fell for him quickly, and it was scary how big my heart felt. But it also was the happiest I’ve ever been. He was intelligent, funny, charming, brave and righteous.” Alec pauses, reconsiders. “He still is, he hasn’t changed much, that handsome devil.”
At that, Edie giggles and Alec’s mouth stretches into a smile, memories from their dates and days together playing like a movie, dusted over with nostalgia.
“Loving your papa means having a bad day and it getting better when I see his gorgeous smile. It’s getting lost in his eyes, in his laughter, in the warmth of his hands holding my face. It’s hugging him and knowing we can solve any problem together. It’s like having a best friend you know you’d do anything for and he’d do the same for you.”
He pauses, slightly overwhelmed with his heart bursting at the seams, full of love and devotion for one Magnus Lightwood-Bane, for his husband. It’s been years since they’ve married, more since they’ve met, but the way Alec feels has never wavered. Instead it has become even stronger as he learned all of the minuscule details of Magnus’ soul, committing every single one of them to memory. Edith hums to let Alec know she’s still listening, the pen smoothly gliding over the lined paper in her lap.
“When you grow up, Edie, you’ll learn that when you really love someone, you’ll still see their flaws - they won’t disappear, but they’ll become something beautiful in their own way, a part of them you can’t be angry with. And remember, love isn’t a given - you have to make it work, fight for it. I chose your papa, and it was the best decision of my life. After adopting you, of course.”
Edith makes an ‘aww’ noise, dimples showing in a bashful smile, her cheeks going pink at Alec’s affectionate tone. The pen clicks again, resting itself against a page full of neat handwriting.
“Thank you, dad. I’m getting an A for sure.” Edie says with a toothy grin, wrapping her arms around Alec and hugging him tightly. He hugs her back, burying his face in her hair for a moment.
“No problem, kiddo. Love you.”
“Love you too.” She grabs her things and jumps off the couch, but stops abruptly a couple steps later. “Hi, papa!”
Alec’s quickly turns to glance behind him and he’s met with a sight of Magnus standing in the door. He looks windswept, but content, his coat is unbuttoned but still on and a fond expression adorns his face. Edie jogs up to Magnus before he lifts her up and she wraps her arms around his neck like a little monkey. They exchange a couple of hushes sentences, probably about the homework, judging by how Magnus’ eyes flicker over to Alec.
When Edith runs off to her room, it’s quiet again and Magnus is smiling. At the surface, his grin looks like nothing out of the ordinary, but Alec can tell - beneath the faint amusement, there is tenderness usually accompanying soft words and softer touches.
Just as a ferry outside calls out and the stray birds answer, Alec rounds the couch, trying to keep his smile contained where it wants to shine. They teeter for what feels like a second, hazel eyes locked on brown ones, before Magnus steps forward, chilled hands reaching to cup Alec’s jaw. He presses a sweet kiss to Alec’s lips, a humming noise low in his throat.
“How much of that conversation did you hear?” Alec asks, not really needing an answer. He sets his palms on Magnus’ hips, tugs until they’re enveloped in a hug, foreheads pressed together and Magnus’ thumbs set at the corners of Alec’s lips. 
Magnus looks away and up, pretending to count.
“Probably most of it.” He breathes out, clearly enjoying himself.
“Good,” Alec isn’t embarrassed in the slightest, nor he feels as this is something to be hidden; the life they have, the love they live is worth more than the sun itself. “I want you to know how much you mean to me.”
Magnus kisses him again, gentle and loving and almost thankful in the way he lingers after Alec responds in kind.
“You’re so in love, it’s kinda gross,” Edie announces grimly from where she stands in the entrance to her bedroom and their little bubble bursts, all three of them falling into a fit of laughter.
“Hey, little lady, watch your words.” Magnus chastises her from his spot in Alec’s arms, but to no avail, since there’s not even a scrap of seriousness in his expression. It’s a simple moment, but also one for the ages - full of lightness, something indescribably happy, familiar and new at once.
Here’s to many more evenings like this, as a family, one build to last forever.
250 notes · View notes
Text
For those of you who only read completed fics:
Certain Dark Things is now complete. It is probably my favourite thing I’ve ever written. It’s not an easy read, but I like to think it’s worth it. 
Summary:  Love is supposed to last forever – or at least that’s what Alec Lightwood has always believed. Jay, his long-term boyfriend, helped him through the worst part of his life and Alec is eternally grateful. So the sex may be a little vanilla and sometimes ‘comfortable companionship’ feels a little more like ‘been there, done that’, but Alec is happy enough just having a live-in best friend, avoiding confrontation, and running his animal shelter – that is, until he meets Magnus Bane.
Magnus is an exotic dancer and an unexpected participant in Alec’s twenty-fifth birthday bash. Smart, funny, and sexy, Magnus is everything that Alec didn’t know he wanted, and their private encounter leaves him feeling guilty, confused, and incredibly turned on. When chance pushes them together for a second time and Alec gets to know the thoughtful – and surprisingly vulnerable – man behind the persona, he knows he’s in trouble. He can’t stop himself from wanting Magnus, but he can’t bring himself to let go of Jay. Torn between his burgeoning feelings and his sense of loyalty, Alec is forced to take full control of his life – and heart – for the first time since his brother died.
Not going to lie, it’s an angst-fest. But aside from that, it’s a story about 3 imperfect people trying to find their way in the world. I really love it, and hope it will find others who love it just as much :)
http://archiveofourown.org/works/9113488/chapters/20714467
42 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 2 years
Text
Alec Lightwood Birthday Bash - Prompt Fill
Prompt from Lucyyagami on Twitter!
Magnus and Alec use the Alliance rune during a fight or something,b ut then it won’t fade because Magnus’ magic got too excited in the process and got mixed with the angelic runic magic/energy
~!~!~!~!~!~
The first time Alec wore the Alliance Rune - he didn't hate it, but he didn't like it either. Lorenzo's magic felt wrong, and like sand running through his veins. (Later, finding out Magnus felt the same about his magic was an unexpected moment of camaraderie and love in the aftermath of Edom and everything else.)
The second time Alec wore the Alliance Rune… he never wanted to take it off.
Magnus' magic surged through him and Alec had to gasp under the loving touch of it. It was a combination of the magic he knew better than any other that kept him safe, that healed him, and that he felt faint touches of around Magnus all of the time, and that it was Magnus. He could feel Magnus through his magic, could feel how he felt and he had to hope that at the very least, the runic magic wasn't hurting Magnus.
"Everything okay, Alexander?" Magnus asked, smiling at him.
Alec reached out and pulled him into a kiss and felt sparks escaping from his fingertips. Magnus chuckled against his lips, and there was a soothing press of his magic in return, helping him to control the surge of power. "My, the runes, they aren't hurting you?"
Magnus shook his head. "As when we shared energy for the first time, there's no harm done to me at all. In fact, I think they are working the same way they are for you. I feel like I could run a marathon, even in heels." He gave Alec a cheeky grin and kissed him. "Are you ready?"
"Yeah, quit the makeouts, we have a mission!" Clary called, laughing. She zoomed across the room at vampire speed and flicked at Alec's shoulder before dashing back.
Alec rolled his eyes and took a deep breath, centering himself and the magic that he could feel surging through him. "All right everyone, time to get ready. No heroics, and Fray, no last minute rune creating without request, got it?"
Clary saluted Alec and grinned. "Sir, yes sir."
Alec gave her a nod and waited for Magnus to summon the portal. Like this, waiting for what they were about to go into, he could feel Magnus' magic settling into him, sinking through all of him, not just his chest, down to every inch of him, like it was exploring. Alec kept that thought firmly to himself, but Magnus' magic seemed determined to touch every part of him, all over and that was a thought Alec was going to make sure that they shared in the bedroom later.
Right now, they had a mission, and they needed to focus.
~!~
Luckily - that focus came far more in handy than he expected.
Alec cursed when the Duke of Hell that they had come to have a chat with (Magnus called it strong-arming, but was that really the case when he wouldn't do anything asked or agree to any of their terms?), summoned several demons for them to deal with before disappearing. Alec heard Jace swear, and as Jace, Clary, Isabelle, Simon and others stepped up to meet the demons with a shout, he turned to look out at the window.
Magnus' magic was tugging at him, pulling him toward the window, ordering him to be alert. With a quick glance to make sure his siblings and Magnus were all right, Alec darted over to the window, loosing several arrows to help drive the demons back and create opportunities for the others. Magic was gathering around his fingertips, but it didn't feel out of control, or ready to burst out of him. It was simply readying itself for him to use it.
Alec looked out the window, and at the demon hordes that were approaching and surging up and over the castle. While they wasted time here, they were about to get swarmed. "Magnus!" he shouted. "It's a trap. We have to get out!"
Magnus' eyes swung to him, wide, wild, and golden before he cursed and a wave of blue escaped from his hands, pushing the demons back far enough that he could be much more concentrated in his attacks. "We'll hurry, keep them off!"
Alec took another deep breath and drew an arrow. Magic was about forming it to your will, and right now, he wanted to fire an arrow that would push the demons back. He waited until a large knot of Magnus' magic had formed around the tip of the arrow before he fired it, watching as it hit the front line and exploded, knocking wave after wave off the building.
"Alexander, was that you?" Magnus called, looking over at his husband in surprise. He'd felt a large eruption of magic, but there hadn't been any concern through the rune, or a shout for help. "Do you need help?"
Alec drew another arrow, this time at the wraiths that were descending. "I got it, but we need those things taken care of in the immediate future, Magnus! There must be thousands of demons descending on the castle."
Magnus growled in irritation and dashed towards Alexander, picking up the seraph blade from his belt, before jumping into the fray next to the other shadowhunters. His magic, here, was too edomite in nature and the demons weren't being dispatched as quickly as he would like. The blade glowed bright in his hand, and thankfully that made quick work of the rest of the demons - right as another concussive blast of his magic hit the air.
"Alec!" Magnus hurried forward, magic gathering around his fingertips, but Alec was calm and there was no explosion, but there was concentrated power gathering around the next arrow that he was holding and ready to let loose. "What are you…"
"I don't know, your magic is doing most of it, we need to get out of here. Can you summon a portal?"
Magnus frowned and pulled more magic to his fingertips, focusing on the wall, trying to summon a portal, but the realm (and the Duke) were resisting him, blocking him from being able to punch a hole out of there. With a grunt, he faced it and threw more power at it, but the portal fluctuated and warped, showing just how unstable it was and Magnus could feel sweat gathering at his temples as he tried to stabilize it. If he couldn't get them out of here, they were going to die, he just needed to focus and-
"Let me help," Alec coaxed, stepping up behind Magnus. He could feel the others staring at Magnus, waiting for him to save the day like usual, and the pressure was making Magnus' ability to concentrate almost impossible. He stepped up and wrapped his arms around Magnus' waist and pressed his face to his neck. "Breathe in, breathe out, Magnus." Alec repeated the mantra until Magnus was breathing with him. He felt Magnus draw on his magic, just like he intended, and the added angelic elements solidified the portal seconds later.
Magnus' eyes snapped open. "Go!" he ordered, waving everyone through the portal. Once the rest were through, he felt Alec grab his hand and yank him through, just as the demons burst through the window and into what had been the throne room, as they all collapsed on the floor of his loft. He sagged in relief and dropped down to one of the couches.
"All right, Jace, Isabelle, you're in charge of doing the write up on this. Simon, get some sleep and wash your mouth out. I'm going to handle getting in touch with the Clave, so I expect the report to be thorough, and Jace, I swear if you try to slip swears through it I will put you on ichor duty with the grumpiest teenagers you have ever seen in your life," Alec threatened, looking at him. He pushed a hand through his hair and looked at Clary. "Fray, I need you to document those demons we were just fighting. They're not in the encyclopedia, and you've got the eye so you can draw them - if those are going to come through the veil, we need to be ready."
With orders given, Alec let his shoulders relax. Now he just had one more order of business before he could relax properly. He turned his attention to Clary and raised his eyebrows. "How long does the bonding on the Alliance Rune last? I wasn't paying attention last time?"
Clary looked at the rune on her arm that was already starting to fade. "Give it another two hours and it should be completely gone. Take it easy, Alec, we've got things." She saluted him and led the others out of the loft.
Alec let his shoulders sag and took a deep breath, looking down at the rune on his arm. At least his was still bright black. He traced it, smiling at the sparks that were bleeding out of his fingertips. "I know," he said softly, talking to Magnus' magic. "I don't want you to go either, but you belong to Magnus, just like I do. You need to be with him." He stroked over the rune again and turned back to Magnus, giving him a rueful smile.
"Give me about an hour to get the report to the Inquisitor so she knows about the new demons and I'll be free for the evening?" Alec offered, looking at Magnus.
Magnus nodded and took a hesitant step forward, reaching out to Alec before pulling his hand back. "Alec, my magic, it isn't… hurting you, right?"
Alec blinked and his eyes widened. "Angels no, Magnus, your magic would never hurt me. We have an understanding about keeping you safe. Don't worry, I'm fine." When Magnus only nodded at him, slowly, his eyes still concerned, his raised his eyebrows. "Is there something that I should be worried about, Magnus?"
Magnus shook his head. "No, no, of course not, Alexander. I just…" he took a step forward, resting his hand on top of the alliance rune, leaning into Alec's space, his magic surging happily through the connection and he smiled. "My magic likes being able to take care of you like this. I think it's going to be very cross when it can't any longer."
"Your magic always takes care of me, Magnus. Whether I'm able to wield it is a different manner, but. I can feel it in me, like this. It's protecting me, just like you do." Alec leaned in and stole a soft kiss, then another. "An hour," he promised. "Summon something you want for dinner?"
Magnus nodded readily enough. "Of course, Alexander, I'll have things ready as soon as you're finished."
Alec relaxed and went to go deal with the Clave.
Of course, it wasn't until he was waking up the following morning (after he and Magnus had gotten decidedly distracted debating optimal pizza toppings for what felt like the hundredth time), that Alec looked at the rune on his arm and blinked in surprise. The Alliance Rune was still there, still as stark black as it had been the moment he'd drawn it. It hadn't faded, it hadn't gone away, and if he focused, he could feel the faint touch of Magnus on the other side of the bond.
Shifting just a little, Alec took in the sight of the rune still on Magnus' arm as well. His breath caught and he flopped back against the pillows again, pulling Magnus in tighter. He lifted his fingertips and watched as a spark of bright blue magic chased around his fingertips. "I guess that's one way to make sure to keep an eye on me," Alec said, his voice soft. If he wasn't mistaken, Magnus' magic brightened further and danced even more eagerly, confirming his suspicion and making him chuckle. Absolutely ridiculous and he loved it, so much.
"Alexander?" Magnus muttered, yawning and stretching against him. "Who're you talking to?"
"Your magic," Alec said simply, looking at his fingers again. "The alliance rune hasn't faded from either of us yet." And in an instant, Alec felt Magnus go from sleepily content to wide away and worried. He groaned when Magnus sat up and began poking at the rune, frowning at it. He turned just enough and raised his eyebrows. "There's nothing wrong, it doesn't hurt, it just… hasn't faded away like it's supposed to."
"But there has to be a reason for that," Magnus said with a frown. He turned his attention to Alec and narrowed his eyes. "I know your penchant for dismissing your own health, but are you sure there is-"
"I wouldn't hide something this important," Alec said, his voice soft as he reassured Magnus. "I can feel your magic in me, and it's protective, just like you are, but I promise, there's nothing that feels anywhere in the remote vicinity of wrong."
Magnus let out a small breath of relief. "Well that's good. And we know that the bonds do fade, because yours with Lorenzo's faded almost instantly." He nodded and traced the rune on Alec's arm again, watching it, curious. "But why wouldn't this one…" he whispered.
Alec flopped back into the pillows and gave Magnus a sly look. "I bet that it's because your magic wants to hang with me and make sure it can protect me. It's just as possessive as you are. And I love it."
"You do talk to it all of the time," Magnus agreed, giving Alec an indulgent smile. He reached out to touch his magic that was settled around the rune on Alexander's arm and tilted his head as he studied it, stroking slowly.
Alec let his eyes fall to halfway shut as Magnus ran a handful of magical diagnostics on him, until his frown was very pronounced and Alec had to sigh, because he refused to say a word about why he was frowning. "All right, out with it. What's wrong? Do we have to get Clary to remove them?"
Magnus looked up at Alec and hesitated, before looking back down at the rune. "I don't think that biscuit would be able to do anything in this instance, Alexander. The fault here, I believe, lies entirely with me, and I didn't do this on purpose."
Alec raised both of his eyebrows and stared at Magnus. Magnus, who, looked approximately thirty seconds away from fidgeting like he was a child. Whose magic was clearly uncomfortable and making it known by the sparks that were leaking out of him. "Magnus?" He drew the word out, settling in closer, reaching out to touch Magnus on the thigh, stroking in reassurance. "Tell me what's wrong."
"I…" Magnus covered his face with a groan and shook his head. "You're never going to let me live this down and while I might be fine with that, even still."
Concerned, now, Alec sat up properly and turned to face Magnus. "Magnus, tell me what's wrong." When Magnus gave him a nervous look, Alec blinked in surprise. Magnus… was nervous? Magnus "I've done things that would make courtesans blush" Lightwood-Bane didn't get nervous. That was entirely in Alec's purview.
Magnus took a deep breath. "My magic… didn't want to leave."
"Okay," Alec said with a nod. "I can feel as much, it's still in me. What does that have to do-"
"The alliance rune, it builds a bridge between our magics. So we each get a little bit of each. Enough so Nephilim can go to hell, and enough so I can use your runes in some ways," Magnus said, clearing his throat. "But that bridge is meant to be temporary, to wear down after enough time has passed."
Alec's eyes widened. "But our bridge isn't temporary?"
Magnus bit down on his lip and sighed. "My magic ensured that it was not. It took what was temporary and… made far more permanent. It was partially acting out of my own desire to keep you safe, and it's attachment to you in general."
Alec blinked and looked down at his arm. "What does that mean?"
Magnus let out another hard breath and looked at the sheets between them. "Before I answer that, know that I can reverse it and take this back, you're not stuck with it, with-"
"Magnus," Alec interrupted, frowning. "I'm already very happily stuck with you, as you well know. You don't… what's going on? Is it hurting me?"
"No," Magnus said, smiling faintly. "It means that we'd… we'd share lifespans. You'd share my magic permanently, that we'd be tied in a way that only soul-bonded creatures can manage, which is the rarest type of magic that exists."
"So your magic…" Alec started. "Took an alliance rune, and turned it into a soulbond between the two of us?"
Magnus took a deep breath, his shoulders lifting and then dropping at the question. "Yes."
Alec swallowed and scooted closer to Magnus. "Magnus, look at me?" He waited until Magnus had tilted his head up and golden eyes were meeting his. "Do you not want this?"
"Alec-"
"No," Alec interrupted, shaking his head. "Tell me, if you want this. Because if there's even a chance you do…" he swallowed and stared at the rune. "I'm not letting you reverse this. But I don't force you-" Alec barely managed to wrap his arms around Magnus when he was tackled back to the bed.
“If you think,” Magnus said, his eyes desperate.  “That I don’t want - Alexander, my magic did this bond without us even talking about it.”  
Alec started to grin.  “So what you’re saying is that your magic makes your feelings on the subject very obvious.”  
Magnus took a deep breath and nodded.  “Yes, I did.”  
Alec reached up and brushed some of Magnus’ hair off of his forehead.  “I love you.”  
“I love you too,” Magnus breathed out the words, soft and honest, into the air around them.  “More than I have ever loved anyone in my life.”  He leaned into Alec’s hand now cupping his cheek.  “And for the first time in my life, there is someone my magic loves just as much.”  
Alec sucked in a breath, that declaration and the truth ringing behind it enough to have him ready to fall apart and into Magnus’ arms all over again.  “So it’s staying?”  
Magnus paused before whispering, stroking over Alec’s cheek once again.  “If that is what you want, Alexander.”  
Alec reached out and pressed his fingertips to Magnus’ heart, breathing in deep as he reached for the bond between them.  Magnus’ magic responded under the touch, lighting up and like this, Alec could see the faint bridge that had been built between them, that tied them together, and just how strong the ties were.  He grinned, leaning in to press their foreheads together.  
“I think we’ll cross that bridge together.”  
Magnus’ answering groan that trickled into a laugh meant everything.
32 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 2 years
Note
Dragon!Magnus? Soulmates? Winged Nephilim? All of them? 💜💜💜💜
OKAY WE WENT WITH 2/3 BECAUSE I HAVE SOME LIMITS AND I NEED MORE DRAGON!MAGNUS IN MY LIFE THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH OF IT. 
~!~!~!~
Alec cursed as the demon knocked away another arrow and then another, advancing on them.  "Isabelle!"  Jace was still more than fifteen feet to his left, fighting off two of the same demon, and if this one got any closer, they were going to end up flanked. 
"Little busy at the moment!" Izzy shouted back, shoving the end of her staff through a Shax demon until it exploded into ichor.  "Only so much I can do big bro!"
Not for the first time, Alec wished that he was one of the lucky shadowhunters to have bonded with a dragon.  But no, he'd never been that lucky, and if he was going to keep this demon away from Isabelle and Jace, he was going to need to do something stupid. Stupid even by their standards, and he was well aware that was saying something. 
"Alec!"
Alec ignored the shout from Isabelle and focused on the demon in front of him, breathing slow before he pulled out his Seraph blade, his bow going over his shoulder. There was at least one, if not two more demons coming up behind that one, and Jace and Izzy were busy with their own problems. But he would protect their back, he would. He wasn't going to let anything happen to them.
Stepping under a swinging tentacle, Alec slashed his way into the mass, chopping and slashing until he was making some sort of progress. His name was screamed again, but reaching the glowing eye in front of him was his goal and he stabbed his blade into it with a grunt and smirked viciously when the demon screamed and began to thrash. He dodged the first desperate swipe at him, but the second one hit him and sent him careening into a nearby wall that was crawling with Shax demons.
"Alec!" Isabelle's voice was a warning and Alec barely managed to get the blade up and in front of his face before the stinger struck his neck fatally. There were worrying black spots in his vision and everything was blurry. Alec shoved it away from him and felt the stinger sink into his arm instead, crying out. Another Shax demon was there to replace the first and Alec couldn't move fast enough to dodge the blow of the stinger.
Alec grit his teeth together and ordered his body to obey, but the ground beneath him was slick with ichor and he couldn't find his feet and the Shax demons were all turning towards him and he felt the lance of panic through the bond from Jace. Alec tightened his hand on his blade, trying to focus on whichever was going to jump first.
"Now that's just rude," a lilting voice said from deeper into the alley. "Throwing a man into a wall to take advantage." A tsk, before the alley lit up, bright blue.
Alec reached out a hand to Isabelle and Jace, wanting to warn them back, when magic exploded out of the warlock, fuck, had to be a warlock, beside him. He forced himself onto his side, panting hard, his ribs creaking in a way they were not supposed to.
"Hold still darling, you've got several broken ribs and until I can take a better look at you, it's best if you don't move," the voice purred.
Alec felt a hand stroke over his shoulder, and then the sound of heels walking past him. He squinted at the leather pants and sucked in another pained breath, but the warlock was approaching the demons that Isabelle and Jace were still trying to fight off, their backs to each other. "Please…" he gasped, trying to crawl towards his siblings. "Please, I-"
"Let's see here. A mid-range should work perfectly fine, I think."
Alec didn't have more than a second to think about what that might mean before the warlock was gone and in its place was a magnificent dragon, a shining mix of midnight black and gold belly with wings that were easily as large as any dragon he'd seen at the Institute. Something in him, deep, tugged in recognition and he watched as the dragon, gathering bright blue flames the same color as his magic, into his mouth before destroying the demons as though they were nothing more than a nuisance.
Once he was sure that his siblings were safe, Alec let himself slump to the ground, his chest aching with every single breath and he let out a quiet noise of pain. As long as they were safe, that was what mattered, that was all that-
"Don't worry, my darling rider, I'm here," that same voice soothed. "I'm sorry it took me so long. I think we've both had quite the journey, haven't we?"
Alec blinked slow, lazily, because he wasn't a rider, he didn't have a dragon, and certainly not one as beautiful as the dragon that had just saved them all. But then the blue magic was back again, and the pain in his chest and his head was easing, and it was too easy to be able to fall into the waiting blackness.
~!~
When Alec woke up, it was to the sight and smell of the infirmary, but in a bed that was comfier than any he had ever laid in. He blinked slowly and looked around, frowning. He felt good, energized, which meant expensive warlock healing, and his Mom would be furious about the cost to her budget for that. He lifted up his hand and blinked at the sight of a tattoo spiraling up his forearm on the right side.
"I believe I should have introduced myself before you passed out, but healing you was a touch more expedient than niceties. How are you feeling?"
Alec turned to look at the man who had walked into the room and his breath caught, his eyes widening as the most beautiful man he'd ever seen was walking closer to him and he was holding what smelled like coffee. "Is that coffee?" he asked hoarsely.
"It is indeed, Alexander. Your siblings said you would appreciate that far more than trying to force you to drink water." He gave a small bow. "My name is Magnus Bane, Alpha Dragon of the North American territories."
Alec's eyes widened and he froze, staring in surprise at the most powerful dragon on the continent who was smiling at him as he sipped his coffee. He shook himself and tried to remember his diplomacy in the face of Magnus' leather pants and disarming smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bane." He held out his hand, the one with the shining fresh tattoo.
"Trust me when I say, Alexander," Magnus purred, soft and easy. "The pleasure is entirely mine." He pulled up his sleeve a fraction so the runic tattoo was easily visible and shook Alec's hand.
Alec's breath caught and he stared at the runes on Magnus' hand, including the deflect rune that was prominently featured on the back of his hand. He reached up to touch the side of his neck, staring at Magnus. It was a fact that Magnus had never met his rider, had waited hundreds of years and had flown with dozens of riders - but he'd never met his bonded rider, his soulmate.
Magnus smiled faintly and looked down at his hand. "When I imagined my Marks, hundreds of thousands of times, I never imagined that I would have runes, of all things."
Alec stared at the scales on his hand, that wrapped around his wrist like a glove, all of it glowing with the faint blue sheen of Magnus' magic. He cleared his throat, his mind swimming at the implication of their tattoos. "We're…"
"We are," Magnus said with a nod. "I heard you call out. I was in New York on business - but that was the first time I felt you call out for me." He shivered and took another sip of his coffee. "A lifetime of hearing people describe the experience didn't prepare me for it. But, more importantly, how are you feeling?"
Alec blinked and shook himself. "I, I'm fine. You clearly healed me, since I don't feel a thing. But, how are YOU feeling, Magnus?"
Magnus paused in his next sip and tilting his head. "Me?"
"Yeah, I mean," Alec shifted and pushed himself upright to meet Magnus' eyes more easily. "You're, we're, I mean. I'm your Rider." He looked down at the tattoo on his arm and traced his fingertips over the scales, unable to keep from grinning. "This changes things for you, doesn't it?"
"Far less than you might think," Magnus said, watching as Alexander continued to stroke over the scales on his arm, wondering what they would look like on his scales. "We will certainly have fun wtih the Clave paperwork-" he laughed at Alexander's wince and determined look. "But outside of that, I am perfectly fine."
"You're not-" Alec frowned and looked down at the bed.
Magnus raised an eyebrow. "I'm not what?"
Alec dropped his hands to the blankets in his bed and forced himself to take a deep breath. "If you'd had the choice, you, you never would have picked a-"
"Alexander," Magnus interrupted softly. He stepped closer to the edge of the bed and reached out to stroke his fingertips along the deflect rune on Alec's neck. "I have had several lifetimes worth of my own chocies and my own picks. Nothing has ever fit, or felt as right as it feels to be standing here with you, right now."
Alec's breath caught and he stared at Magnus with wide eyes. "I, it, really?"
Magnus grinned and leaned in to rub their noses together, keeping his fingers against Alec's neck to feel him shiver. "Yes, darling rider. Now, will you fly with me?"
"Yes." Alec didn't spare a second thought for his duties at the Institute when Magnus lit up, grinning broadly at him. Someone (Isabelle, he suspected) had brought his riding leathers to the Infirmary and Alec changed as quickly as he could, before standing in front of Magnus.
"Don't you make a magnificent picture," Magnus purred, reaching out to take Alec's hand, lifting it to his lips to kiss the tattoos of sclaes there. "Take me to the courtyard, Alexander, and let's fly."
Alec kept his fingers threaded with Magnus as he pulled him through the Institute, ignoring calls of his name. His heart was pounding, and he could feel the preliminary bond between them lighting up with eagerness. Pushing the double doors open, they stepped out into the wide courtyard. His mother was there with her dragon, the two of them speaking quietly together.
Maryse stood up and frowned. "What's that warlock doing here?" Her eyes dropped to their held hands and her frown grew more pinched. "Alec."
It was easy to ignore her when Magnus was smiling at him, his whole body almost wreathed in magic. Alec stared at him and his breath caught.
"Do you trust me, Alexander?" Magnus whispered.
Alec swallowed and nodded. "I do. I trust you, Magnus." Following the nudge of magic that felt like Magnus, Alec stepped up and into the air and raced up the shimmering steps that led into the air. He didn't know why Magnus was having him climb these until a roar that shook the Institute trembled below him and Alec caught sight of wings almost twice the size as the ones from the night before.
Waiting until Magnus had risen far enough, Alec leaped, landing on his back, his fingers curling against the scales. Magic gathered around his hands, and like that, he was resting in a saddle, and their bond snapped into place. With a flap of his wings that sent everyone below scattering, Magnus launched them into the air.
The air was cold and biting, but the heat of Magnus' scales, and the comforting weight of the bond between them made sure he didn't feel it for a second. Alec closed his eyes and leaned forward, his hands tight on the reigns.
"Fly, Magnus!"
Magnus' answering roar made his heart soar.
~!~
Send me a prompt for Alec Lightwood's Birthday Bash!
19 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 2 years
Text
Alec Lightwood Birthday Bash - 2022
Hey everyone!
It is Alec Lightwood-Bane’s birthday tomorrow (or today depending on where you are in the world!) which means that I am doing a bunch of prompt fills for his birthday and posting them either here or on Ao3!
So if you have prompts you want filled, get them in my inbox! 
9 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media
I posted 2,570 times in 2022
That's 1,012 more posts than 2021!
106 posts created (4%)
2,464 posts reblogged (96%)
Blogs I reblogged the most:
@cenedrariva
@cuubism
@theawkwardterrier
@murderturtles
@thuriweaver
I tagged 1,173 of my posts in 2022
#dreamling - 618 posts
#dream of the endless - 245 posts
#the sandman - 183 posts
#aria posts - 146 posts
#hob gadling - 127 posts
#sandman - 83 posts
#yes - 58 posts
#malec - 50 posts
#i love this - 45 posts
#my heart - 30 posts
Longest Tag: 136 characters
#but i really do believe people need to understand it’s not loving the source media as much as it is loving the relatability of the media
My Top Posts in 2022:
#5
Challenge Mode
50,000 words.
48 Hours.
Starting now.
Wish me luck!
65 notes - Posted November 19, 2022
#4
I’ve seen so much meta and so many posts about Nightmare as Dream’s other form, but I am obsessed with the other side of Nightmare’s coin.
What about Daydream? What about Dream when he’s in the fresh blush if love that’s like the first days the flowers bloom in spring? What about Dream when he had a wife and son and his son’s music echoed across the Dreaming?
What about two parents who were so tied to creation, teaching their son to sing, and to play music, and the Dreams that must have been created before it turned to sorrow. What about the happy side of the coin?
I’m just having a lot of emotions about Dream’s other aspects. I just. I love Nightmare. I love writing Nightmare (and Torment, who is a step beyond Nightmare in my mind), and their opposites. Who are Dream, and… well. Daydream.
Tumblr media
66 notes - Posted November 14, 2022
#3
Alec Lightwood Birthday Bash - Prompt Fill
From @to-the-stars-writing
I've seen a thousand amnesia fics, one or the other forgetting who they are, but what about a dual-amnesia fic where something happens on a mission or because of a spell and the others come in to find Magnus and Alec both temporarily forgot who they are, but they're still flirting like crazy with one another
~!~!~!~!~
When Alec woke up, there were three problems immediately apparent.
Number one, he was chained to the wall.  
Number two, he no longer had his stele, his bow, or seraph blades.
Number three, there was someone else across the cell and he looked like he was in even worse shape, if that was somehow even possible.  Which meant that he was going to be rescuing not just himself, but someone else too.  
"Hey," Alec hissed, glancing toward the ominous looking door.  "Hey, open your eyes.  I can't do this alone, and need your help."  
No movement, which meant that the other man was truly unconscious.  Alec frowned as he took the other man in properly - pants that, angels below, were they painted on?  A shirt that was... less fabric than it was supposed to be based on the slashes he could see, and a faint sheen of glitter on his eyes and hair could only mean one thing.  He was trapped in this cell with a warlock, for angels knew whatever reason.  
Alec looked around the cell again and tugged at his chains.  He had a little bit of give, which was more of a blessing than he would have expected, and his feet weren't chained to the ground.  Another quick check confirmed that he still had his boots, and even though the small knife he kept in the holster was gone (dammit, Jace was going to pout about that for hours, that had been a present), what he actually needed was not.  
Taking a second, Alec took a deep breath and focused - most of his runes had expired, but he could still hear the sound of guards much further down from their cell.  The only breathing he could hear belonged to him and the warlock nearby.  Which meant if he made a little bit of noise it wasn't going to bring anyone running.  He looked down at his boots and took a deep breath, testing all of his weight on the chains for a long moment.  
"Why do I get the feeling that you're about to do something devastatingly ridiculous that only shadowhunters know how to do?"
Alec looked up at the quiet voice and saw that the warlock was awake, relaxing.  At least he wouldn't have to be running around with an unconscious body.  That would have made things frustrating and unreasonably difficult.  "You have a better idea?  Magic, maybe?" he hissed back.  
The warlock hummed and shook his head.  "Unfortunately, however we ended up here and based on the..." he wrinkled his nose and licked his lips.  "Memory loss drought I can still taste the after effects of, my magic has either been drained, or I spent all of it.  I'm not without some skills, but nowhere near your own, I imagine."  
"I'll stand for you being able to walk," Alec muttered, ignoring the way that sparkling gold nail polish on his fingers shone on the faint light of the cell.  "You injured anywhere?"  
"Thankfully no."  A faint rustle.  "I am, however, not standing on the ground, so all of my weight has been on my shoulders and arms."  
Alec winced in sympathy.  That was going to mean he'd be able to walk but not do much in the way of fighting while his arms got their feeling back.  "I should be able to get us out of here," he reassured and looked up at his hands again.  "This might take me a couple of tries."  
He took a deep breath and lifted his legs carefully out in front of him.  Breathe in deep, and then move.  Shifting slowly with his grip against the chains, Alec brought his legs up further, bending himself almost in half to fumble with the secret latch on the side of his boots.  
"Darling, yoga instructors would envy that flexibility," the warlock praised.  "Not to mention that it does give one a wide variety of IDEAS, the nature of which is entirely inappropriate for our current predicament."  
Alec fought down the urge to snort, his arms starting to burn before he'd worked the lock pick half out of his boot.  He dropped his legs back down and breathed through the burning of his arms.  "Fuck, I need at least one more round."  
The warlock chuckled.  "Please feel free to do that as many times as you like.  I am quite enjoying the view.  I might enjoy a more practical demonstration later."  
Alec snorted.  "Pretty sure this is not the place to be flirting."  
"On the contrary, it's the perfect place to be flirting," the warlock correct.  "My name is Magnus, and I will be happy to take you out to dinner after this is over."  
"Your wife wouldn't like that," Alec said, his eyes drifting to the ring on Magnus' finger.  He took another deep breath and forced himself to relax, waiting for the burning to subside.  
Magnus looked at the ring on his finger, blinking in surprise.  "I've never had a wife, or a husband, mind you I am as equal opportunity as it comes.  Where did..." he flinched, his head aching.  "Ah, memory loss potion, right."  
Alec gave him a rueful grin.  "If it's any consolation at all, I would have said yes if you weren't attached."  He'd never met someone as beautiful as Magnus in all of his life.  If he'd had the chance, he probably never would have let someone like the warlock go.  "All right, let's try this again."  
Alec swung his legs up in an easy, determined motion and waited, breathing hard, for his fingers to bump against the lock pick.  It took three more tugs, but at last it was free in his fingertips and he could drop his feet again with a groan.  His whole body was sore and he was going to pay for doing that without runes tomorrow, that was for sure.  "All right, now to see if I remember how to do this..."
Magnus hummed.  "Where did a shadowhunter learn the art of lockpicking, I might wonder," he said, watching as the shadowhunter bit his lip in concentration, his eyes drawn back to the delicious sight of those lips reddening.  
"My siblings," Alec said, and that was enough explanation, apparently, for Magnus, who said nothing further as he finished getting himself completely unlocked, carefully resting the chains against the wall. 
See the full post
67 notes - Posted September 17, 2022
#2
What it says on the tin - and I love it. 
95 notes - Posted October 8, 2022
My #1 post of 2022
A Knight’s Favor
Okay hear me out.
Renaissance Fair - Hob drags Dream along for the fun of it all, mostly for an excuse to wear some of his oldest clothing, and his replica claymore (with dulled edges), attracting attention from everyone as he and Dream move together. 
They watch performances by the dozen, and take in the tournament matches, when, after it’s all over, the master of ceremonies steps forward and says that he’s going to need everyone’s help to coax someone to do an exhibition match.
Hob’s eyes are widening and he’s cursing as Evan looks up at him, smirking wide and he’s nearly scrambling out of his seat when Evan gets the crowd shouting his name in a chant, demanding he come down and put on an exhibition. 
Dream, of course, is watching all of this in amusement, and Hob’s just, embarrassed (in a proud way) and sighing.  He explains that it’d disappoint people if he didn’t, so he steals a quick kiss (which gets all of the AWWWs from the audience) and heads down to the arena.  He and Evan are kitted up, and have their weapons of choice (longsword vs. claymore was always an interesting one, since neither of them bother with shields).  
Hob is just settling into position, when a ROAR goes up from the crowd and he sees Evan laughing and gesturing behind him.  His breath catches at the sight of Dream standing there, holding out a ruby, a clear replica of HIS ruby, on a shimmering golden chain, a faint smile on his lips.  He’s approaching before he realizes it. 
“I believe it is custom to bestow a favor on the knight one wishes to win,” Dream says, his voice soft as he bends down and drapes the chain over Hob’s head, settling it against his chest before tucking it into his leather jerkin.  “Do attempt to win for me, valiant sir knight.” 
Hob’s flushed (and it has nothing to do with the light armor he’s wearing), and staring at Dream, who has the smuggest smirk on his face that he’s going to kiss off as soon as he’s done winning the battle.  But he nods, because of course he will win this fight for Dream and he turns back to Evan. 
Evan is smirking and Hob resolves to wipe that smirk off his face, and settles into a stance he hasn’t used in far too long.  He doesn’t hold back, not for a second.  He’s not going for a killing blow, only disarmament, but he can see the surprise on Evan’s face as he twists and wields the claymore in a way that only masters of it can. 
The fight is quick, brutal, and the crowd is roaring their approval. 
Hob can feel the heat of the ruby against his chest as Evan tries to push him back, forcing him into tighter combat.  A quick twist of his hips, faking dropping to one knee and Hob was able to toss Evan over his shoulder, sword and all, before spinning to point the claymore at his throat, grinning. 
Evan will laugh of course, and as the crowd cheers, he hugs Hob and thanks him for the match, and Hob turns to Dream who is...
His eyes are almost as hot as the ruby burning against his chest, the ruby that stands out against the white linen shirt he’s wearing under his armor, and Hob is grinning, triumphant and victorious as he strides towards Dream and reaches out for his hand, bowing low over it in a courtly bow before yanking his Dream into a kiss.  There’s another roar around them, but Hob forgets all of them as Dream kisses him hard enough to have him forgetting his name, let alone any silly old tournament. 
202 notes - Posted October 3, 2022
Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →
7 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 3 years
Note
aria are sickfics fluffy enough for a fluff ficlet because i will never turn down an opportunity to ask for sickfic fluff ;~; like imagine... OH WHAT IF SOULMATES?? like alec isn't feeling well and magnus knows so magnus takes advantage of their soulbond to do something sweet for alec? my thoughts are so scattered right now rip if i need to give you a more specific prompt lemme know i love you okay bye
oKAY SO THIS WASN’T QUITE WHAT YOU ASKED FOR CAUSE I DECIDED TO DO IT AS A GET-TOGETHER, BUT IT STILL WORKS I THINK.
ALSO I LOVE YOU TOO AND YOU ARE TOO SWEET FOR WORDS.  
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Magnus woke up miserable.  
He groaned and rolled out of bed, rubbing at his forehead.  He stumbled to the bathroom and barely managed to take a shower, almost collapsing into bed at the end of it.  He yawned and took his temperature.  
Regular.  
Dammit.  That meant his soulmate was the one that was sick.  Magnus looked at the soulmark on his bare wrist, the bow and arrow that had darkened to black ever since he had moved to Idris, and sighed, flopping back on the bed.  
Well, hopefully, his soulmate would at least stay home and get some rest today and he'd feel better tomorrow.  
Magnus levered himself out of bed with a grunt and headed for his closet.  If he was going to be feeling like shit all day, he was going to dress COMFORTABLE and no one was going to stop him.  Loungewear and eyeliner.  He could manage that.  He could.  
~!~
Whoever his soulmate was had apparently taken some medicine because he felt a little less like he was dying once he got into the car and headed for school.  His head still felt like it was full of cotton, but he felt less like he wanted to slip into sleep every few seconds.  Magnus yawned and adjusted the cuff around his wrist before grabbing his backpack and trudging towards the school.  
With a little bit of luck, he wouldn't run into-
"Bane!"  
Magnus sighed, clenched his eyes shut, and turned around to level a glare at Alec Lightwood who was rapidly striding towards him.  "What?" he snapped, watching as Alec seemed to stumble at his sharp rejoinder.  
Alec raised both of his eyebrows and frowned.  "What's wrong?"  
Magnus took a deep breath and glared at Alec, who liked to take every single opportunity to give him shit about his clothes, his eyeliner, his, his everything.  And if he hadn't seen first-hand just how hard Alec worked on his grades and knew that they were both competing for top grades in the school, he would have hated him a lot more.  "I don't feel good," he announced.  "Feel like shit, actually, and I'm honestly not up for any of your bullshit today.  So if you could just-"
Magnus blinked in surprise and frowned as Alec took his arm and tugged him into an empty classroom.  He scowled and blinked in the too bright lights until Alec flicked them off, leaving the room dark except for the windows on the far side of the room.  He sighed in relief.  
"Why are you even at school?" Alec asked, frowning at him.  "If you're sick, you should stay home.  You can't risk spreading it among-"  
Magnus sighed and pressed his fingers to his temple, his head starting to pound.  "If, Lightwood, I was the one feeling like absolute death between the tiredness, headache, mild nausea, fever, and stuffy nose?  I would, most definitely, be home.  But I'm not."  
Alec blinked, his mouth dropping open, his eyes flicking to the cuff on Magnus' wrist.  "Your soulmate is sick."  
"My soulmate," Magnus growled, glaring at him.  "Has a fucking cool, whoever he or she is, and since I can't tell them to get their ass back into bed, I have to suffer through this."  
Alec blinked again, and stared at Magnus, his eyes widening.  "I, you should still go home.  Today is going-"
"I'll survive," Magnus muttered, glaring at Alec.  "Just do me a favor and leave me the hell alone today, all right?  I don't have time for you to pick on whatever the hell your choice of today is."  
Glad that Alec didn't say anything in response, Magnus yanked open the door to the classroom, shutting it behind him as he swayed on his feet and headed down the hallway for his locked.  He clenched his jaw.  He just needed to get through today and then he could go home and rest, sleep for several hours.  
He didn't see Alec Lightwood sink into a chair and cover his face with a hand before he sneezed, very pointedly.  
~!~
By the fourth period, Magnus was ready to break in the principle's office and steal the announcement system for the three minutes that it would take to order his soulmate, whoever the fuck they were, to Go.  Home.  He could barely focus on what any of his teachers were saying, and he knew that he was already going to need to beg Catarina for notes from Chem, because there was no way that he had scribbled down anything remotely coherent.  
Magnus sighed and pushed his fingers through his hair.  He couldn't even TAKE anything for the cold, because he wasn't the one sick, and it was easy to feel the medicine that his soulmate had taken was wearing off.  He turned a corner and blinked in surprise at the sight of Alec Lightwood standing at his locker.  He sighed and sagged.  Of course Alec wouldn't leave him alone today.  Of course he wouldn't.  
"Magnus," Alec said, blinking hard, frowning when the air around Magnus seemed to shimmer before he was able to focus on Magnus properly.  It didn't help that Magnus was wearing loose black pants and a comfy-looking red shirt that was too big on him but looked so comfy and beautiful, and...
Magnus scowled and raised an eyebrow, glaring at the other boy.  "What the hell do you want, Lightwood?  Don't you have class?"  
Alec blinked slowly, turning to look down the hallway.  He did have Advanced Calculus, but the idea of going into that room and trying to make his brain work felt impossible.  He'd wanted to be near Magnus, so of course here he was.  Like an idiot.  "Yeah," he managed, blinking hard.  "I do."  
Magnus frowned, grabbing the books that he needed from the locker as Alec didn't add anything further, just stayed there, leaning heavily against the lockers.  He turned to study Alec properly and he could see his cheeks flushing and his eyes looked worryingly glassy.  The crowds of kids were thinning around them, so he waited for Alec to meet his eyes before daring to venture a question.  
"Alec?" Magnus asked, reaching out to touch his arm.  "Are you all right?"  
Alec hissed at the cool touch of Magnus' fingertips.  He wanted to press his whole body against Magnus if that's how cool he felt.  It was too good, that's exactly what he wanted.  He cleared his throat and tried to force himself upright, but he stumbled and leaned against the lockers again, the hallway starting to swim.  "Magnus..." he managed, trying to make his mouth work.  "...agnus..."  
Alec closed his eyes right as he heard Magnus' voice raise, calling him a little louder.  He leaned forward, deciding that he'd take his risks.  Maybe Magnus would at least break his fall a little.  
"Shit!" Magnus swore, dropping his books as Alec swayed on his feet and then pitched forward, his whole body going limp.  He caught Alec easily and looked around him at the kids staring.  "Someone call the nurse!" he growled, keeping Alec's dead weight supported enough until he could kneel on the ground, brushing some of his hair out of Alec's face.  
His breathing was shallow and now that Magnus was touching his forehead, he could feel that Alec was running a high fever.  Alec whimpered at the touch of his hand, so Magnus didn't move it away, except to switch hands.  
His breathing was shallow and now that Magnus was touching his forehead, he could feel that Alec was running a high fever.  Alec whimpered at the touch of his hand, so Magnus didn't move it away, except to switch hands.  "Alec?" Magnus called, brushing some hair off of his face.  "Alec, can you hear me?"  
Magnus closed his eyes, fighting down the wave of nausea and weakness that washed over him and cursed his sick soulmate.  Dammit, Alec needed help.  Magnus blinked slowly, focusing on the nurse as soon as she was kneeling by them both.  "He's running a fever," Magnus managed to tell her.  "He passed out, he was having trouble standing upright."  
"All right," the nurse said.  "I'm going to need your help carrying him.  Can you take his other side?"  
"Of course," Magnus said, and between the both of them, they got Alec up and started getting him down the hallway to the nurse's office.  Once they were there, he fought the urge to sway on his feet as the nurse called a doctor from Urgent Care.  He looked down at Alec, pale and looking exhausted on the bed, and swayed closer to him.  
"Idiot," he muttered when he pressed his hand to Alec's forehead again, watching him relax.  Magnus blinked slowly.  Alec's bed looked fucking comfy and if anyone asked, he'd make up some excuse.  He didn't care, he was too damn tired after carrying Alec.  
Magnus clambered into the bed on the opposite side and shifted, pressing his hand to Alec's forehead again, his own eyes drifting shut as Alec's face started to relax.  He was going to make fun of Alec for this for ages.  He'd never let him live down...
Magnus was asleep before he could finish the thought.  
~!~
"....both exhausted, letting them rest..."
"....gave him an IV, his fever was too high..."  
"...need to move them, they can't stay here..."
Magnus barely managed to blink himself awake when the voices in the room kept talking.  He scowled, but they didn't stop.  He opened his eyes and saw that it looked like Alec now had an IV hooked up to him, and there was a doctor standing with the nurse in the office, the two of them whispering together.  He turned and pressed his face to Alec's shoulder, smiling in relief when it didn't seem like his skin was radiating heat any longer.  That had seemed more than a little dangerous.  
"Magnus?  Are you awake?"  
Magnus blinked his eyes open and focused on the nurse on the other side of Alec.  He grunted at her, blinking hard to try and focus.  "Yeah," he managed.  
"Alec needs to be moved to the hospital," she said.  "Just as a precautionary measure.  The EMTs are waiting outside."  
Magnus narrowed his eyes and pressed in closer to Alec.  He wasn't going to leave Alexander, not like this.  He carefully didn't look closer at just why that was, but he wasn't going to let them near Alec.  Alec needed him.  
She smiled softly.  "No one is going to try to separate the both of you, but we need to keep Alec's fever down or it could hurt him."  
Magnus closed his eyes and pressed his face to Alec's shoulder again, breathing in deep before he gave a small nod.  "I go with him," he muttered.  
"I know, dear," she soothed.  "You should have filed the paperwork sooner, then we wouldn't have all of this red tape."  
Magnus barely spared a moment to understand what she was talking about before both he and Alec were being picked up and moved onto a gurney.  Alec whined, sweat breaking out on his forehead and Magnus wrapped an arm around his waist, holding him carefully.  
"He's going to be okay."  
Magnus blinked again, slow and uncoordinated, staring up at the EMTs who were bringing them to the hospital.  Alec had better be okay, because he needed to mock Alec for this forever.  And then lecture him about staying home, especially when Alec had tried to give him the same lecture that morning!  
When Alec made a small noise, low in his throat, a whimper of pain, Magnus snapped awake, all of his attention focused on the sound.  "Alec?" he rasped, his voice hoarse.  "Alec, are you okay?"  
"He'll be fine," one of the EMTs said.  "He's just in a lot of pain from the fever.  The closer you stay to him, the easier he'll be able to rest."  
Magnus squinted at that, because there was something about that that didn't make a whole lot of sense, but staying pressed close to Alec was something that sounded like the best idea, so that is exactly what he did.  
~!~
When Magnus woke up again, the lights in the room were bright and he squinted at them in annoyance.  "Lights," he growled.  He made a happy noise when they were abruptly lowered in brightness and he curled up next to Alec again.  
Then he realized that his mind was much clearer than it had been before and he was curled up with Alec.  
He sat up in shock, looking around the hotel room.  Alec made a plaintive noise beside him and Magnus felt Alec's fingers lock around his waist, tugging at him.  Following the tug seemed like the most natural thing in the world, so he did, letting Alec pull him close again, until he was pressed up against Alexander.  
"He's unlikely to let you go while the drugs go to work."  
Magnus lifted his eyes up and relaxed at the sight of Catarina, his Mom's best friend, standing on the other side of the bed.  "Catarina," he whispered.  
She smiled faintly.  "You're both going to be perfectly fine.  He's just got a severe case of the flu, and he's exhausted, so I doubt he's been sleeping well." 
Magnus pressed in closer to Alexander at the news, and he wasn't going to look too closely at exactly what that meant.  He nodded and cleared his throat.  "What happened?"  
Catarina raised her eyebrows.  "You don't know?"  
Magnus shook his head and pressed his nose against Alec's neck with a small happy noise.  Alec smelled like medicine, but beneath it, there was that cologne that Alec had been wearing recently.  "I don't want to let go of him."  
Catarina snorted.  "Magnus, you need to look at your wrist."  
Magnus was about to snap that there was no point to that when he realized his cuff had been removed.  He jolted in shock and looked up at her.  "Catarina-"
"Woah, woah, relax," Catarina said, approaching the bed.  "You don't want to wake Alec up with your panicking."  
Magnus swallowed and his eyes moved from the soulmark that was now shining gold instead of the black he'd become used to, back to her.  "Wh, what..."  
Catarina smiled faintly.  "The nurse removed both of your cuffs when she saw that you'd climbed into bed with Alec.  Soulmates, especially ones who haven't been found need to stay as close to each other as possible."  
Magnus nodded.  He knew that, he'd known that, but the idea that Alec could be his soulmate...  He clenched his eyes shut and sighed, even as he pressed in closer to Alec's neck.  "He doesn't like me, Cat.  Hell, he, he hates me.  I have to go before he wakes up."  
Catarina raised a skeptical eyebrow.  "First off, I very much doubt that he hates you.  Secondly, I don't think you could actually make it to the door if you tried to get away from him."  
Magnus hated how much she was right, especially when Alec made a quiet pained noise in his throat and continued to hold him close.  He melted in as close as he could, nuzzling Alec's neck.  "I'm here," he whispered, watching as the words landed and instantly soothed Alec, making him cease struggling.  
"Exactly," Catarina said.  "I've gone ahead and filed the prelim paperwork so no one will try to separate you.  He should wake up in a couple of hours after the medicine has had a chance to work.  You should get some rest too."  
Magnus swallowed hard and nodded, tightening his arm around Alexander, holding him close.  He could still feel Alec trembling faintly from the fever and focused all of his attention on Alec.  "I'm here, Alexander," he promised, even as his eyes dropped to the soulmate mark that was glowing on his wrist.  The matching mark that Alec had on his.  "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."  
~!~  
When Alec blinked awake, he was more comfortable than he could ever remember being.  He was warm, and all of the drugs had worn off, meaning that he would feel something closer to normal.  He went to stretch and there was a grumpy noise against his neck.  He froze, his eyes going wide as he realized there was also a possessive arm around his stomach.  
He clenched his eyes shut the second he recognized the shirt.  Fuck.  Magnus.  Which meant that Magnus knew, now.  
Alec took a slow, deep breath, trying to fight down the panic that was swiftly rising.  He had to get out of here.  He had to cover his wrist and make sure Magnus didn't know, that he didn't find out.  He'd make some excuse, it would be fine, and they could go back to fighting, and-
"I can feel you panicking," Magnus muttered against Alec's neck.  "I know you're disappointed, but I don't know that either of us can move right now, so just deal with it."  
Alec swallowed, but his mouth was dry and he clenched his eyes shut, trying to breathe hard, because how could he explain?  That this was what he wanted more than anything, but his parents, all of his family, everything that was going to keep them apart, Magnus deserved better.  "M'not disappointed," he muttered, closing his eyes again.  
Magnus snorted and rolled his eyes.  "You hate me.  Of course you are."  
Alec sighed and forced himself to go through the herculean effort of turning himself around so he could face Magnus, leaning in so he could press their foreheads together, breathing hard.  "Don't.  Hate you," he repeated.  
"Alec," Magnus started, huffing.  "You make it a point to insult me every single morning we see each other.  Hell, I would have called it flirting, but I know that you mean it-"
"Cause," Alec said, breathing slowly, staying pressed against his soulmate.  "If I didn't, everyone would know how much I'd want you."  
A small whine broke out of Magnus' throat when Alec admitted that.  Of course Alec didn't want him as a soulmate.  He bit down on his lip, but he still couldn't move away, not when Alec was still staring him down.  "You didn't have to be mean," he protested.  "You could have just told me you didn't want me and-"
"But I do," Alec whispered, blinking his eyes slowly as he stared at Magnus.  "More than anything.  Always want to be close to you.  Make you smile, make you laugh, you're so beautiful..."  
Magnus blinked in surprise at the onslaught of quiet compliments, staring in shock at Alec.  "Why, but why do you-"  
"Cause," Alec said, huffing out the word, his eyes closing in exhaustion before they blinked open again, slow, staring at Magnus.  "M'family.  They'd make you leave.  Mom and Dad especially.  Want me to marry some woman.  But I just want you.  Always want you."  
All at once, several things started to make a great deal more sense and Magnus’ heart ached.  He reached out and combed his fingers through Alec’s hair, watching his eyes widen in surprise.  “You were protecting me,” he said, watching Alec nod.  
“Can’t stay away,” Alec whispered.  “Always wanted to be near you.  You’re so magical, all your glitter and, and, you.”  
Magnus giggled and pressed their foreheads together, reaching out to take Alec’s hand, giving it a slow squeeze.  “So you’re not sad I’m your soulmate?”  
Alec shook his head.  “No.  You’re perfect.  Not good enough for you.  Gonna try.”  
“Oh.” Magnus closed his eyes and gave himself a few seconds to process that before opening his eyes again to look at Alec.  “No more of the bullshit at school.”  He tangled their fingers together, squeezing Alec’s hand.  
“Magnus,” Alec whispered.  “You can’t, they’ll...” 
“They’re not,” Magnus growled, staring Alec down.  “They can, they can say whatever they want, but they’re not gonna get rid of me that easily.”  
“But...” Alec chewed on his lip, staring at the determined face Magnus was making.  He sighed.  “‘m sorry for how I’ve treated you.”  
Magnus nodded.  “You’re forgiven.  Now sleep.  You’re exhausted.”  
Alec closed his eyes, tightening his hand around Magnus’.  “You’ll stay?” he whispered, his heart pounding painfully in his chest.  
Magnus smiled and lifted their joined hands, pressing a kiss to the bow and arrow on Alec’s wrist that was glowing gold, just like this.  “I’m staying, Alexander.”  
“Okay,” Alec whispered again, relaxing as the chill of the medicine started to sweep over him again.  Magnus wasn’t going to leave.  Magnus wasn’t scared away.  Maybe...maybe he would stay.  
~!~ 
Two days later, Magnus stood at his locker, his skin itching.  He was still feeling a little sick, but much better than he had been.  He smiled faintly as the itching abruptly stopped, which only meant one thing.  
“Bane!”  
Magnus turned to look at Alec who was stalking towards him in the hallway.  Already he could see people rolling their eyes, but enough were watching.  He smiled as Alec stepped in close and grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, yanking him into a kiss.  
The shocked shouts around them were worth the flu that he might end up with.  
Especially if Alec kept kissing him like he was the air he needed to breathe.  
Especially then.  
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Old prompt fills for ALBB?  Woo!  
104 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 3 years
Note
Heard you were accepting prompts for Alec’s bday weekend! Nothing specific just domestic Malec being their normal fluffy selves. Maybe grumpy Alec demanding cuddles because that’s always been a head canon of mine :) thank you!!
I AM ALWAYS HERE FOR GRUMPY ALEC DEMANDING CUDDLES.  I NEED IT.  SO MUCH.  BECAUSE SOMETIMES HE IS THE GRUMPIEST AND MAGNUS GIVES THE BEST CUDDLES.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Alec sighed.  
For the fifth time.  In less than ten minutes.  
"The Downworlders are getting too uppity-"
"They're not uppity," Alec cut in, for what felt like the fifth or sixth time in the last twenty minutes.  "They are asking to be allowed to police their own when we have caught them doing something they should not."  
Clifton Pangborn sneered at Alec Lightwood.  "And how do we know that they will even begin to-"
Alec fought the urge to sigh again.  "They've offered to tell us the outcomes so we can follow up if need be," he repeated, cutting Pangborn off before he could really get started.  
"What you're saying," Alice Lovelace said, looking to Alec Lightwood.  "Is that you'll actually trust them to persecute their own people?"  
Alec stared her down.  "They already do.  In fact, most of them have structures better than ours in place for policing themselves internally."  
"There's no proof of that!" Pangborn shouted.  "The wolves are little more than animals and you expect me to-"
Alec stood up, slamming his hands down on the desk, silencing the entire room in an instant.  "May I remind the chamber," he snarled, looking around the room.  "That we are not to refer to any Downworlder as an animal, or beneath us.  The Nephilim have done nothing but subjugate these people for centuries, and they are asking for a very simple request.  There is no reason, whatsoever, that we have for denying them."  
"We have kept the peace for centuries!"  
Alec turned to look at the other Council member who had spoken up and glared at her until she sat back down.  "Do you call Valentine keeping the peace?  Or the Circle?"  
Pangborn scoffed.  "Those are hardly-"  
"There is not," Alec said, his voice lowering to a deadly growl.  "A single member in this entire council who does not have a family member who was not involved in the Circle in some way.  And I include myself, wholeheartedly, in that statement."  
Silence echoed around all of them and Alec let out a heavy breath.  "Let's adjourn for today.  Tomorrow, we'll come back and discuss the proposal the vampire clans have made in further detail with Raphael Santiago.  He can explain."  There was a quick rap of a gavel and the Council members were filing out of the chamber.  
Aline stepped up next to Alec and gave his arm a squeeze.  "You okay?"  
"I'm tired," Alec admitted, closing his eyes.  "I want to sleep for about ten hours, but I'll be lucky if I get three."  
"Well, good for you then, that I'm ordering you to take the rest of the night off.  Your portal out of Alicante is waiting outside the chambers," Aline said, smiling at him.  "Take the night off, spend the time with Magnus, relax."  
Alec breathed out hard.  That sounded like heaven.  "What poor warlock did you coerce into waiting around for me?"  
"I'm not poor by any stretch of the imagination, Alexander," Magnus called, stepping into the council room with a flourish.  "Now, come, your husband is demanding to take you home."  
The sight of Magnus instantly relaxed him and Alec hurried out of his council seat over to where he was standing.  "Let's go home," he agreed, breathing out hard.  "Please."  
"Your wish is my command, Alexander," Magnus said, smiling and summoning a portal for them.  He stepped into the loft and brought Alec through with him, watching him sag in relief.  "Long day, darling?"  
Alec kicked off his shoes and hung up his stele and his holster and blade and then turned to look at Magnus.  Magnus, who was still standing in the middle of the room, watching him worriedly, that little wrinkle in the middle of his brows that he hated with an endless amount of passion.  Alec smiled at him and stepped closer, hunching his shoulders and leaning into the warm embrace of Magnus' arms.  
"The worst," Alec whispered after Magnus had hugged him tight and pulled him close, letting him sag like a puppet whose strings had been cut.  He breathed out slowly, letting Magnus take some of his weight as he took all the comfort his husband could offer him.  "Fucking felt like I was fighting with everyone, and things shouldn't be this hard, and this difficult, after Valentine, after everything, but they still are and-"
"Shhhhh," Magnus soothed, combing his fingers through Alec's hair.  "It's okay darling.  Those days are going to happen, as you and I well know.  I have no doubt that it went much better than it feels right now."  
Alec wanted to agree, he did, but fuck, he still hated this.  Hated all of it.  Though, when Magnus carefully changed their clothes into the soft cotton of their favorite loungewear and brought them to the couch where he could curl up and bury his face against Magnus' neck, he was certain that he had never loved his husband more.  "I love you," he mumbled.  
"I love you too," Magnus whispered, combing his fingers through Alec's hair as he started to slowly relax, no matter how hard Alec was clinging onto him at the moment.  "I've got you.  Just relax, love.  You don't need to think about anything while you're here."  
Alec made a small grumpy noise in the back of his throat.  "I want to think about you," he mumbled.  "You're always the best thing to think about."  
Magnus smiled and started to hum a quiet lullaby to Alexander, even as he kept massaging his scalp gently.  "I am flattered, Alexander, but I think right now all you need to think about is how comfortable you are and just enjoy that."  
Alec grunted against his shoulder and Magnus smiled again.  It only took another few minutes of quiet humming and gentle stroking of his hair before Alec was snoring against his shoulder, exhaustion catching up with him.  Every part of the Accords rewrite was weighing heavily on them both, but he was one of the only ones who saw the physical toll it was taking on Alec.  
Magnus soothed the aches and pains from Alec's shoulders, the cramped muscles in his hands, and the headache that was lurking from the stress his neck carried.  His magic washed over Alec in gentle wave after gentle wave as Alec snored against his shoulder.  Alec wrinkled his nose, almost as though he disapproved of the magic in his sleep and Magnus couldn't help grinning.  
"Rest love, I'm going to take care of you," he promised, closing his eyes as he focused on doing exactly that.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
PROMPT.  FILLS.  BABY.  
81 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 3 years
Note
Alec gets kidnapped by Magnus' enemies. With a twist! It's /mundanes/ who do it, hired by business competitors on the Mundane side of things who dont like Magnus for one reason or another & either A) want him gone or B) want him to do what they say. So they kidnap his boytoy. None of them have any idea magic & everything else is real, just regular scummy humans. (inspired one of your posts on the dangers of chemicals, ie. Chloroform, which is what i picture the thugs using to knock Alec out.)
OKAY LISTEN - I’M SLIGHTLY SORRY FOR THE FACT THAT THE FIRST THING THAT JUMPED INTO MY MIND WAS CRACKFIC-ESQUE, BUT HERE.  
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Magnus stalked angrily across Operations, relieved when Shadowhunters scattered out of his way, none of them willing to get between them as he paced across the area, again.  Alec had been missing for more than twelve hours now, and none of them had any idea why!  
A low snarl broke out of Magnus' throat and his eyes snapped to Luke the second the man stepped into Operations.  "Have good news for me, Luke," he said, his magic snapping around him.  
"Look," Luke said, holding up his hands.  "We told you that you couldn't go charging in there for a reason-"
"We know where he is," Magnus snarled, glaring at him.  "And you have specifically told me to wait because-"
"Because," Luke growled back, glaring at Magnus.  "He's being held by an arm of the Mafia, specifically to get back at you, Magnus."  
Magnus blinked, his mouth dropping open.  "I...what?"  
"You heard me," Luke said.  "They sent in a ransom demand, but of course, you weren't at home like they were expecting."  
Magnus stared at the letter in Luke's hand and then looked back up to him, incredulous.  "What... what...?"  
Luke snorted.  "Yeah, apparently they figured out you fleeced their boss-"
"Entirely possible," Magnus allowed.  "Especially if he was a dick."  
"-so they decided the best way to get back at you was to steal your arm candy and ransom him.  It's a million dollar ransom," Luke said, offering Magnus the note.  
Magnus looked at the note, briefly, before looking back at Luke.  "We're dealing with mundanes.  Who have no knowledge of the Shadow world."  
"Yes," Luke said, his lips quirking up.  "I suspect the only reason that they were able to capture Alec at all was he didn't want me to have to clean up dead bodies when they captured him."  
Magnus pinched the bridge of his nose, because that sounded uncomfortably like something Alexander would do.  "What is the plan to bring him back?  Can I just portal in and take him back?"
"Not unless you want them going open season on the two of you whenever you're around town," Luke said, frowning at him.  "Normally I wouldn't encourage this, but I know you're not...without resources."  
Magnus smirked, raising his eyebrows.  "You want to pay the ransom?"  
"It'd be the easiest way to approach things," Luke agreed.  
Magnus nodded in agreement.  "That fails to account for one thing, though."  
Luke raised his eyebrows.  "And what is that?"  
"Alexander," Magnus said, his lips quirking.  "And the fact that he knows he has a bulletproof shield as long as he's still wearing his wedding ring, which he will, because he can't take it off unless he wants to."  
Luke blinked.  "Run...that by me one more time."  
"Oh, so you actually did make it bulletproof?" Simon asked, dashing up beside them both.  He saluted Luke and then Magnus.  "Their perimeter is pretty laughable, there's eight guys, two on the roof, and I'm pretty sure three of them across the street.  I could get in, get Alec, and get out without causing much ruckus."  
Magnus grinned faintly.  "Yes, I did end up making it bulletproof.  That was an excellent suggestion."  
"What, exactly, is bulletproof?"  
"Magnus' Magical Love Shield," Simon said.  "Tied to the wedding ring!"  
Magnus watched Luke blink again, much more slowly, turning to look at him.  He shrugged.  "There might be more than a few protection spells weaved into our wedding rings.  We work dangerous jobs."  
"Right," Luke said.  "Does Alec know he's bulletproof?"  
"Yep!" Simon said, grinning as he crossed his arms over his chest.  "Cause I asked in front of them if it was gonna stop a bullet, and Magnus had said no, but if he fixed it..."
Magnus started laughing, tension bleeding out of his shoulders.  "When is the exchange supposed to be, Luke?"
"Tomorrow, at noon," Luke said, frowning.  "But Magnus-"
Magnus held up his hand.  "I'll be very surprised if they actually show up to the meeting, or if they do, it's going to be in a way that we completely don't expect."  
Luke blinked, but nodded willingly enough.  "All right... so you'll bring the money?"  
"Oh yes, no problems there," Magnus said with a wave of his fingers, summoning a duffle bag.  "Simon, is this appropriately fitting for a movie?"  
Simon lifted the bag and inspected it critically.  "Only if half the bills are marked ones, Magnus."  
Luke turned on his heel.  "I'll send you the address Magnus.  Please don't make me have to clean up a bunch of dead mundanes?  That's so frustrating."  
"You got it!" Magnus called, turning back to Simon.  
Simon looked down at the bag.  "You really think Alec is going to be fine?"  
Magnus hummed and tapped on the ring.  "I'd know if he was in proper trouble.  And since, according to what you said, they're not exactly the most organized mundanes, I suspect that Alexander has things well in hand."  
"Right," Simon said, frowning at Magnus, watching as he headed through Operations and towards the Head of the Institute office.  He blinked down at the money in his arms and realized Magnus had left him holding it.  "Hey, Magnus!" 
"Keep an eye on it!" Magnus shouted.  
Simon sighed.  The guy doing the trade-off always died, and he hated getting shot.
~!~
Alec woke up, his head fuzzy.  
He blinked several times, breathing in deep, his nose wrinkling.  His mouth was dry and tasted horrible.  Whatever the hell those mundanes had shoved into his face to knock him out was disgusting.  
"Finally awake?"
Alec looked up and blinked, staring at the man outside the room he was in.  "Who the hell are you?"  
"Someone your sugar daddy shouldn't have messed with.  But don't worry, if he plays ball, he'll get you back...mostly unharmed."  
Alec raised an unimpressed eyebrow, glowering at the man as he managed to get to his feet, stretching slowly.  He looked around the room and patted himself down.  His holster was gone, which meant his seraph blade was somewhere around here and he'd need to get that back, but his stele was still tucked into his pocket.  He breathed a sigh of relief, that would have been much harder to find if they'd taken that.  
"Don't worry, we'll be with you soon.  Magnus will regret crossing us, especially when we send you back with a few new scars."  
Alec snorted out a laugh and kept stretching, testing out all his limbs.  Everything looked to be in working order.  "Yeah you'd need to actually be able to throw a punch to do that," he muttered.  
"Hey!"  
Alec turned his back on the guys at the door and looked around the cell.  He cracked his neck again and frowned.  He was going to be sore in the morning.  He'd have to get Magnus to heal him when he got home.  
"Hey, you fucking punk, look at me when I'm talking to you!"  
Small window, he wouldn't be able to fit through, the door would be easy enough to take off the hinges.  The building was still downtown, he could smell the city here.  Which meant that they hadn't taken him far.  Alec scowled.  What the hell did these idiots want with Magnus anyway?
The sound of the door unlocking had him turning around.  He crossed his arms over his chest and stared unimpressed at the gun that was leveled at his chest.  He could feel the pulse of magic from his wedding ring and smiled faintly.  "When you have something of value to say, I'll listen."  
"Right, you're going with me.  Magnus is going to get you back colorful," the man waved the gun at him.  "Get out there.  Don't make any sudden moves or I'll shoot you."  
"Your hand would need to be shaking less to shoot me," Alec said, rolling his eyes.  He stepped out of the door and looked around.  Small hallway, stairs leading down into the basement.  Likely some sort of industrial residence.  He sighed as the gun was pressed into his back.  
"Keep moving, smart ass.  We'll see if you can backtalk with a broken jaw."  
There didn't appear to be anyone else in the room.  Alec sighed and rolled his eyes, spinning around and disarming the other man in a quick second, sending him to the floor with a grunt.  He tucked the gun into his jeans and grabbed his holster and seraph blade from the table.  
"Angels, I've fought demons smarter than you," he mumbled, looking at the man groaning on the floor.  "Stay down before I have to knock you unconscious," he advised, padding silently towards the basement.  At least his Soundless rune was still active.  If he found a corner that he could glamour himself, then everything really would be perfect.  
~!~
"Simon, you have something to report?" Magnus asked, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.  "Also you'd better have that duffel bag."  
Simon waved a hand at Magnus, turning to look at the group.  "So we think something is going on, because the number of men at the base has doubled, and there's been a lot of activity."  
Luke's eyes sharpened.  "No gunshots or fighting?"  
Simon shook his head.  "Nope.  Nothing like that.  Just, more and more people showing up.  There's people leaving too, but not nearly as many.  It's weird."  
Magnus pressed a finger to his wedding ring, sending a pulse of power to it, relaxing when he felt the familiar pulse back from Alexander.  "Alec is still fine, and relatively healthy, kidnapping notwithstanding."  
Luke looked at him and Magnus gestured to the ring.  
"Right," Luke said.  "So what I'm hearing is that it sounds like something is going on, we don't know what, and Alec is completely fine?"  
"Yeah," Simon agreed.  "Something isn't adding up.  But this isn't Speed, and I don't think the guy in charge of these mobsters is all too bright considering who he picked a fight with."  
Luke sighed and rubbed a hand over his face.  "All right.  We have a few hours until the exchange.  Magnus?"  
Magnus waved a hand.  "I knock everyone unconscious, wipe their memories of me, and we go on our merry way, yes, you've described the plan multiple times, Luke."  
Luke nodded and smiled.  "We'll get him back, Magnus."  
Magnus hummed and tapped absently on his ring, smiling when he felt another pulse of happiness across the bond from Alexander.  It was odd that Alexander hadn't walked out of there yet.  Something else had to be going on.  
~!~
Magnus stood in the middle of the warehouse, sighing as he tapped his foot impatiently.  This was beyond ridiculous.  He should have portaled in to rescue Alexander hours ago.  Now Alec was going to be grumpy because he had probably slept in a horrible bed and his back would be sore and-
The sound of footsteps had his attention snapping across the warehouse.  Magnus narrowed his eyes, because there was at least one set of footsteps he knew, and many that he didn't.  When Alexander walked out in front of the mobsters, front and center, a proud grin on his face, Magnus started laughing. 
"Hey Magnus," Alec said.  "I was wondering if you were interested in a former criminal enterprise that's looking to go straight."  
Magnus raised both of his eyebrows and looked across all of the men that were standing behind his husband, looking at him with a mix of awe and fear.  "If you could actually ensure that they want to go straight, then yes, I could certainly find work for them."  
Alec gave an easy shrug.  "I think you'll find them very convinced.  They learned quick I wasn't your boytoy, and more than one of them is probably in need of medical attention.  All alive though, of course."  
"Alexander, did you fight your way to head of a criminal empire?  In a day?" Magnus asked, still snickering as he stared at his husband.  
"Wasn't hard," Alec said with another shrug.  He stepped in closer and stole a kiss from Magnus, smiling at him.  "Some of them are good guys who need another shot."  
"And the ones who aren't?" Magnus asked, raising both of his eyebrows.  
Alec looked over his shoulder.  "Gabriel."  
Gabriel stepped forward and held out a folder, clearing his throat.  "Here, sir."  
"Thanks," Alec said, holding up the folder.  "Everything Luke needs to put them away for a long time."  
Magnus snorted and shook his head.  "What business do you want them to go into?"  
"We uh," Gabriel cleared his throat and looked at the others.  "Alec had us draft several different business propositions to run by you, of course.  As well as formal apologies for you."  
Magnus' lips twitched again and he resisted the urge to burst out laughing.  Alec was still grinning at him, bright and proud.  "I can definitely look them over," he agreed.  
Alec looked over his shoulder at all of them.  "I expect you all to be waiting for the police to arrive with the others.  Luke Gremark will be the one coming to be in charge of the arrests.  You've all agreed to the deal we made, correct?"  
An echo of the affirmative had Alec nodding and he turned back to Magnus.  "Luke's good to go ahead and move on the location they had me.  Everyone here will surrender without issue, in return for a plea bargain deal that allows them to enter a rehabilitation center."  
"Which is really just a cover for the business enterprise that I'm going to be bankrolling?" Magnus asked, raising his eyebrows.  
"Several of our ideas would ensure that you'd be turning a profit within three years or less!" Gabriel piped up, cowering under the look from Magnus and Alec.  "Sorry sirs."  
Magnus' lips twitched and he nodded.  "I did wonder why you didn't escape in the first few hours."  
Alec shrugged.  "Their paperwork was a mess, and by the time I'd disarmed and knocked out everyone holding my hostage, all that was left were the folks doing paperwork and their boss."  
Magnus shook his head and pulled Alec down for another kiss.  "Ridiculous," he breathed, kissing Alec again.  
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Belated prompt fills?  Maybe so! 
84 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 3 years
Note
Hello, are you still taking prompts? If so, I saw this piece of beauty 😍
Tumblr media
WELL HOW CAN I RESIST A REQUEST LIKE THIS BECAUSE HOLY SHIT IT’S ADORABLE.  
Updated Authors Note: HI YES THIS PROMPT RAN THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME AND GOT WAY WAY WAY WAY LONGER THAN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.... 
WARNING (It’s in the tags too): Magnus is in an abusive relationship with Camille at the start of the fic, including verbal and one singular instance of physical (she slaps him).  
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Alec carefully unfolded his carrying case and was setting up his station as he listened to the shouting in the next room.  
"Again?  You have to attend another stupid kid's reward show tonight?!"  
"Camille, I told you about this a month ago.  We even put it in our calendars together, so you knew that we were going to celebrate our anniversary-"
"I don't care about some idiotic fucking reward show!  You should be attending the Oscars, not some-"
Alec closed his eyes as he listened to Camille continue on her tirade about how useless Magnus' appearance on some of the kid's programming he did was.  Of course, it had been groundbreaking in its own way, Magnus giving voice to an openly queer character who had had both a boyfriend and a girlfriend on the show.  
"Camille, I am going to this show," Magnus' voice hardened.  "Alexander is already here to help me get ready and-"
"Oh yes, your precious makeup artist that you simply can’t live without,” Camille scoffed, rolling her eyes.  "That man is a-"
"No," Magnus growled.  "You will not insult him.  We have plans for our anniversary this weekend, and I have plans tonight.  I'm sorry that you're disappointed, but that is what we're going to be doing."  
"So much for loving me!  If you loved me, you'd forget that award show and come out with me tonight!" Camille protested, her voice softening.  
Alec closed his eyes and flinched at the soft words.  Magnus loved Camille more than she deserved, and he saw it, every single day.  Everything that Magnus gave up for her to make her happy, to please her, and make sure she had what she needed.  
He lost himself in the steady motion of getting his things ready that he didn't hear the stomp of heels past his door until the front door slammed hard enough to rattle the lamp on the counter in front of him.  Alec looked up when the door opened and he caught sight of Magnus, wearing sweatpants and a simple white button-up.  
"You probably heard all of that," Magnus sighed, picking at the button up.  The last thing he wanted to be wearing now was this, but if he ruined Alexander's good work, that would make today even worse.  
Alec offered Magnus a brief smile and ushered him into the chair.  "Come on.  I'm early enough that if you want, I can even take care of shaving you."  
A small groan escaped Magnus.  "That sounds heavenly."  
Alec nodded and turned to pull out a separate set of tools, putting them to the side.  "Tell me about your outfit toni-"
"Why do you never ask, Alexander?" Magnus asked, closing his eyes as he sighed out, long and hard.  "No matter how loud we shout, or how much we fight, you never say a word about it."  
Alec swallowed and got one of the hot towels ready, putting it into the heater.  Magnus had made this into a perfect space for him over the years, and having everything he could ever want on hand beyond his kit was wonderful.  "It's not my place," he offered, keeping his voice low as Magnus sagged back in the chair, enjoying the hot towel with a groan.  
Magnus hummed and closed his eyes until Alec removed the towel.  "Alexander, how long have we been working together?"  
Alec glanced up at him.  "You know the answer to that."  When Magnus gave him a look he sighed and pulled out the razor and trimmer.  "Seven and a half years, give or take a few weeks."  
"You don't consider us friends, after all of that time?  After all of the award shows, appearances, ups, and fucking downs of my career, you still..." Magnus trailed off, his chest tightening uncomfortably.  
"Magnus," Alec said, putting down the two tools he'd picked up, waiting for Magnus to look at him.  He smiled.  "Of course I consider us friends.  You're one of my closest friends.  You were the first person I told when I found out Jace got engaged, and you were the first person I came out to, professionally."  
Magnus blinked, swallowing hard as Alexander stared him down.  "Oh," he whispered.  "I didn't... I didn't know that."  
"I don't comment on your relationship with Camille because it isn't my place to tell you what I think makes you happy," Alec continued, giving Magnus' forearm a squeeze.  "Do I hate that I have to hear you fight?  And do I hate that you both fight like that?  Of course.  I know how happy you are together, Magnus.  I want you to be happy."  
An unhappy laugh escaped Magnus' lips and he leaned back in the makeup chair.  "Am I happy, Alexander?  Am I happy with her?  I don't feel like it, these days."  
Alec's hands stilled and he cleared his throat.  "I think that you're both going through a rough patch and-"  
"She doesn't understand why it's so important I go tonight," Magnus breathed, closing his eyes as Alec stepped in close with the trimmer for his goatee, taking care of it in quick swipes over his skin, before moving up to his undercut with the razor, cutting in swirling patterns that he was so fond of.  "She doesn't understand why that role was, is so important."  
"I know she doesn't," Alec agreed.  "But you do, and since you're the one giving the speech, I think that's what is important."  
Magnus was quiet as Alec slowly styled his hair up into a faux hawk, putting in streaks of gold a few seconds later after consulting him about his outfit for the event tonight.  He closed his eyes and breathed out slowly, even as Alec finished with his hair and tilted his head up, starting to work on his makeup.  
"I think you understanding how important this is," Alec breathed, tracing eyeliner along Magnus' eyes, nodding in pleasure at how it turned out.  "Is the most important thing.  You know what this role means to kids, and hell, even to adults like you and I, to see something like that on television."  
"I want her to be able to see that," Magnus admitted.  "Because it feels like she's ignoring a piece of me that doesn't... fit into her imagined version of me.  And every time I bring it up, it's causing a fight."  
Alec hummed and started on the rest of Magnus' makeup, keeping it lighter than he usually would for an award show.  Gold, that would be the color to match.  He pulled out a particular palette he knew Magnus was a fan of and smiled at him.  "Have you talked to her about that?"  
Magnus scoffed and rolled his eyes.  "What, just approaching her and saying, 'Hey babe, I think you're a rampant biphobe, and as a bisexual, I really would appreciate it if you were less of a dick.' someday?"  
Alec's lips twitched and he snorted.  "Open," he ordered Magnus, watching as he blinked his eyes open.  He studied the eyeliner critically, but it looked even, and Magnus looked perfect as always.  He smiled.  "Close again."  
When Magnus obeyed the order without a word, Alec went back to work, applying the bronzer to his cheekbones, using the one that had extra glitter that Magnus loved.  He'd need the boost of confidence tonight.  "I think you should say something along those lines, but that might be a bit inflammatory."  
Magnus snorted and couldn't help smiling.  "Just a little," he agreed.  He leaned into the easy press of Alexander's hands as quiet descended between them, the faint music playing in the background letting them both relax.  
"For what it's worth," Alec said, putting the finishing spray on Magnus and hairspray into his hair.  "I'm proud of you, Magnus."  
Magnus blinked his eyes open, staring at Alec.  Their faces were too close together and his heart stutter-stepped at the soft admission.  He could see how much Alec meant it too, not looking away from him.  His mouth dropped open and he swayed in closer, and Alec's pupils were dilating and- 
"Magnus!"  
Alec jerked himself back as Camille's voice rang through the house, loud and clearly angry.  "You're all good to go.  Let me know if you want anything fixed?"  
Magnus barely glanced at the makeup Alec had done in the mirror before nodding.  "It looks incredible as always, Alexander."  He smiled faintly, wincing when he heard Camille shout for him again.  "I'll see you in the limo in a few hours?"  
"Indeed you will," Alec promised him, smiling, just a tiny quirk of the lips.  "Have to make sure you look your best for the kids, and that someone gets the potential slime out of your hair."  
Magnus grimaced.  "I know it's for the kids, but fuck I hate it."  
Alec laughed and started packing up his things quickly.  "I know you do.  But supposedly they changed the formula this year to make it a lot less painful to get out."  
"Thank god," Magnus breathed, sliding out of the seat.  "I'll go finish getting ready."  He winced as Camille's voice echoed across the house again and turned to the door with a sigh when he felt Alec's hand close around his wrist.  He turned around, raising his eyebrows.  
"You," Alec took a deep breath and met Magnus' eyes.  "Magnus, if you're not happy, and you need someone to remind you?  You deserve to be happy.  You deserve to have someone who supports you, in everything that you do, and everything that you are."  
Magnus froze, staring at Alexander, his heart pounding hard in his chest.  "Alexander..." 
"Just," Alec squeezed Magnus' hand, watching him.  "Just know that you deserve that, okay?  I need you to know that."  
"Okay," Magnus whispered, staring at Alec.  "I... okay."  
Alec nodded and gave Magnus' arm another slow squeeze before letting go and turning back to his equipment.  "I'll finish getting ready and see you at 4pm out front," he promised.  
Magnus stared at Alexander's back, his mouth dry, wanting to reach out and get whatever that moment had been... back, somehow.  He needed it.  He licked his lips and bit down a growl of frustration when Camille's heels sounded in the hallway.  He stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him, turning to face her, Alexander's words ringing in his ears.  
~!~ 
Alec carefully brushed the lint off his jacket, squirming in it before double-checking that he had everything he needed in his makeup bag behind him.  He was very, very pointedly ignoring the outright shouting match Camille and Magnus were having in the hallway a few feet away from him.  
"Why can't you do this one thing for me?!" Camille shouted.  "You always put your career first, Magnus!"  
Magnus widened his eyes and stared at her.  "I, what are you talking about?  We've both had moments where we need to put our careers first, that's the industry, that's how it fucking-" 
The sound of a slap echoing through the house had Alec's attention instantly back to Magnus and Camille.  Magnus' head was snapped to the side and he was frozen, while Camille stared at him, her chest heaving, her face reddening.  When she raised her hand, clearly ready to strike again, Alec reached out and grabbed her wrist, halting the motion and yanking her back and away from Magnus.  
"Let go of me you brute!" Camille shouted.  "Magnus, call your guard dog off me, you fucking-"
"That is enough," Alec snarled, his voice low and vicious.  "You have done enough.  Get the hell out and cool down, and if he wants to let you anywhere near him again, it will be his choice!"  
He pulled and borderline dragged Camille to the door, tugging her out of it, resisting her urges to struggle.  He looked to Jace, glad that his brother was driving the limo to the award show.  "Jace, call for another limo.  Take Camille wherever the hell she wants to go, but do not bring her back here.  On Magnus' orders."  
"Magnus said no such thing!" Camille shouted, yanking her wrist away from him.  "Let me back in, this is my home!"  
"And I just witnessed you commit domestic abuse," Alec growled.  "Be glad I'm putting you in a limo and not calling the cops, Camille.  Now get the hell away from here."  He glared at her until she stalked to the limo and threw herself in the back.  
Alec relaxed when Jace slipped into the limo and drove off.  He took a deep breath.  Another limo would take at least twenty minutes to get here, which meant that he had twenty minutes to make sure that Magnus was okay.  He turned and stepped back into the house, shutting the door behind him.  
Magnus was still standing in the hallway, frozen, but as Alec stepped closer, he could see the tears that were falling slowly down Magnus' cheeks in steady streams.  Alec moved in front of him, but didn't reach out to touch him, hoping that he wouldn't be too spooked.  
"Magnus," Alec called, meeting Magnus' eyes when they turned to him, tear-filled and hurt.  "She's gone.  I kicked her out.  Jace is taking her wherever she wants to go.  She won't come back until you say so."  
Magnus blinked slowly, lifting his fingers to press against the side of his cheek that was still stinging from the force of the hit Camille had given him.  "She hit me," he whispered, staring at Alexander.  "I... she hit me," he repeated, his head swimming.  
"She did," Alec agreed, taking another slow step forward.  "Can you let me see so I can make sure that you're all right?"  
Magnus swallowed and stared at Alec, lowering his hand, even as Alec stepped in closer.  He closed his eyes and tried not to flinch when Alec's fingers were pressed against his cheek too.  "Why did she hit me...?"
Alec blew out a hard breath, glad that there was at least nothing broken, before he turned to meet Magnus' eyes.  "I don't know," he admitted.  "I don't know why she would do something like that, or how one person could do that to another."  
Magnus blinked slowly and sniffled, giving himself a small shake, realizing he was crying.  "Oh fuck, I'm crying, I'm ruining-"
"Hey," Alec interrupted, taking both Magnus' hands in his to prevent him from rubbing his face.  "It's okay.  You know I'm a miracle worker, I'll have you looking perfect by the time we get to the ceremony."  
Magnus gave Alexander a watery smile, sniffling again.  "I don't know what I did to deserve you in my life, Alexander Lightwood."  
"You decided to get in a makeup-off with a professional makeup artist, remember?  And lost, so you had to hire me for a year?"  Alec teased, the familiar story enough to have Magnus smiling.  He grabbed a tissue from his kit and offered it to Magnus so he could blow his nose.  
Magnus sighed and sagged back against the wall after he finished blowing his nose, staring at the ceiling.  What the hell was he supposed to do now?  
"Magnus?" Alec asked.  He could almost see the weight settling around Magnus' shoulders, the way he was tensing up over the seconds.  "Are you going to press charges against her?" he asked.  
Magnus scoffed and rolled his eyes.  "Who'd believe that?  I'm almost a foot taller than her, outweigh her by-"
"You have a witness," Alec said, looking at him.  "I'm sure she's spitting all level of vitriol at Jace, too, and he'll be recording all of it, considering I made a point to say that I witnessed her abusing you."  
"She wasn't-" Magnus froze under the weight of Alec's eyes and blew out a hard breath.  "Even then, it's not worth it.  Can you imagine tonight's ceremony getting tarnished by that."  
Alec smiled faintly.  "Only you would think of it in those terms, but yes, that is very true.  What would you like to do instead?"  
Magnus blew out a hard breath, starting to shake.  "I want her out of my life," he said, his voice hardening.  "I, fuck.  You were right, Alexander.  I deserve someone so much better, and I want her gone."  
"Okay," Alec said, his voice soothing.  "That sounds like a great idea.  Let's get you to the ceremony tonight, and I'll call Jace, and Izzy, and between them, Clary, and Simon, we'll have all of her stuff cleared out by tonight."  
Magnus could feel his hands shaking, and more tears threatening.  "I tried," he whispered, forcing himself to take a deep breath, but it didn't feel like there was enough air in the room.  "I tried so hard, Alexander.  I just wanted to be happy, I wanted her to love me, and-"
Alec stepped in close, wrapping an arm around Magnus' waist, pulling him in.  "Come here," he coaxed, getting the other man into a tight hug.  He felt Magnus' face burrow into his neck before he was crying again, this time harder.  "You deserve all of the love in the world, Magnus Bane.  All of it.  She was the one who didn't deserve you, and a day will come, someday, where you will be loved like you deserve."  
A hiccuped sob escaped Magnus, and he knew he was making a mess of Alexander's perfect work, and ruining the suit that he was wearing to boot, but the last place that he wanted to move was out of Alexander's arms.  He breathed out slowly, glad when Alec didn't let go.  
"It's okay," Alec whispered, reaching up to rub Magnus' back, slow, soothing circles.  "It's okay, Magnus, I'm here, I've got you.  It's going to be okay.  No matter what, I promise it's going to be okay."  
Magnus laughed wetly against Alexander's skin.  "Why is it when you say that, I actually believe you, Alexander?"  He pulled himself back blinking hard to look at his makeup artist.  
Alec smiled and leaned in, kissing Magnus' forehead.  "Because it's true, and you know it.  You've got me in your corner, always, and I have it on reliable authority, I am a damn good person to have in your corner."  
When Alec pulled out the makeup wipes and began wiping away the evidence of his tears, Magnus melted into the touch, his eyes closing.  "You are, Alexander," he agreed after several long minutes.  "You are the best person to have in my corner, and I'm so, so grateful you're there."  
"I'll be here as long as you want me," Alec promised, looking down at Magnus. 
"Alexander," Magnus said, taking a deep breath.  "If there is one thing I am certain about for my future is that I cannot picture my life without you in it."  He opened his eyes to look up at Alec and saw something flash in his eyes.  He smiled and leaned in, pressing his face to Alec's jacket again.  
"I need to do your makeup," Alec said quietly, even as Magnus stayed pressed in close to him.
Magnus blew out a hard breath and didn't move, relaxing further when Alec's arms came around him again and hugged him close.  "I need this more," he admitted.  "Just for a few more minutes, and then we can get your spare jacket from my closet, and you can do a light face of makeup on me with some fabulous eyeliner and all will be well."  
Alec kissed the top of Magnus' head, carefully avoiding the styled strands of hair.  "That, Magnus, is exactly what is going to happen," he promised.  When Magnus held him a little tighter at the admission, well.  Hopefully, he didn't notice the way that his heart jumped in joy.  
~!~
It took more texting than he wanted to get caught doing at an award show, but Alec had never loved his siblings more than he did at the moment when they informed him that all of Camille's things had been removed from the house.  Jace had even contacted the hotel she was staying at to have her asked where she wanted them delivered.  Alec sagged in relief and smiled, especially as Magnus walked out on stage, grinning bright at the crowd that cheered for him. 
If Camille never understood how important this was to Magnus, then she had never understood who Magnus was and how amazing of a person he was.  Alec watched as Magnus eyed the slime canon, making everyone laugh.  
(It was made even better when he was snuck up behind and slime dumped on him the good old fashioned way, making him groan good-naturedly, even as he picked at his clothes.)
Once he was finished giving his award, and receiving another in turn - and Alec was going to hold the grin Magnus had given at the announcement of winning an award for LGBTQ representation close to his heart for a long time, but not as much as the speech he decided to give.  
"You know," Magnus started, clearing his throat as he looked down at it.  "When I accepted this role, I did it for two people.  I did it for myself, because when I was a kid, especially as a kid who had just figured out they were bi, I would have loved to see a character like this in some of the shows I watched."  
A quick smattering of applause and Alec swallowed hard, watching as Magnus held up a hand before continuing.  
"The second person I did it for, I won't name.  But he'd recently come out to me, at great personal risk and..." Magnus reached up and wiped a tear away, smiling faintly.  "And this is a person who I care a great deal about.  I wanted him to be proud of me, of the work I was doing, and this is something I know he is proud of me for."  
Alec's heart jumped into his mouth and he stared at Magnus in shock, his heart pounding too loud, and too hard.  Because, because Magnus had to be talking about him, right?  He'd, he'd come out to Magnus the week before he'd accepted the role and now...
"It's an honor to receive this award, and I hope there are dozens more characters out there like this one, who other actors can play, to give a true feel for the representation out there," Magnus said, grinning faintly.  "And I hope that you all know what it has meant to me to not only be a part of this show, but this community, the fans, all of it has been incredible to be a part of."  
Magnus lifted up the award and grinned at the camera.  "Here's to hopefully a dozen more seasons.  Thanks, everyone!"  
Alec wiped away a tear from his face, glad that there were no cameras on him, even as Magnus left the stage to thunderous applause.  Magnus was heading straight for him, and Alec could already see the drying goo that he was going to have to peel off of him, and gave him a watery smile.  "Magnus, you sap," he accused.  
Magnus grinned, bright and wide, as Alec brought him to one of the makeup rooms.  "I hope you didn't mind me admitting that to everyone?"  
Alec shook his head and got to work, helping Magnus into his spare tux, before sitting him down and combing the slime out of his hair.  "Of course I didn't mind.  It wasn't like you said my name straight out.  Not that I would have minded if you did.  Benefits of owning my own business and being employed by the man giving the speech, I didn't have much to lose if you did out me."  
Magnus relaxed and tilted his face into Alexander's hands as the rest of the slime was wiped away from him.  "I know, but that's a decision you get to make, not me.  I just, I wanted you to know that I did take that role for you, for the both of us."  
Alec swallowed.  "You know I'm proud of you for so much more than just that role, right?"  
Magnus blinked his eyes open and looked at Alec.  "Huh?"  
Turning his attention to pick out the last of the pieces of slime from Magnus' face and hair, Alec tried to find the words that he wanted to use for Magnus.  "Magnus, you're amazing," Alec breathed.  "Not, not only this role, but being open about being bisexual, all of the work you've done with LGBTQ centers and awareness..." he shook his head.  "You've done so much more than merely lend a voice to a cartoon."  
Magnus swallowed hard and closed his eyes, the reminder making him flush.  "Thank you," he said quietly.  He wanted to say more, wanted to admit that especially early on, he'd done it because of Alexander.  Because Alec had pushed him to use his platform not just for his own benefit, but for that of the kids who would truly benefit.  Because he'd wanted Alec to see him as more than another spoiled, rich actor who didn't try to do good in the world.  
"You don't have to thank me,” Alec said, shaking his head as he laughed.  "Magnus those are all things that you've done.  I'm just, the guy who has nagged you into them over the years!"  
"Right," Magnus said, looking up at Alec.  "But I wouldn't have done some of them if it weren't for your nagging.  I wouldn't have known how much people needed me to step forward and show them how.  I wouldn't have known how much people needed a voice to follow."  
Alec swallowed hard, staring at Magnus.  "I, Magnus, I'm not-" 
"Alexander," Magnus interrupted, shaking his head, holding out the award to Alec.  "I want you to understand something.  This award is as much yours as it is mine, because I'm not entirely certain that I could have won it if it weren't for you constantly pushing me to be better over the years."  
"I," Alec swallowed and turned to the makeup on the desk, blinking hard, trying to force the tears back.  "You just trying to make me cry because you were crying earlier," he accused, but without any heat to it.  He turned to look at Magnus and couldn't help smiling.  "Magnus what am I going to do with you?"  
Magnus laughed and leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes as Alec stepped forward to begin with his makeup routine.  "Tonight?  Come home with me and drink."  
Alec's lips quirked.  "I might already have a plan of sorts in motion if you didn't want to attend any after parties this evening."  
Magnus' eyes snapped open and he narrowed them.  "You do?"  
Alec nodded and grinned at him.  "I think you'll like it, too."  
"All right then," Magnus huffed when it was clear that Alexander wasn't going to say anything further.  "I guess we'll see when I get home, hm?"  
"Indeed you will," Alec promised, grinning at him.  He was quick about getting Magnus back out and to his seat, freshly made up, and watched him go, melting among the crowd easily.  He took a deep breath and hoped that he wasn't making a mistake.  
~!~ 
Magnus had never been more glad to have an award ceremony over.  Alec had already promised him that they were going straight home, nowhere public, nowhere Camille could show up to cause more havoc.  And as sad as it would be not to attend one of the parties he really enjoyed, it would be nice to take an evening away from the cameras that had been on him all afternoon.  
Magnus blinked in surprise when he stepped out of the limo and there were piles of boxes on his porch.  He looked to Alec and raised an eyebrow.  "Alexander, what's this?"  
"Those are Camille's things.  Jace will be taking them to wherever she directs as soon as she's told him where.  He's been in touch with her," Alec said, lifting his chin.  "I'd already talked to Catarina and had her number blocked from your phone in case she tried to contact you."  
Magnus blinked again, this time slower, his eyes moving from the boxes to Alexander, who was still looking at him, something uncomfortable in the hunch of his shoulders.  "You, already cleaned out her things?"  
Alec nodded.  "I'm hoping that wasn't too presumptuous.  Obviously, if you want to call her, you can do it from the house phone, or Jace's phone, but I think you should keep her number blocked for-" 
Magnus took two steps forward and dove into Alec's arms, burying his face against Alec's neck for the second time that evening, hugging him as tight as he possibly could.  Alec's arms were around him a second later and Magnus melted into the hug, a small noise escaping.  
"Magnus?" Alec asked, even as he maneuvered them so they wouldn't be seen by any paparazzi potentially hanging around, safely hidden in the shade of the porch.  "Are you all right?"  
"I am..." Magnus began, before huffing out a laugh.  "Alexander, I am absolutely resplendent.  I don't know how you have done it, but you have.  I have been worried about having to confront her all evening long, especially when she decided to come back, and you have just gone ahead and solved that problem for me!  
Alec grinned sheepishly.  "I wanted to make sure you didn't need to deal with it again if you didn't have to."  He gave Magnus another hug.  "That's the last thing that you needed tonight."  
"You know," Magnus admitted.  "I knew that you were magic when it came to eyeliner and makeup, Alexander, but apparently you are more magical than I ever could have thought."  
Alec gave Magnus a squeeze and released him slowly.  "I have one more small surprise in store, and if you don't feel up for it, that's totally fine."  
Magnus raised both his eyebrows.  "If that surprise involves food, it is much more likely to have my approval."  
Alec laughed.  "Yes.  Simon, Jace, Clary, and Izzy are here, complete with pizzas, your favorite wines, and pajamas.  We're going to hole up in your theatre room with all of them until we fall asleep, drunk, and absolutely stuffed on pizza."  
Magnus took a deep, shaky breath.  "Alexander.  That sounds like heaven."  
Alec gave Magnus a tentative smile and nodded, reaching down to take Magnus' hand, squeezing it.  "Well, then let's go get your proper celebration evening started."  
Magnus led the way into the house, making a quick detour to the bedroom so he and Alexander could change, and then burst into the theatre room.  "Sherman, if you have eaten all of the cheesy bread, it will mean war!"  
Alec watched as all of his siblings started to laugh and Simon panicked, diving for the boxes of pizza before Magnus could get there.  He leaned against the frame of the door as Magnus accepted all of their congratulations and then crawled into the blanket pile with them.  His heart twisted and he reminded himself that for all they had made Magnus a part of their family, he wanted more.  
"Alexander, get over here and make him share the cheesy bread!"  
Alec huffed and joined the group, ignoring the knowing look from Izzy, coming to Magnus' rescue easily enough before snuggling up with him, tucking blankets around them as they settled in to watch movies.  It didn't take long for Magnus to be snoring quietly against him, and Alec carefully moved the glass of wine to the side, rubbing Magnus' back.  
"Alec," Jace said, his voice softening.  "You need to tell him."  
Alec looked at Jace and shook his head, even as his chest twisted hard when Magnus snuggled even closer to him.  "You know why I can't," he whispered.  
Izzy looked at him.  "Alec." 
Alec flushed under the frank look from her and tightened his arm around Magnus, keeping him securely in place.  "You're both seeing something that isn't there.  I'm his friend, one of his closest.  He said as much."  
They both made disbelieving noises, but turned away from him readily enough and Alec relaxed, breathing out hard.  The last thing that he needed was the two of them deciding that they needed to play matchmaker.  Especially when Magnus shifted to wrap an arm around his waist, the full length of his body plastered up against his.  
Especially then.  
~!~ 
Magnus woke up to a pounding headache, and the sight of his award from the night before on the shelf by the door.  He smiled and sagged back against the warm pillow he was cuddled up to.  A soft snore in his ear made him snap to attention and his eyes widened as he tilted his head back and realized that he was sprawled more than halfway over Alexander, who was sleeping, leaning back against the theatre chairs.  
A quick survey of the room showed that most of it had been cleaned up, and he could see a note sitting under the TV.  Magnus breathed out hard and looked up at Alec.  He looked so calm, and so relaxed like this.  All he wanted was to stay curled right here for as long as he could.  
Magnus settled back in and blew out a slow breath.  He could read too much into this when he woke up again and they were both awake.  He wasn’t going to do it now.  Not when he was being held so gently and so carefully and Alexander was snoring quietly next to him.  
When Magnus woke up again, it was because someone was shaking his shoulder and he groaned, burying his face in Alec’s chest again.  
“While I do know you are the world’s worst morning person, my alarm just went off, which means we need to have you ready to go to your post awards interview in about two hours,” Alec said, keeping his voice soft.  
Magnus sighed and buried his face in the soft t-shirt of his that Alec was wearing.  “Do I have to go?”  
“Yes you have to go,” Catarina snapped from the doorway.  “And you’re lucky you gave me my own key years ago, Magnus, or I would be beating down your door.”  
Magnus groaned and pushed himself upright, glaring at Catarina, even as Alexander took the moment to scamper out of the room, likely to go shower quickly himself.  He turned guilty eyes back to Catarina.  “We weren’t doing anything,” he protested.  
Catarina sighed and stepped into the room, shutting the door behind her.  "Magnus, you're dating Camille.  This isn't fair to Alec."  
Magnus swallowed and looked down at the blankets.  "I broke up with Camille yesterday."  He tightened his fingers in the blankets.  "She's never coming back."  
"Tell me everything," Catarina demanded, sitting down next to him.  "Come on.  Then we need to get you tv-ready."  
Magnus took a deep breath and started to explain.  By the time he was pulling on his button-up to go sit in Alexander's makeup chair, the last thing he wanted to do was go parade around on a stage.  
"Come on," Alec coaxed.  "Time to put on the tiger stripes so you can go remind everyone of how magnificent you are."  
Magnus barely managed a smile as Alec got him ready, glad when Alexander seemed to understand he didn't want to talk after everything that had happened the day before.  He sagged into the soft touches on his cheeks and tried to breathe out slowly.  Catarina was right about one thing.  He did need to talk to Alec.  
"There you go," Alec said, putting the finishing touches on Magnus' makeup, smiling at him.  He lifted up the mirror.  "Nice and subtle with your stripes for the day."  
Magnus sighed in relief and gave Alec a grin.  He wasn't sure that he could have pulled off anything dramatic today.  It was nice not to have to worry about it.  He stood up out of the chair and stretched.  "You coming to the studio?"  
"If you want me to," Alec said, turning to pack up his things.  "I don't think you're going to muss yourself too easily between here and there if you want some privacy."  
"Honestly," Magnus said, blowing out a hard breath.  "The last thing I want is to be alone with my thoughts."  When Alec looked at him, his eyes understanding, Magnus tried to smile at him.  "So if you could tag along, Alexander, I would be very grateful."  
Alec nodded and finished packing up his travel bag.  "Of course, Magnus."  He got the rest of his things sorted.  "You finish getting ready, I'll get breakfast for us."  
"Thank you," Magnus breathed, giving Alec's arm a squeeze before he turned to leave the room.  He headed back to his bedroom where Catarina was waiting with the outfit laid out on the bed.  
"A month," Catarina announced, once he'd shut the door.  
Magnus blinked at her, frowning in confusion.  "What?"  
"Fire him, in a month," Catarina said, studying his closet shoe rack, before selecting a pair and putting it beside his outfit.  
Magnus' eyes widened.  "Catarina, I'm not going to fire him!"  
Catarina raised both of her eyebrows.  "You are absolutely going to fire him if you're going to date him.  Dating one of your employees is instant career suicides, Magnus, you know that."  
Magnus snapped his mouth shut, staring at her.  "I..."
"Just hire Isabelle," Catarina said with a shrug.  "Whether Alec is the one who does your makeup or not, hell if I care, but if you want to keep them on the payroll, you're hiring Isabelle, not Alec."  
"Catarina, you don't even know that Alec would want to date me," Magnus protested, even as he pulled on his clothes, getting dressed quickly and easily.  
Catarina snorted.  "Magnus.  The two of you are fucking oblivious and have been for years.  Literally years.  There are at least three betting pools I'm in."  
Magnus blinked and stared at her.  "What?"  
A laugh escaped her at the shock on her best friend's face.  "Magnus Bane, you absolute idiot.  You didn't know?  That boy looks at you like you hung the moon and stars for him."  
Magnus swallowed and flushed, looking down at the clothes.  He'd known that Alec was attracted to him, a long time ago, when they'd first started working together, but...
"Magnus," Catarina said.  "Give it a month.  Let everything with Camille settle.  Let the two of you find your routine again.  If you still want something more?  Talk to him then."  
"Okay," Magnus said, breathing out slowly, his heart aching.  Fuck, all he wanted was to race into Alec's arms and to beg to know that if he felt the same way.  But Catarina was right.  Alexander deserved to be more than a rebound.  He deserved the world.  
"Good man," Catarina said, holding out his jacket.  "Now come on.  Time to get you to an interview.  I've cleared out some of your schedule for the next few days, so you can get some rest and take the time to yourself."  
Magnus nodded gratefully to her and squared his shoulders, turning to face the door.  Alec was waiting in the front room, wearing the usual worn sweater and jeans.  Considering he refused to wear a single smidge of makeup himself, you would never know that Alec was one of the most talented makeup artists in Hollywood.  
"Ready to go?" Alec asked, smiling at Catarina, but looking at Magnus.  Some of the tension was gone from his shoulders and it looked like Magnus was smiling easier.  
"Yes, indeed we are, Alexander.  For sadly, interviews wait for no man," Magnus said, leading the way to the door.  
~!~
It had been six weeks, four days, and a tremendously irritating nine hours since Magnus had had his conversation with Catarina.  He'd had every intention of confronting Alexander the second that a month was passed, but Alec had reminded him of the yearly Lightwood sibling hiking trip, and that he would be gone for two weeks.  
Magnus had wanted to rage against the world in frustration.  Because he was more certain of it than he had ever been in his entire life.  He wanted to be dating Alec Lightwood.  He wanted to wake up curled up with him every single morning and go to bed listening to those delightful snores every single night.  He wanted to kiss Alec, he wanted to fall even more in love with Alec than he already was.  
He flopped dramatically down to the couch and groaned.  At least he didn't have any appearances today and all he had to do was review the next episode's script for his favorite role.  Magnus closed his eyes and ignored the scoff that Ragnor gave, coming in from the kitchen.  
"Pouting dramatically doesn't look good on you," Ragnor said.  
"Excuse you, everything looks good on me," Magnus shot back, glaring at him.  "I have that on very good authority."  
"Alec Lightwood is more than a little biased when it comes to you.  Now stop pouting and go shower, you know they're coming back tonight and you'll see him in the morning," Ragnor said, settling on the couch.  
Magnus sighed and stared at the ceiling.  That was the worst part.  Alec was going to be home shortly, if he wasn't already home.  He was just going to spend the night at his house, because he didn't have any events to be ready for tonight, and Alec deserved to get another night off.  
"Magnus," Ragnor growled, glaring at him over his script.  "Go.  Shower.  For god's sake, stop thinking about your makeup artist for more than two seconds." 
"Not possible," Magnus breathed, closing his eyes.  He'd spent more than a little time fantasizing about Alec the past few weeks, and damn if he wasn't eager to get his hands on the real thing.  When Ragnor threw a coaster at him, he pushed himself up with a huff, heading for the bathroom.  "All right, I'm going, I'm going," he grumbled.  
He took his time showering, stepping under the hot spray, entertaining a fantasy of Alec showing up at his front door to sweep him off his feet to kiss him, before he finished and slipped into clean loungewear, heading back to the living room. 
"Look at that, you look almost human again," Ragnor teased, flipping a page in the script.  "Now come on.  Read through the next episode.  It'll keep you distracted long enough for me to be able to use dinner as an excuse to get you out of the house this evening."  
Magnus looked at the door with a forlorn sigh, checking his phone.  But there were no new texts from Alexander and he knew that it was likely they were driving back.  He settled down on the couch and picked up his script and his highlighter, working side by side with Ragnor as he got through the episode.  When he caught Ragnor looking at him, he huffed.  "What is it?  Come on.  You've been staring."  
Ragnor turned to look at him with a hum.  "You're sure about him?  Alec?"  
Magnus looked back down at the script, the words swimming in front of him.  "Seven years he's worked for me, Ragnor.  He's never pushed, he's only ever offered what I needed.  I have no doubt that he'll have wants and needs from me, of course, but I know who Alexander is, Ragnor."  
Ragnor grunted and turned back to his script.  "I certainly like him more than that she-bitch.  Who I still say you should have pressed charges on, especially after the ruckus she made in the tabloids."  
Magnus shrugged.  "Wasn't worth it.  As much as I would have loved to, I wasn't in a place where I could.  If anything happens, you can believe I'll be pressing charges."  
"Thank fuck you didn't marry her," Ragnor muttered.  
"Agreed," Magnus breathed, closing his eyes.  He couldn't imagine how messy a divorce could have been, considering how difficult their breakup had been.  He relaxed back into the couch and smiled as he looked at the script.  "I might marry him, though."  
Ragnor looked up at Magnus, his eyes widening.  "What?"  
"Yeah," Magnus said, unable to keep a small laugh in.  "Won't be right away, obviously.  Least a couple of years.  But.  I'm going to put a ring on that."  
Ragnor snorted and rolled his eyes.  "About time," he muttered, turning his attention to the script, right as the doorbell rang.  He looked up and frowned at Magnus.  "Are you expecting company?"  
"No," Magnus said, standing up.  "But it's entirely possible that Catarina decided to stop over to give me the same speech that you're giving me right now!"  He put his script down and headed over to the front door.  "Busybodies, the both of you!" he added, listening to Ragnor laugh.  
Opening the front door had him freezing in his tracks, because there was Alexander, his cheeks flushed, clearly fresh from a shower by the way his hair was still damp and curling against his ears.  "Alexander?"  
"Magnus," Alec breathed, relief seeping into his whole body at the sight of a comfortable Magnus, wearing sweatpants and a shirt, not a single bit of makeup on him outside of eyeliner.  "Hi."  
Magnus blinked, staring at Alec, his fantasy from the shower abruptly resurfacing before he shook it away in a determined shake of his head, holding the door open.  "Hello yourself.  Are you all right?  How was your trip?"  
Alec waved both questions away.  "Trip was wonderful, will show you all the pictures, and I'm fine, but I decided something while I was on the trip, and I need to talk to you about it, now."  
Magnus blinked again, especially with the determination that he could see shining in Alec's eyes.  It made them look so bright and fucking beautiful.  "All right.  What might that be?"  
Alec took a deep breath, his shoulders lifting before he exhaled.  "I need to quit."  
Magnus blanched, his eyes widening.  "Quit?  What?  Why?!  Is something wrong?"  
Alec reached out and took Magnus' hands in his, staring at Magnus, smiling.  "Because I have spent the last two weeks missing you so much that I had to do this the second I got back."  
"So your solution is to quit?" Magnus asked, panic seeping into his voice.  "Alexander, if something is wrong, you know I'll help, I'll be willing to-"
"Magnus," Alec interrupted, his voice almost a growl.  He squeezed Magnus' hands.  "I've missed you," he repeated, his voice softer.  "All I could think about while I was gone was you, and I wished that you had come with us."  He took a deep breath and met Magnus' eyes.  "In fact, I want to go ahead and schedule you to come along next year."  
Magnus wrinkled his nose in confusion, staring at Alexander.  "Alec, you've told me years that the Lightwood Sibling vacation is only for you and your siblings and-"
"And..." Alec trailed off meaningfully, looking at Magnus, watching his eyes widen.  "And their significant others."  He squeezed Magnus' hands again.  "I need to quit working for you, because I want to ask you on a date, Magnus.  I want..." he shook his head and exhaled.  "I want to be the one to give you everything I told you you deserve.  I want to love you the way you should be loved, because you're amazing and you deserve nothing less."  
A strangled noise escaped Magnus' throat as he stared up at Alec before a slightly hysterical laugh burst out of him and he pitched forward, sinking into Alec's arms.  
"Magnus?" Alec asked, his voice softening, carefully rubbing at his back.  "I'm, I'm sorry, I just couldn't wait for another second-"
Magnus pressed a finger to Alec's lips, pushing himself upright so he could meet Alexander's eyes.  He smiled at him and blinked hard, blowing out a breath.  "I planned on firing you tomorrow morning," he admitted, watching Alec's eyes widen.  "Well, less firing you, and more saying that I need to hire Isabelle instead because I refuse to ask one of my employees on a date."  
Alec's eyes widened.  "Date?" he whispered against Magnus' finger.  
"Yes," Magnus agreed, pulling his hand away, starting to laugh as he leaned against Alec again.  "I'm going to ask you on a date, you ridiculous bastard.  And then I was going to properly seduce you, because I want to fall asleep in your arms again and listen to those stupid snores of yours-" 
"I don't snore!" Alec protested.  
"-and then this time I want to wake up with you," Magnus continued, smiling.  "I want the person who gives the best hugs in the entire world to give me hugs every single day."  
Alec blinked and tightened his arms around Magnus.  Magnus did always say how much he liked his hugs.  He smiled into his hair.  "You were really going to fire me tomorrow morning so you could ask me on a date?"  
"Yes," Ragnor said, leaning in the hallway.  "He was.  And he was moping about it.  Has been moping since you left.  He's really quite helpless without you."  
Magnus turned to glare at his best friend.  "Ragnor!"  
Ragnor raised an eyebrow.  "How long have you been waiting?" 
Magnus snapped his mouth shut and turned to bury his face against Alexander again, sighing happily when he was hugged tighter.  
"He can say it down to the hour," Ragnor told Alec, watching his eyes widen.  "Now for god's sake, go cuddle him so I can trust him to actually get some work done tomorrow, and tell your sister we'll increase the amount we're paying whoever is doing Magnus' makeup by twenty percent."  
Magnus frowned at Ragnor.  "What?  Why?"  
Ragnor gave him a look.  "Because, your soon to be boyfriend is going to either do it himself and we're going to pretend his sister is doing it, or they're going to have to put up with his glower.  That's worth at least twenty percent."  
Magnus felt Alec stiffen in indignation and burst into giggles, because Ragnor was right.  He wrapped his arms around Alec's waist and started to tug him away from the doorframe.  "Come on," he coaxed.  
"I am not that grumpy," Alec protested, huffing as he looked down at Magnus, even when Magnus gave him a skeptical look.  "I'm not!"  
"You are," Magnus said, rolling his eyes.  "But that's okay, because we all love it.  Me especially."  
Alec narrowed his eyes at Magnus and scowled.  "Right," he muttered, glaring at Magnus again.  
"Bye Ragnor," Magnus called, glad when he shut the door behind him, and then he and Alexander were alone in his house.  A shiver ran up his spine when their eyes met.  
"Magnus?" Alec whispered, reaching up to cup his chin in his palm.  "I've..." he swallowed and met Magnus' eyes again, watching them glow in the faint light of the house.  "I've been in love with you for years."  
Magnus let out a shaky breath and stared up at Alec, managing another smile.  "Alexander Lightwood, I don't think I've ever felt as much for someone as I do for you."  He wrapped his arms around Alec's shoulders.  "I think I've just been waiting for you to remind me of what being in love with someone really feels like."  
Alec's face lit up at the quiet admission and Magnus couldn't help grinning back at him, tangling his fingers in the back of Alec's hair, tugging him closer.  "Now, one more thing that we need to sort out."  
"What's that?" Alec asked, raising both of his eyebrows at Magnus.  
"I," Magnus breathed, looking at Alec with a smile.  "Have dreamed of you kissing me for weeks, Alexander.  Ever since awards night."  
Alec's breath caught and he stared at Magnus, dropping his eyes to Magnus' lips before lifting them to his eyes again.  "You have?"  
Magnus nodded.  "I have," he agreed, licking his lips.  "So if you please, Alexander?"  
Alec groaned and tightened his fingers around Magnus' waist, pulling him into a kiss, pressing Magnus up against the wall in the hallway, kissing him hard enough until they were both panting when they broke apart.  He leaned their foreheads together, exhaling against Magnus' lips.  "Fuck I love you," he whispered, licking his lips.  "And if you think I'm going to let anyone else do your makeup now-”
Magnus laughed and pulled Alexander into another kiss, nipping at his lower lip until Alec groaned into his mouth, shivering when Alec's hands started to slide up and under his shirt.  "Argue about that tomorrow," he breathed.  "I'd much rather see you without all your clothes on right now."  
Alec pulled back enough to look at Magnus, his lips kiss-swollen and his eyes bright.  "That's, that's okay?  It's not too fast?"  
"Alexander, I've known you for over seven years," Magnus growled.  "Getting you to the bedroom might take too long."  
Alec laughed and took Magnus' hand, tugging him towards the bedroom.  "We'll save the adventurous stuff for tomorrow.  Right now I just want you spread out on your sheets."  
Magnus groaned, nearly stumbling as Alec tugged him along.  "Right," he breathed, glad when Alec shut the door to his bedroom behind him.  Now they were alone, and there was no one going to interrupt them.  He grinned, especially as Alec started to blush.  "Where'd all that bravado go?"  
Alec swallowed and took a deep breath.  "I, uh.  Haven't done this before.  So if I'm not very good, I promise I just need to learn."  
Magnus paused, blinking at Alec, at the way his shoulders were tense.  He grinned and wrapped his arms around Alec's shoulders, pressing his whole body up against Alexander.  "Well," he whispered against Alec's lips, smirking up at him.  "Alexander.  I guess you'll just have to practice on me, won't you?"  
Alec flushed and bit down on his lip.  "If, if you tell me-" 
"Alexander," Magnus growled, surging up to suck Alec's lower lip into his mouth, tugging with his teeth until Alec moaned.  "I can't wait to have you practice with me."  He shimmied out of his sweatpants and shirt before climbing onto his bed without a stitch of clothing on him.  He grinned at Alec's blatant staring.  "Now come here," Magnus growled.  
Alec nearly fell onto the bed in his eagerness. 
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
It’s a filling-old-prompts kinda day! 
81 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 3 years
Note
Birthday prompt - h/c where Alec is seriously injured (coma?) and it's post a fight Alec & Magnus had that they didn't get to resolve yet?
OOOOOOH THIS ONE IS GONNA BE ANGSTY BUT I LOVE IT SO LET’S DO IT.
AND ONCE AGAIN A PROMPT GOT TREMENDOUSLY HOLY SHIT LONG ON ME.  
....oops.  
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Magnus let another bolt of frustrated magic escape his fingertips, hitting the magnet that he had made in the center of the room to absorb the magic he couldn't seem to keep under control.  Another snarl left his lips and he paced past it again, resisting the urge to let more magic rip out of him, destroy everything around him, tear it apart.  As good as it would feel, that wasn't what he wanted.  
He blew out a hard breath and snarled when he caught sight of the jar still sitting on the desk of his apothecary.  The jar that held three golden, glowing feathers in it, more precious than any other potion ingredient in the world.  Another shock of wild magic hit the ball in the center of the room and the lights around him flickered.  
As soon as he got himself under some semblance of control, he was going to tell Alec to spend the night at the Institute, because he knew that if Alec came home, things would devolve into another shouting match.  Tears prickled at his eyes and Magnus blinked them away, summoning a drink to his fingertips, downing it in an instant.  
His phone went off only moments later, and the terse, short message from Alexander, 'We're busy tonight, I'll be staying here, love you.' was enough to have him throwing his phone furiously at the couch before it could be shattered by another angry shock of his magic.  Of course, Alec would rob him of getting to kick him out for the evening so he could stew in his anger.  
The worst part was...  
Magnus clenched his hands into fists and took a deep, shuddering breath, thinking of the excitement, the eagerness that had been in Alec's face as he...
Another snap of magic shot across the room, a thunderclap that made the entire loft quake under the force of the power.  Magnus slammed his eyes shut and tried to breathe, tried to focus on the weight that felt too heavy in his chest.  He should have known better, should have known that Alec wouldn't leave it well enough alone, would try to figure something out.  
Magnus stopped in the doorway of his apothecary and stared at the notebook that was left open on his desk, the Phoenix Feathers illuminating the concise handwriting from Alexander.  It was all there, it was all laid out.  Meticulously gathered over the course of years, and it had somehow devolved into a screaming match between both of them.  
Except, Magnus knew exactly how.  He knew exactly why.  He knew that it was entirely his fault.  Because he'd gotten upset, and then gotten angry that Alec had pursued this.  Which had led to Alec somehow believing he didn't want...
Magnus stepped closer to the notebook and pressed his fingertips to the pages of the notebook.  He could feel the amount of love and devotion that Alexander had poured into every single one of the pages.  The notebook was steeped in his desire to find answers to a problem he shouldn't have been trying to solve.  
Magnus yanked his fingertips away and slammed the notebook shut.  He should burn it, here and now, give Alexander his definitive answer for what he thought of the idea.  
But he could feel the hope that was tangled in the pages.  The sheer, raw power of Alexander's hope was too much and Magnus turned away from it, stalking back to the center of the room, slamming the door to his apothecary shut.  Damn him for wanting this.  Damn him for not thinking everything about everything he would lose, everything that would change.  
Because now that Magnus knew, now that he knew, now that he had made his stance on things clear, he'd...
Magnus blew out a hard breath and shook his head.  There was no point in thinking of it.  They'd see each other tomorrow, they would both apologize for shouting, and then everything would be fine.  Everything would be fine, and Alexander would never bring this up again.  
~!~
His phone rang six hours later.  
Magnus, several drinks into his evening, took one look at Isabelle's name on the caller identification and sent it to voicemail.  Especially when she called again, and then Jace called.  He scoffed.  Alec must have told them about the fight, and now they were up in arms, wanting to protect their brother.  Good, maybe Alexander would realize how important they were to him and focus on their anger.  That was exactly what he wanted.  
The calls didn't stop, so Magnus turned his phone off.  The last thing he needed was to think about Shadowhunters tonight, and their stupid, fucking earnest tendencies to try to do the impossible and-
A fire message shot through the air.  Magnus grabbed it, vowing that he was going to give Alexander's siblings a serious lecture about staying the fuck out of their business when he realized the message was from Catarina.  
Alec is hurt, and in a coma.  Come.  Now.  
Magnus' heart squeezed hard enough to leave him gasping and he was through a portal and racing for the front doors of the Institute before he could finish a thought.  Isabelle was waiting for him, but Magnus ignored her entirely, striding past her to head straight for the Infirmary.  His magic found Alexander and Magnus walked past the worried and pitying eyes to skid to a stop, Catarina standing on the other side of Alexander's bed, looking grim.  
"Cat-"
"He's in a coma," Catarina interrupted, lifting her eyes to meet Magnus'.  "We don't know when, or even if, he's going to wake up at this point."  
The weight in Magnus' chest got heavier.  The phone calls he'd ignored.  Had he missed a chance to prevent this?  Was Alec like this now because he'd been angry?  "What, what..." he tried to breathe, but his thoughts were racing.  "How-"
"A Djinn," Jace said, in a bed on the other side of Alec, his face pale.  "We, we got to it.  But, but not before it had its claws in Alec.  Literally."  
The light cough from Jace had Magnus realizing that Jace was likely unhurt, but he was in bed because of the pain Alec was going through.  Magnus turned his attention to Alec on the bed and his chest hurt so badly it felt like it was about to cave in on itself.  He tried to breathe, but there wasn't enough air in the room.  Alec was still on the bed, too still.  
"Magnus," Catarina called.  
"Fuck," Magnus whispered, sinking into the chair beside Alec's bed.  "And now he's caught in a nightmare he can't break out of."  Djinn magic, once it had a hold of you, was almost impossible to break free from.  It was entirely possible that Alec would be in a coma for... a period of time he didn't want to think about.  
Jace swallowed and gave a nod from the other bed.  "Yeah," he managed.  "And I'm only getting flashes of it, but whatever the hell it is, it involves you, and it hurts like fucking hell."  
Magnus slammed his eyes shut, willing the tears and panic crawling through his entire body to stay contained.  He couldn't afford to lose control here.  He couldn't, no matter how much he wanted to.  He reached out to take Alexander's hand, giving it a slow squeeze, his breath coming out in shaky waves.  "Alexander..."  
"Magnus," Catarina said, lowering her voice as she knelt next to her best friend.  "Alec's condition is very serious.  I've built him a tether to climb out.  But he's ignoring it.  His subconscious is staying locked in the dream, because he believes he deserves to be there."  
Magnus forced his eyes open to stare at Catarina, the words taking several long, painful seconds to sink into him.  Alexander was ignoring the way out.  Alexander knew he was trapped and... He turned back to the bed and pressed his face to Alec's hand, a tear sliding down his cheek.  Fuck.  What had he done?  
"He needs you," Catarina continued.  "You're going to have to be the one to pull him back.  Your magic knows him best, and if there's anyone that he would listen to, Magnus, it's you."  
Magnus parted his lips with a wet sound, sucking in another breath before he nodded.  "I'll bring him back," he promised.  He thought of the Phoenix Feathers sitting on his desk and tightened his hand around Alec's.  "I'll bring him back," he said again.  He would find a way, even if he had to invent a new one.  
~!~
The next week was the longest of Magnus' entire life.  
Alexander refused every piece of his magic that reached for him to try to bring him out of the dream.  No matter how many paths he laid out to free Alec from the Djinn dream, his shadowhunter remained stubbornly, impossibly locked in the nightmare that had been designed for him.  Magnus wanted nothing more than to rip Alec out of it, but that would have hurt him more.  
The looks from the others had turned to pity and Magnus hated all of them.  He was going to bring Alec back.  He would.  He dropped his eyes to the slow rise and fall of Alexander's chest and picked up Alec's hand again, squeezing it as he settled into the seat by Alec's bedside.  "Hello, Alexander," he whispered, pressing a kiss to Alec's hand.  "You're going to come back to me today," Magnus added, trying to sound far more certain than he felt about that statement.  "I need you to come back to me today.  
~!~  
After two weeks in the infirmary, Magnus had brought Alexander home to the loft.  He was still locked in the coma, his lips and face pale, growing sunken as he remained trapped in his own mind, but Magnus had to hope that he would rest easier at home.
Jace was up and moving, but only barely, and Magnus spared him less than a thought.  The one thing they agreed on, no matter what the others said, was that they would not give up on Alec.  No matter what, no matter how many times he refused the path out, neither of them was going to give up on Alec.  
Catarina finished getting Alec settled in their bed and turned to look at him.  Magnus ignored her in favor of stretching out next to Alexander, taking his hand and giving it a small squeeze.  He tried to breathe through the pain that was waiting for him.  
"Magnus," Catarina said, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder.  "Magnus, you need-"
"I need to be here," Magnus said, unable to look away from Alec, remembering the hurt expression on Alec's face as he'd left for the Institute after their fight.  "I have to be here, I have to pull him back."  He paused, taking a deep breath.  "I will pull him back," he promised.  He would not let their last conversation be pain, shouted insecurities in them both come to life because Alec had wanted...
Catarina sighed and sank down next to him.  "Magnus, I need to ask you something.  There's no reason that Alec should be keeping himself locked in a nightmare, refusing all offers of help... is there?"  
Magnus flinched and lifted Alec's hand to his lips, kissing the back of his hand again, oh-so gentle.  He swallowed and glanced at Catarina before turning his attention back to Alexander.  "My apothecary.  On the desk.  The notebook," he told her, just the reminder of it enough to have him tensing and pressing closer to Alec.  He felt rather than heard Catarina leave, and he didn't know how long it was before she came back.  
"Magnus," Catarina said, her voice soft.  "Did you both fight?"  
"Yes," Magnus whispered, a tear slipping down his cheek.  His lip wobbled and he tried to breathe through the gaping pressure settling into his chest.  "Yes, we fought.  Badly.  He wasn't even planning to come home that night, was going to spend it at the Institute."  
When Catarina said nothing, another sob escaped Magnus and he hated himself for it.  He kissed Alec's hand again.  "We shouted at each other.  So many things we didn't mean, both of us hurt.  He told me that he had everything he needed for the potion, except Phoenix Feather, and my blood, and..."
"Magnus," Catarina repeated, sitting on the bed behind him, reaching out to rub his back gently.  "It's okay."  
"I was so angry with him," Magnus breathed, the tears coming quicker, coming faster now.  "He left thinking that I didn't want forever with him, I didn't tell him I loved him before he left, I didn't even respond to the last text that he sent me, and now he's trapped, thinking, thinking-"
"Magnus," Catarina said.  "Stop."  
Magnus felt the cool touch of her magic washing over him, preventing the panic attack, allowing him to focus back on Alexander and what was going on around them.  "I can't lose him, Cat."  
"You haven't lost him, Magnus," Catarina said.  "He'll come back to you.  If nothing else, that boy is one of the most stubborn people I have ever met in my entire life.  He'll come back to you.  I know he will."  
Magnus stared at the pale, serene face of Alexander laying on the bed, his eyes closed, breathing steadily, trapped within his own mind, and wished that he could believe her.  He pressed his face to Alec's shoulder and breathed out shakily, putting out another band of magic into Alexander's mind, hoping, praying that he would take it.  
~!~
A month brought along a whole different set of issues.  Of conversations.  Alec had been taken off Active Duty as a Shadowhunter.  Alec was put onto permanent medical leave on order of the Clave.  Isabelle was named Temporary Head of the New York Institute.  Then there were more conversations, these ones about Alec, and what they needed to potentially begin to prepare for.
Magnus ignored them all, barred anyone from the loft who tried to talk 'sense' into him, who dared to mention that Alec was gone, and it was entirely possible that he wasn't going to come back.  Whatever was trapping Alexander wasn't going to win.  Magnus wasn't going to let it.  
When Catarina finally sat him down to have a conversation about longer-term care, Magnus focused on that, talking to Alec quietly as he made sure to exercise him.  His muscles would still atrophy, but he could at least make sure that it would be less.  
And every single day, again, and again, and again, Magnus extended the magical hand into Alec's mind, hoping that he would accept the step out.  But every single day it was ignored, and something fragile began to shatter in his heart.  The calm certainty that Alexander would wake up was starting to fracture into the hope of the desperate.  
Alexander had to wake up.  He had to wake up.  Magnus had to be able to tell him he loved him again, to apologize, to try to explain.  The Phoenix Feathers still sat in his cabinet, mocking him with their glow every time he stepped into the apothecary.  He forced himself to breathe and to put out another bridge into Alec's mind.  This one he would take.  He would take this one.  
With every day that passed, Magnus became more and more desperate.  He needed Alexander to wake up.  He was watching what his life would become without Alexander, and the light, the joy, was slowly fading from it.  Magnus breathed out slowly and shook himself.
Everything would be fine.  He just needed Alexander to wake up.  That was all that he needed.  
It took one more week, and a visit from Jace, for Magnus to become truly desperate. 
Jace had been approached about breaking the parabatai bond - about severing it so that he could return to active duty.  Magnus took one look at Jace and understood why Jace had come to talk to him about it.  If the bond was broken, Alec wouldn't survive.  
"Magnus," Jace started.  "You know I don't want to, you know that, you know I do-"
"Then why are you here?" Magnus growled, snarling the words, the ache in his chest an impossible weight to climb back from.  "Why are you here, telling me, telling me this?!"  
Jace took a deep, shaky breath and opened his eyes to stare down Magnus.  "Because I'm a shadowhunter.  Because Alec was, fuck, is a shadowhunter, Magnus.  Because if Alec is gone-"
"He's not gone!" Magnus shouted, the words echoing in the space, even as Jace kept talking.  
"-he would want us to try to move on without him.  He would want us to move on, to, to keep living.  Not remain stuck forever like this," Jace said.  He took a step closer to Magnus.  "I offered to come talk to you, not because this is what I want, but because you and I both know Alec better than anyone else in the world, and..." he paused, his chest shaking.  "...and I'm feeling Alec less and less every single day, Magnus."  
Magnus froze in the middle of the loft, turning wet, stunned eyes to Jace.  "What...?" he whispered.  
Jace gave a small nod.  "I can barely feel him, now.  He's there, but he's so far away, he's sunk so far, I don't... I don't know if he could climb out now."  
Magnus stared at Jace, unseeing, turning the words over in his mind.  He turned his back on the shadowhunter.  "Leave."  
"Magnus," Jace said, taking a step towards him.  "Please-"
"I said," Magnus growled, taking a deep breath, his eyes blazing gold as he turned to look at Jace.  "Get out, shadowhunter."  He watched Jace flinch and turn away, heading for the door and he turned back for the bedroom.  
When the door shut behind Jace, Magnus fought the swelling panic.  He took a deep breath, his heart pounding in time with his magic, sparks snapping over his fingertips.  They were out of time.  Alexander was out of time.  
With a curse, Magnus spun to his apothecary, ripping open the door.  He grabbed the Phoenix Feathers out of the cabinet, as well as all the other ingredients he needed, picking up Alexander's notebook a moment later.  He settled behind his desk, looked through the door, across the loft to the bedroom, where Alec's prone body was on the bed.  
This was for Alexander, and that was all that mattered.  
~!~
Magnus put the finishing touches on the second vial, staring at it, watching as the color changed to shining silver, and clenched his hand around it.  The other, the more precious, a riot of colors, and teeming with magic, was tucked carefully against his chest.  
"Magnus?" Catarina asked, frowning when she stepped into the apothecary.  The space was pulsing with magic and it raised the hackles on the back of her neck, almost as much as the wild desperation she could see on Magnus' face.  "Magnus, what are you-"  
"You're going to have to pull me out," Magnus said, stoppering the vial.  "You and probably Oberon.  He might have enough power to do it."  He pushed past her and headed for the bedroom.  "If you can't, well.  Make sure to get Alec out, that's all I ask."  
"Magnus..." Catarina trailed off, grabbing his arm, stopping him in the middle of the loft.  "What the hell are you planning?"  
Magnus narrowed his eyes and pulled his arm away.  "I'm going in after him.  He's fought this battle alone for too long."  
Catarina's eyes widened and her stomach dropped.  "Magnus, you can't go in after him."  
"Watch me," Magnus growled, stalking towards the bedroom, his power curling over him in waves.  He wasn't going to leave Alec to fight this battle on his own any longer.  He stopped next to the bed and lifted Alec's hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it.  
"Magnus," Catarina growled, stepping up on the other side of the bed.  "You're talking about going into a Djinn dream after him.  You know the risks of that.  You could get caught in it too, and with the both of you-"
'That's why you're going to have to pull us out," Magnus said, putting the silver vial on the bed.  He pulled out the other and heard Catarina's breath catch.  He stared at it and popped it open, a hiss of magic escaping as he did.  He swallowed and closed his eyes, focusing his magic to thread a small pulse into it.  
"Magnus!"  Catarina reached out.  "That'll-"
"I know," Magnus said, opening Alec's mouth carefully, sealing it around the edge of the vial, pinching his nose until the shadowhunter was forced to swallow.  He pulled the empty vial away and tossed it behind him.  "That's why I told you to pull him out if I'm stuck.  He's what matters, you understand me?"  
Catarina clenched her eyes shut, even as she watched Magnus climb on the bed.  "Magnus, he wouldn't want this for you," she breathed.  
Magnus took a deep breath as he watched his magic start to slowly thread through all of Alec's body, making him jolt, the potion taking effect.  "Maybe," he allowed, forcing himself to take a deep breath.  "But I love him enough to try the impossible, and even if we're trapped in the Djinn dream..." he picked up the silver vial, tears prickling at his eyes once his magic inside Alexander started to reach out for him, tying them together.  "At least we'll be trapped together."  
He downed the potion, swallowing through the ugly taste, curling up against Alexander's side.  Sleep came for him, and Magnus allowed himself to follow the thread of his magic leading to Alexander, drifting through the darkness to where the other side of the tether reached to.  
Magnus drifted for what felt like hours, following the thin thread of light deeper and deeper into the recesses of Alexander's mind.  Now what Jace had said made sense.  Alexander wasn't trying to pull away, he'd fallen so far, he couldn't see the surface any longer.  Magnus kept his fingers on the thread, even as it went fainter and fainter, barely flickering against him.  
How deep had Alec fallen?  
He didn't know how he was going to get back out with Alexander, but Magnus wasn't going to leave him here alone any longer.  He closed his eyes and followed the thread between them until he finally felt it pulse with the faintest recognition.  The light from the thread didn't light the space around him any longer, and Magnus could hear the whispers pressing in from around him.  They were heavy, and he could hear the faint hints of their shouting, of other fights they had had and made up.  
Magnus touched something resembling firm ground, everything around him shrouded in darkness.  He pressed his fingers to his heart and took a slow, deep breath.  He would find Alec.  He would find him and bring him back if it was the last thing that he ever did.  
"Alexander," Magnus called, his voice echoing in the seemingly endless darkness.  "Alec can you hear me?"  
A cacophony of his voice began to echo around him, some shouts, angry and passionate, others gentle and soothing, a wide array of noise blasting him from all directions.  Magnus took a deep breath and forced himself to focus.  Where was Alec?  He had to be here somewhere.  "Alec!"  
Still nothing, but the voices were getting louder, and the negative ones were overpowering the others.  Anger, frustration, upset, Magnus watched the scenes be played over and over again.  
"Do you know?  I barely had to do anything."  
Magnus spun around at the dark, lilting voice, the hint of the Djinn that had remained in Alexander, that was keeping him trapped in this dream.  Not enough to cause harm, but enough to be here. "Let him go," Magnus snarled. 
The Djinn laughed.  "He's trapped himself here.  I told you.  I barely had to do anything.  He's tied himself here, far from you, far from those he's hurt, those who would be better off without him.  He knows his place now, and you were the one to make him know it."  
Magnus flinched and took a deep breath.  "He knows there are people that love him, that desperately want him back.  We've been trying to get him back for weeks now."  
"And has he once attempted to let you reach him?" the Djinn mocked.  "I've seen you.  You've thrown rope after rope to him, and not once has he tried to climb out of the cage I've built him.  It's not a complicated one."  
Magnus' chest tightened and he felt the truth of that statement down to his very bones.  "Where the hell is he?"  
The Djinn laughed.  "Follow the darkness.  He's trapped himself so well, I don't need to do anything other than mock him from time to time."  
Magnus glared at the Djinn and pushed past him, jogging through the inky blackness that became heavier and oppressive the faster he moved.  "Alexander!"  The darkness was so heavy now, but Magnus wasn't going to leave without Alec, he was never going to leave Alec again.  
The air was getting thinner and Magnus felt his head swim.  "I'm not going to turn back Alec!" he snarled, pushing further through the weight pushing in on him from all sides.  "I'm not going to give up on you.  I love you!"  
The weight on him lessened, just enough, and Magnus sucked in a frantic breathe of air, taking another few steps forward.  "Alexander!" he shouted, his body starting to shake with the effort of moving.  "Alec!"  Desperation tinged his voice now, but he had to be close, he had to be.  
"Alexander, answer me!" Magnus called, pushing at the heavy, weighted darkness, even as it started to push him back.  He snarled, and fought back, throwing magic at it, until abruptly, it gave, catapulting him forward and into a room lit by a TV, Alexander sitting in front of it.  Magnus stared at him in shock, on his hands and knees, breathing as deep as he could.  "Alec..."  
"Shhh, this is my favorite part," Alec said, waving a hand in Magnus' direction.  
Magnus blinked in surprise, taking in the sight of Alexander, sitting on the floor, curled up with his knees to his chest, watching the tv.  He frowned and stepped closer, moving to the side so he could see what Alexander was watching.  In an instant, his own face filled the screen and his breath caught at the sight.  
Music drifted quietly from the speakers and Magnus turned his attention back to Alec, who was staring at the television, the longing so obvious and desperate on his face it made his heart ache.  He stepped closer, watching as on the screen, he nestled in closer to Alec as they continued to spin around.  Magnus couldn't take his eyes off the sight of them at their wedding, until the screen finally faded to snow and Alec slumped, his head dropping into his lap.  
Magnus walked closer to him, studying him with a small frown.  "Alexander?"  
Alec lifted his head to look at the screen again, even though the snow was already fading to blackness.  "Hello, Magnus."  
Relief swarmed him, huge and desperate and Magnus lunged forward and crashed to his knees, wrapping his arms around Alec's shoulders, hugging him tight.  "Alec, fuck, Alec..."  
Alec wrapped a careful arm around Magnus, helping him to keep balanced, and straying down to the middle of his back after a few minutes.  "I'm sorry.  I know the path down here isn't an easy one."  
Magnus pulled back and stared at Alec.  "You have to come back with me, I can get you out, Catarina is going to-" He froze when Alec smiled sadly, looking at him.  "...Alec?" he whispered.  
Alec turned to look back at the television again.  He snapped his fingers and Magnus watched as Alec and he woke up slowly, tangled in golden sheets, smiling shyly at each other.  "You can go ahead and change now.  I told you that you didn't need to try so hard.  I'm here to stay.  You can feel that.  They'll let me go soon enough."  
Magnus blinked in confusion and frowned.  "Alec?  What are you talking about?"  
Alec sighed and glanced at the Djinn on the side of him pretending to be Magnus.  "I told you already.  You don't need to pretend.  It won't be long now.  Jace can't hold onto me for much longer."  
Magnus' mouth went dry and he stared at Alexander in shock.  "Alec, it's me, fuck, Alec, it's me, what are you talking about, I came to get you, of course we're not going to let you die!  Come back with me, I can pull you out, I left a tether with Catarina and-"
"Stop," Alec's voice reverberated in the space.  He turned to look at the television again, breathing out slowly.  "Just stop."  
Magnus stared at the side of Alec's face, his heart aching in a way he hadn't thought possible after the past six weeks.  "Alexander...?"  
"Why are you doing this now?" Alec asked, closing his eyes with a sigh.  "I told you.  You won.  I'll stay here.  I'll stop fighting to break free.  You were right.  There's nothing for me up there any longer."  
"Alec, there's everything for you up there!" Magnus shouted, reaching out to grab his arm.  "Alec, you have to come back, I'm not going to let you stay here!" 
Alec snorted, keeping his eyes on the television.  "Magnus is better off without me.  I knew it was only a matter of time before he realized it.  Jace, too.  Maybe he'll be able to find a parabatai who won't hold him back."  
Magnus stared, his mouth falling open as he listened.  "Alec, you don't mean that," he breathed.  "I could never be better off without you."  
Alec rolled his eyes and focused on the tv again.  He jolted in surprise when the Djinn sat next to him, their shoulders pressed together, and looked at the image of Magnus beside him.  Fuck, the Djinn must have a reason for sitting here like this.  Maybe the bond would be broken soon.  He breathed out slowly.  "Fine, if you want to stay, stay."  
"Okay," Magnus whispered, turning to look at the television.  He leaned his head against Alexander's shoulder, closing his eyes as one tear after another slowly started to drip down his face.  It was what he'd told Catarina.  If they were both going to be trapped here, at least they'd be trapped together.  
Alec frowned and looked at the Djinn.  Djinn didn't cry.  It laughed, mocked, and made sure that it knew every weakness he had that he had exposed.  But here he was.  Crying.  Slow, steady streams of tears down his face as he stared at the television.  He turned back to the tv, but this time it was their proposal, tears in his eyes as he watched Magnus step in closer, holding out the Lightwood family ring.  
"The only regret I have of that proposal is that I didn't kiss you one last time before I left," Magnus admitted, watching it.  He reached out and took Alec's hand, giving it a small squeeze.  "I should have.  But then you came to get me." 
"I would always come to get you," Alec said, not looking away from the screen.  "I wasn't going to live without you, and I was going to keep that promise."  
Magnus inhaled slowly, his heart clenching tighter in pain.  "Then why are you breaking that promise now?"  
Alec frowned again and looked down at the Djinn, but he hadn't moved from his position curled against him.  "I'm not.  It's for the best.  Magnus-"  
"Still loves you with all of his heart and soul, and is not sure why you've trapped yourself down here," Magnus interrupted, not bothering to look at Alec.  It was the truth.  "He's been trying to rescue you for weeks now."  
"Because he feels guilty," Alec said, shrugging.  "He's got the biggest heart of anyone I know.  He feels guilty that I got attacked after our fight."  
"Sounds to me," Magnus said, breathing slowly through the tears.  "Like he loves you more than life itself."  
Alec hung his head, looking down at his knees.  "Maybe," he whispered.  "I keep hurting him, though.  And eventually, he's just going to get tired of me.  I know it's only a matter of time, but..."  
Magnus blinked in shock and looked at Alec.  "What?"  
"But I can't help..." Alec continued, trailing off and looking to the television.  He smiled as Magnus came bursting into his wedding, looking so impossibly beautiful he couldn't look away.  "I couldn't help wanting to be with him forever.  I love him so much."  
Magnus swallowed and looked down at his knees as well.  "I bet that he wants that as well, he's just-"
"No," Alec said, his voice flattening, going dead.  "He doesn't."  
Magnus froze, his chest going to ice at the flatness of the proclamation and the stone cold certainty in Alec's voice.  "How do you know?" he whispered.  
Alec stared straight ahead, past the tv, his hands trembling before they slowly steadied and he took a deep breath, smiling sadly.  "Because when I told him I wanted that, I've never seen him look more horrified in our time together.  Even before we fought about it, and angels above..." he pushed his fingers through his hair, shaking his head.  "We fought so badly about it.  I knew that he would never want that."  
"So you trapped yourself here to... what?  Get away from him?"  Magnus asked, glancing at Alec again.  "He wanted to get you out.  He tried, again and again, to pull you out."  
"Only because he felt guilty," Alec said, sighing, his shoulders slumping.  "I thought it would be best to save him the trouble of trying to break up with me.  If I just... stay here long enough, he'll be free."  
A sob wrenched its way out of Magnus' throat and he felt Alec start beside him.  He dropped his face to his hands, the tears coming hot and heavy now.  The resignation, the certainty in Alec's voice, it was a fact to him, the same way some things in his life always were.  
"You're a good actor," Alec said, rolling his eyes as he turned to look back to the tv again.  "But I know he wouldn't chase me down here."  
Magnus' head shot up and he glared at Alec.  "You're wrong about that."  
"Am I?" Alec asked, his voice softening.  "I always knew that I loved him more than he loved me, or more than he could love me, you know.  It wasn't his fault, of course.  He'd been hurt so many times, and by so many people, I couldn't begin to somehow put him back together after all of that."  
Magnus' heart lurched uncomfortably in his chest.  "Alexander.  Of course he would-"
"So all I could do," Alec whispered, turning to look to the tv, smiling faintly as he played pool with Magnus, watching him smile happily.  "Was love him as much and as hard as I possibly could.  I thought, for a long time, it might be enough, that it was enough.  And for a while, I think it was."  
Magnus was silent, staring at Alec.  The sound of shouting came from the tv and he turned to look at it, finding Alec watching a replay of their fight, of their shouting match.  Magnus watched as his face twisted angrily, his words turning accusatory, saying Alec had tried to go behind his back, to do something without thinking, something that he would certainly regret...
"I love him so much," Alec whispered.  "I would give up any part of me, any part at all, in order for him to remain happy and whole.  I have, more than once, tried to do exactly that."  
"And you don't think he feels the same?  That he wouldn't do the same for you?" Magnus asked, his tone hinging in desperation.  
Alec closed his eyes and breathed out slowly, the tv blinking out.  He dropped his head to his arms.  "I know that he did, once.  I know that it almost killed him to do it.  After that, no.  Knowing how high that price is?  No, I don't think that he feels the same, and I can't blame him.  The costs are hardly equal."  
Magnus' breath froze in his chest.  The small amount of light around them was starting to flicker.  "Alexander...?"  
"You know," Alec breathed out, a small sniffle escaping him.  "Maybe I should thank you for coming to sit with me, at the end.  I didn't think I'd ever see him again."  
"Alec?"  Magnus asked, his voice getting more frantic as he abruptly no longer had a sturdy shoulder to lean against.  "Alec what are you-"  
"I hope he'll be happy," Alec whispered.  "All I ever wanted was for him to be happy, you know.  I love him so much."  
"Alec!" Magnus screamed as the image of Alec started to fade.  He reached out to grab at Alec, but with one last sad smile, Alec was gone, and there was nothing but darkness remaining.  "Alexander!"  
Silence.  Oppressive, endless silence.  
Magnus stood up, looking around wildly.  "Alec!  Alexander, answer me!"  
Silence.  
Magnus had always hated silence.  
"No," Magnus whispered.  He was not about to give Alexander up without a fight.  He clenched his hands into fists and stood up.  The ground under him was formless and dark.  "No, I'm not about to give up," he growled.  "I'm not about to give up on you, and I am not going to let you give up on us, Alexander."  
Still nothing.  
"I want a forever with you," Magnus snarled through his tears.  "I've already given you the fucking potion, not because I felt guilty, but because I love you more than I fear someday losing you."  
The weight of the darkness was starting to press in on him now and Magnus closed his eyes.  
"I am not," Magnus shouted.  "Going to let you go, Alexander."  
Gathering all of the magic he could into his palms, Magnus slammed them down to the floor, sending a jolt of magic through Alexander.
A brief flicker of light.  
If he hadn't been looking for it, he might have missed it.  Magnus smirked and sent another pulse of magic through Alexander.  "Alec!"  
Another flicker, this time, Magnus could see a few feet around him.  
He growled and gathered up the power in his hands, breathing in slow and deep.  "I am not leaving here without you, Alexander, and unless you want me trapped in this Djinn dream with you and we both die, you'd better hold on, because I'm about to get us the hell out of here."  
Though he couldn't see anything, the second Magnus felt a familiar hand rest on top of his, Magnus pushed all of the power he could out of his hands and into the blackness around him.  Abruptly, it shattered, falling away to a landscape made of white, with Alexander standing in the middle of it all.  
"Alec!" Magnus shouted in relief, grinning when Alec looked at him.  A shining golden rope dropped between both of them and the familiar pulse of magic from Catarina nearly made Magnus collapse in relief.  "Alec grab it!" he shouted, racing for it.  
His heart stopped for a few precious seconds when Alec only looked at him and didn't appear to be running for the rope.  "Alec, you have to come back with me, you have to grab the rope, I am not going to leave you here!" Magnus shouted, glad when that, at least, seemed to galvanize Alec into moving.  
Magnus grabbed onto the rope and used his momentum to swing towards Alexander, wrapping an arm around his waist, holding him tight as they both clung to the rope.  He felt a pull, deep in the core of his magic, and then they were being drawn up.
~!~
Magnus jack-knifed upright, his chest heaving with a deep breath of air, sending him abruptly into a coughing fit.  He pushed Oberon aside when he felt the other warlock reach for him.  "Alec, help Alec," he croaked, coughing again, even as he turned to look at Alexander beside him.  
Alec was awake and sitting up, pale, his eyes sunken, and looking right at him.  Magnus wanted to cry with relief.  It'd worked.  "Alexander."  
Alec swallowed, staring at Magnus, before he dropped his eyes down to the blankets.  "You came for me," he said, his voice soft.  "That, that was you.  At the end.  Not the Djinn."  
Magnus nodded, even as he watched Oberon and Catarina sweep healing magic over Alec, making sure that he was all right.  He remembered what he had done to Alec before diving into the dreamscape with him, the only way he'd been able to ensure he would reach into Alec's mind and stared at him.  "You were wrong, you know."  
Alec frowned.  "About what?" he managed, taking a glass of water from Catarina gratefully to sip it.  
"That I don't want forever," Magnus breathed.  He looked to Catarina and Oberon.  "As much as I appreciate the two of you pulling us back out, and I promise that you can yell at me about it tomorrow," he held up his hands.  "I desperately need to spend a few hours appreciating the fact that my husband is alive again."  
Magnus watched the two of them exchange looks before heading out and he turned back to Alec, who was frowning at him.  Magnus pushed himself upright with a grunt.  His body was still feeling the weight of the magical exhaustion and he turned back to Alec.  "I'm going to run us a bath, okay?"  
Alec leaned back against the pile of pillows and gave a small nod.  "Okay."  
Magnus busied himself with the bath before he slowly padded back to the bedroom.  With a grunt, he had Alec swept up and into his arms, carrying him into the bathroom, cradling him against his chest as they settled into the bath.  
"It's okay," Alec whispered, leaning his head against Magnus' shoulder.  "If you don't want forever.  I know that wasn't what you signed up for and-"  
Magnus pressed a finger to Alec's lips and took a deep breath, kissing his forehead.  "Do you know what Ya'aburnee means?"  
Alec blinked and shifted so he could look up at Magnus before settling into his chest properly.  "I do," he admitted.  "I, I have a list of words.  In other languages, for, well.  To try to, I don't even know.  But I know what it means.  You bury me."  
Magnus breathed out slowly.  "Not just that," he whispered.  "It's the wish that you die before the person you are with, because the idea of life without them, death is better than that."  He felt Alec tense in his arms.  "Alexander?  Is that how you feel about me?"  
Alec swallowed and gave another small nod.  "Yes."  
Magnus blinked hard against the tears that were threatening.  He pressed his face to Alec's neck and stopped trying to hold them back, a small sob escaping him as they did.  He felt Alec tense in surprise, but now that he had allowed the tears to come, there was no stopping them.  
"Magnus?" Alec whispered, reaching up to push some of Magnus' hair out of his face.  "Why'd you ask me that?"  
"Because," Magnus breathed.  "I have spent the last six weeks of my life realizing that there will be no life after you, for me, Alexander.  It'll be at best a half-life, never fully lived again.  And I..."  
Magnus tightened his arms around Alec and pressed himself closer.  "You are not the first person I have been with who offered to become immortal for me," he admitted, his voice soft.  "You're not even the first to try, or to go ahead and do it."  He felt Alec tense in his arms.  "But, Alexander.  You are the first who... I would help to do it, because the idea of losing you earlier than I want to is so much worse than the idea that you might hate or resent me someday."  
Alec blinked in surprise.  "Is that... is that why you were angry?"  
"Fuck, you have no idea how many times I have recited these speeches in my head, telling myself that if I ever got the chance to speak to you again, I would explain, I would try so hard to explain," Magnus said, staring Alec down before cupping Alec's cheek in his palm.  "I want you to understand, because it was never, ever about not wanting to spend forever with you, Alexander."  
Alec swallowed and nodded, nuzzling into Magnus' neck with a quiet noise.  "Do you?" he asked, unable to keep the question in.  "Want, want to try?"  
"Well," Magnus said, his head falling back.  He smiled, laughing a little.  "I believe in the adage of actions speak louder than words."  
Alec frowned.  "What do you mean?"  
Magnus blew out a hard breath and pressed his finger to Alec's chest, sending a small pulse of magic into Alec.  The tiny, growing seed of magic in Alec's heart pulsed back at him and Magnus felt Alec stiffen in his arms.  "I mean, that I not only want to spend forever with you, Alexander..." he hesitated before continuing.  "I am going to spend forever with you."  
Alec yanked himself back, staring at Magnus with wide eyes, pressing a hand to his chest.  "You, the potion-"
"Your notes were flawless," Magnus said, watching as Alec settled into the tub again, staring at him in shock.  "I had every ingredient on hand, and with the addition of the Phoenix Feather, and my blood, it did exactly as it was supposed to and tied our life forces together.  A piece of my magic now lives in you, permanently."  He paused and looked at Alec.  "It was that piece of magic that I followed into your mind to rescue you from the Djinn."  
Alec pressed his hands to his face, a small sob escaping him.  "You, we're-"
Magnus smiled and reached out to rub his hands up and down Alec's arms, watching as Alec trembled in the tub.  "I think we've both learned by now that it takes us a time or two to explain our feelings properly, especially when we're both passionate about things."  
"Right," Alec said, his voice hoarse, dropping his hands to the water to stare at Magnus.  
"And in this case," Magnus blew out a hard breath.  "I am absolutely terrified of the day that you will regret this decision because you've watched your family die.  And their children.  And maybe even their grandchildren."  
"I don't..." Alec paused and looked down at the bathwater.  "I knew that when I started researching, Magnus.  I'd, I'd made that decision ages ago.  There's nothing that says I wouldn't outlive them anyway, especially as Head of the Institute."  
"I realize that now," Magnus agreed, smiling faintly.  "I had a far more emotional response than I should have to what you did, and for that, I am very, very sorry."  He reached out and rubbed a thumb along Alec's cheek.  "I love you, Alexander."  He watched Alec shudder under the gentle touch and the words.  "I love you so much, and I am so sorry that I made you feel like you loved me more than I loved you."  
"Oh," Alec whispered.  "So you remember all of that?"  
"I do," Magnus nodded.  "You told me once that you were going to stay with me in Edom, when you came to get me, remember?"  
"Of course I do," Alec said, smiling hopelessly.  "I would have done that a thousand times over."  
Magnus took a deep breath.  "And there is nothing, Alexander, nothing in this world, not my magic, not my life that I would not put you before.  Your death is the most terrifying thing in the entire world to me, and will never not be so."  
Alec reached out and wrapped his arms around Magnus, holding onto him tightly.  "You looked so terrified," he whispered.  "When, when I brought it up."  
"Because," Magnus said, tightening his arms around Alec, holding him tight.  "All I could see, all I could imagine, all I could think about, was everyone in my past who has done this, and how they have all come to resent, or even hate me.  And I am..." he breathed out slowly.  "I am so scared of you hating me."  
"I'm not going to hate you," Alec repeated, his voice quiet and certain.  "I don't know how to hate you, Magnus."  
Magnus offered Alec a rueful smile and kissed his forehead.  "I'm learning that, Alexander.  I'm learning that.  Just like you're going to have to know that I'll never get bored of you, or tired of you, or want someone different, or better, or, or any of the thousand other dumb things that you were thinking down there."  
Alec huffed out a laugh, leaning into Magnus' arms again.  "Magnus, it's all right, I'm not-"
"No," Magnus growled.  "You're going to have your fair share of recuperation time, and I am fairly certain that I will have about sixty missed calls from your parabatai the second we are out of this bath and he's going to descend on us shortly."  He took a deep breath and cupped Alec's face.  "But we are going to talk about that, Alec.  We're going to talk about all of it."  
Alec's breath caught and he stared at Magnus' golden eyes.  "We are?"  
Magnus gave a firm nod.  "My side and yours.  Especially while you get back into fighting shape."  
"Magnus?" Alec whispered.  "I love you."  
Magnus let out a small noise, wrapping Alexander up in his arms, pulling him as tight as he dared.  "I love you too, Alexander.  And I will always, always come to rescue you, no matter how far I have to go to do it."  
Aled managed a weak chuckle, kissing at Magnus' jaw.  "I think the furthest I want you to rescue me from for the next few weeks is the kitchen."  
Magnus sagged in relief and smiled against Alec's skin, right as his wards pinged, telling him there was a shadowhunter outside them.  "I think I can do that.  And speaking of your parabatai, he's here.  Do you feel up to seeing him?"  
Alec nodded.  "For a few minutes.  Can you stay with me?  I might have trouble standing on my own."  
"Of course," Magnus whispered, kissing Alec softly before getting them both out of the tub and into sweatpants and shirts before he got Alec comfy on the couch and waved Jace through his wards, and then the door.  
"Magnus, it's Alec!  He's-"
"Right here, parabatai," Alec called, drawing Jace's attention to the couch.  "Though slightly worse for wear."  
Magnus watched as Jace froze, staring at Alec in shock before he was barreling forward, wrapping Alec up in a hug so tight he was afraid they were both going to break bones.  When he caught them whispering together, it only took a few moments to realize it was the parabatai oath, and he turned away to get popcorn for all of them before coming back into the living room.  
"Don't scare me like that again," Jace growled, punching Alec in the arm.  "Otherwise I'm going to have to kick your ass in training extra hard once you're back up to fighting shape."  
"I'll be back on active duty soon," Alec promised.  "I'm sure that Izzy will be glad to turn the paperwork back over to me."  
Jace rolled his eyes and smiled.  "You have no idea.  But we're just glad you're okay.  You gave us a hell of a scare there, Alec."  
Alec smiled softly and reached out to hug Jace again.  "I know.  And I'll visit with you properly in a few days.  Right now I feel like I could pass out for a whole day."  
"Well, as long as it's sleep and not being trapped in a Djinn dream, I'll consider it acceptable," Jace teased, smiling at Alec.  
Alec grinned back at him.  "Yeah, that I don't mind promising."   He settled back against the pillow pile Magnus had made for him.  "But I'll talk to you tomorrow?"  
"Yeah," Jace agreed, ruffling Alec's hair again.  "I'll let Izzy and Clary know you're all right.  We'll visit tomorrow-" he held up his hand at Magnus, who he could already see ready to protest.  "-if he's feeling up to it."  
Magnus nodded and smiled.  "Sounds good."  He walked Jace to the door and turned back to Alexander whose eyes were already starting to blink slowly.  "Tired?"  
"You'd think I wouldn't be this exhausted after everything," Alec mumbled, closing his eyes, cuddling up to Magnus as soon as his husband joined him on the couch.  "But I am."  
"Your body went through a lot of trauma," Magnus soothed, rubbing his hand up and down Alec's back.  "It'll be all right and soon you'll be back to working eighteen-hour days and worrying me for a whole different reason."  
Alec laughed, throwing his head back.  "That's fair," he allowed.  He took a deep breath and stretched.  He hummed and closed his eyes, relaxing back into Magnus' arms with a happy smile before he jolted, his eyes flying open.  "Fuck," he breathed, slamming his eyes shut.  
"Alec?" Magnus asked, tense around him.  "Are you all right?"  
Alec took a small breath.  "What... what if I'm back there?  What if this is all a dream and when I wake up I'm back there?"  
Magnus hummed and helped Alec turn around to face him, and he could see the fear lingering in Alec's eyes.  "Well, I have an easy solution for that," he offered.  "But if you were back down there, even though you most decidedly are not, I'd be coming for you."  
Alec swallowed and leaned up to kiss Magnus softly.  "What was the solution that you mentioned?"  
"Trust me?" Magnus whispered, kissing Alec, sending a small pulse of magic through the bond that they shared.  
Alec smiled and rubbed their noses together.  "Always."  
Magnus put another pulse of magic through the bond, enough to relax the both of them, soothing any stress that had been lingering, letting both of them fall to sleep.  
~!~
When he opened his eyes, he was standing outside what he had to guess was the Lightwood Manor in Alicante, where Alec was looking around in wide-eyed shock.  
Magnus stepped up beside him with a grin.  "So, Alexander."  When Alec turned to look at him, he winked.  "How about we spend your dream taking a tour of Alicante?"  
Alec started to laugh, looking around.  "You can do this?"  
"Well," Magnus said, looking down at his fingernails with a smirk.  "It is only a memory, but I'm pulling the place from your memory.  So lead the way, and we'll see what you remember."  
Alec reached out to grab Magnus' hand.  "Then we need pastries from the shop around the corner!"  
Magnus laughed as Alec started to pull him in that direction, the grin on his face bright and wide.  He could get used to this kind of dream.  
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Different prompts, same filler!  More Birthday Bash for y’all! 
69 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 4 years
Text
Alec Lightwood Birthday Bash
It’s that time of year again!!  
It’s hard to believe that this time last year, I was standing in an airport and I had the idea to open my inbox to any and all prompts involving our favorite Archer Boy!  
It’s that time of the year again!  
SEND IN YOUR ALEC LIGHTWOOD PROMPTS!!  
This year, I am also working with the Malec Server (JOIN US HERE!) for their Alec Lightwood Birthday Surprise event AND the wonderful @chibi-tsukiko​ and @my-archerboy​ for Alec’s Birthday Weekend Celebration!  
There will be a truly glorious amount of Alec Lightwood over the weekend!  
Make sure to check out the Birthday Weekend Celebration, or join our Server for other ways that you can get involved!  
(ALSO SEND ME PROMPTS!)  
Long may our Consul live!  (Hopefully forever, because Immortal Husbands. <3)
Tumblr media
73 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 4 years
Note
Alec's birthday would start with Magnus surprising him with breakfast in bed.
 HI YES I NEED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS, THANK YOU, BECAUSE BEAUTIFUL HUSBANDS HAVING BREAKFAST IN BED IS MY LIIIIIIIIFE AND EVERYTHING I HAVE EVER WANTED, OKAY?  
This year, I am working with the @malecdiscordserver​ (JOIN US HERE!) for their Alec Lightwood Birthday Surprise event AND the wonderful @chibi-tsukiko​ and @my-archerboy​ for Alec’s Birthday Weekend Celebration!  
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Alec's first thought, upon waking up, the sun in his eyes, was that he was late. 
He sat up in a rush, grabbing the edge of the blankets, ready to jump out of bed to hurry through getting ready when he remembered.  It was his birthday.  He had today off.  Alec relaxed and sagged back into the pillows in relief, smiling.  He reached out beside him and frowned when his fingers met empty sheets.  He turned to look and pouted at the sight of an empty bed.  
"Magnus?" he called, raising his voice, wondering if Magnus had stepped into the bathroom.  He snuggled into the blankets with a hum, shifting to press his face to Magnus' pillow with a smile.  Alec reached out and tugged it closer, relaxing into it.  
"Coming darling," Magnus called, stepping into the bedroom, closing the door behind him with a quick kick of his heel.  He took in the sight of his husband sprawled out on the bed, his face buried in his usual pillow and smiled.  "Good morning, and happy birthday, love."  
Alec smiled lazily from the pillow, reaching out for Magnus.  "Be a proper good morning if my husband was here in bed with me."  
"Rest assured," Magnus teased, putting the breakfast tray on the side table as he climbed back into bed, watching as Alec gave up his pillow immediately to snuggle closer to him.  "I had every intention of coming back to bed, darling.  But, I want to spoil you on your birthday, and the best spoiling always starts with breakfast in bed."  
Alec's eyes flitted over to the tray and he smiled, looking at Magnus again, melting closer when golden eyes met his.  "Belgian waffles?"  
Magnus smiled and leaned down to kiss Alexander.  "With strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream.  Your favorite, that you don't indulge in nearly enough."  
"You're too good to me," Alec breathed against Magnus' lips, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss slowly, lazily, until they broke apart for air.  
"Being too good to you is simply impossible," Magnus teased, combing his fingers through Alec's hair, rubbing gently at his scalp.  "It really is.  You deserve every bit of pampering.  Especially today."  
Alec hummed and sat up in bed, leaning against the headboard as Magnus brought the tray between the both of them and put it down on the bed.  He grinned and stole another kiss, even as Magnus pressed the steaming up of fresh coffee towards him.  "It looks amazing."  He flushed as he watched Magnus cut the waffles with a few flicks of his finger and offer him a bite on a fork.  
Magnus grinned, his eyes twinkling.  "Indulge me?"
Alec nodded, still blushing as Magnus took his time feeding him breakfast.  He would never get used to how much Magnus liked, loved, really, doing that.  It didn't take them long to finish their breakfast and once the tray was dispensed with and they were sitting, curled together in bed, full and relaxed, it was easier to ask the question.  "Mmm, you have plans for the day:"  
"It is your birthday," Magnus said, reaching out to press a fingertip to Alec's nose.  "We can do whatever you want.  My plans for you went as far as breakfast in bed and your birthday present, which you will get this evening when we see your siblings.  Outside of that, the day is yours, my darling."  
Alec shifted to wrap an arm around Magnus' waist, tugging his husband in close, nuzzling into his neck.  "Can I ask for something ridiculous?"  
Magnus hummed and smiled, kissing the top of Alec's head.  "I do believe that your definition of ridiculous and mine are somewhat dissimilar, Alexander.  But I am happy to entertain whatever things you might wish for us to do."  
"I just want to spend the day here.  With you," Alec mumbled.  "I want to spend the morning in bed, take a bath together, dance with you.  Just.  Us, getting a chance to be us, with no interruptions, no one attempting to bother us."  
"And why," Magnus whispered, pressing a kiss to Alec's forehead, tilting his face up with a brief touch to his chin.  "Would you think that's ridiculous?"  
"You're supposed to want to do something special on your birthday, aren't you?" Alec asked with a huff.  "And I love doing that stuff, but..." He bit down on his lip and sighed.  "I just...want to be with you."  
Magnus smiled and stole another kiss from Alec, soft and insistent.  "Alexander," he whispered.  "There is nothing more flattering than, when having the world at his fingertips, my husband says that he wants to do nothing more than spending a day relaxing with me."  His lips curved against Alec's.  "Though, perhaps I can persuade you to have a beverage or two?"  
Alec chuckled against Magnus' mouth and rolled him into the sheets.  "You can persuade me to do a great many things, as you well know."  
Magnus laughed, reaching up to pull his shadowhunter down for a kiss.  "I do, indeed, and I love it."  
Losing himself in Magnus’ kiss, Alec wasn’t about to admit it, but...he loved it too.  
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Keep sending in more prompts for Alec’s Birthday Bashes!!  
73 notes · View notes
arialerendeair · 3 years
Note
Vigilantes/superheroes, secretly married and no one knew? Or Superhero/SuperVillan secretly married and someone (every one?) finds out?
Ooooooh, I know exactly what I’m going to do to have fun with this!!  Love it!!  Because do I take any possible opportunity to enjoy the boys being BAMF?  Hell YES I do!  
So.  When I started writing it.  This wasn’t supposed to be 20,000 words.  
But.  It’s done now.  And...
It’s 20,000 words.  
Jfc.  
Warnings: Heavy Angst, Mentions of Torture, Wing Mutilation (ie wings are removed)
There is a tremendously happy ending - just gotta get there!  
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Magnus scowled at the sight before him.  
Where the hell had Angel gotten himself to?  This was the fourth minor crime that he had committed this week, and normally, all he had to do was sneeze in the direction of a crime before the self-righteous bastard was descending to put a stop to it.  
(If Magnus had switched over to doing more petty crimes specifically because he enjoyed the frustrated indignation on Angel's face, well, no one needed to know that but him.  The pretty flyboy did look so adorable with a bright blush on his cheeks.)  
"At it again, Warlock?"  
Magnus sighed and turned to face Angel's sister and usual partner-in-crime, Viper, and held up his hands.  "You've caught me, another villain apprehended, congratulations on saving the day."  
She gave him a look.  
Okay he might have deserved that, but who could blame him!  He saved his best for Angel, always.  "Oh all right, don't give me that look, I didn't cause too much of a ruckus this time around."  
She snorted and tossed her hair over her shoulder.  "Warlock, one might even think that you're growing soft on us."  
Magnus gasped, his eyes behind his mask as he pressed his fingers to the reinforced plating on his chest.  "Growing soft on you all?  Perish the thought!"  
Viper narrowed her eyes at him.  "But even still, what are you up to?  I'm getting tired of dealing with your shenanigans, and since Angel isn't-"
Magnus' eyes sharpened on her at the way she paused and looked to the side.  "Where is Angel, Viper?"  
She stared at him.  "You know I can't divulge that, Warlock."  
Magnus felt an uncomfortable sensation run down his spine as he stared at her.  "Viper.  Did something happen?"  
"You know I can't tell you," Viper repeated.  "But Angel has been missing for over a week."  
The cold feeling got worse and Magnus had to flex his fingers to keep more sparks from jumping out of his skin.  His magic surged and he could taste the fire that wanted to explode out of him at the response.  He looked at her, his eyes wide.  "He's missing?"
She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest.  "He was out on a standard call response.  Armed robbery.  Next thing we know, he's failing to report back, and we haven't seen him since."  
Magnus' mind was spinning.  Armed robbery.  That meant low-level, not even supervillain.  He shook himself and focused on her again.  "Have you-"
She held up a hand.  "Yes, we've tried to search for him.  We can't find him."  
Fear, a visceral tight feeling in his chest started to consume him and Magnus barely managed to take in a breath.  Of course no one would have told him, he was a villain after all, their sworn enemy.  He'd been running around committing petty crimes for attention and someone had taken his-
"Warlock," Viper warned, holding out her hand as she watched flames start to curl around the villain, evaporating the water on the wet asphalt and in the air around him.  "You can't-"
Magnus narrowed his eyes at her.  "On the contrary," he challenged, raising both of his eyebrows.  "Not only can I, I will."  
"You don't know where to start!" Viper challenged.  "We've, Archangel and I have been-"
"And you haven't found a thing," Magnus shot back, fury coloring the words.  He turned his back on her, his cape swirling in a dramatic fashion that would normally have pleased him.  "I am going to bring him back to you, Viper.  I expect every single Hero to stay the hell out of my way."  
Viper strode forward and grabbed his arm, hissing at the heat of the flames curling around him.  "Magnus," she breathed, keeping her voice a whisper.  "He wouldn't-"
Magnus stared at her and closed his eyes, well-aware that his heavy makeup would obscure his eyes entirely.  "I will bring him back, Viper.  Tell the Heroes to get out of my way."  
Viper lowered her hand as she watched Warlock step into the shadows of an alley, sinking into them like he belonged there.  She bit down on her lip and pulled out her communicator, hitting the button for Archangel.  In a second, his voice came ringing out.  
"Viper, status?"  
"Warlock on the warpath," she breathed, clenching her eyes shut.  "Warn everyone.  He won't go easy now."  
"Shit," Archangel swore.  "He find out about Angel?"  
Viper took a deep breath.  "He did.  And he's going to bring him back.  I'm just hoping that he doesn't burn down more than half the city to do it."  
~!~
Jace and Isabelle were going to mock him for the rest of his life.  
Maybe even longer, if he managed to get out of here.  
"Aren't you the prettiest picture," Jonathan purred, reaching out and stroking his fingers through the wings.  "I had wings like yours once.  Beautiful, black wings.  I could fly faster than you ever dreamed."  
Alec glanced towards the scarred stumps protruding from Jonathan's back and swallowed.  He clenched his eyes shut.  When one of his feathers was tugged out, forcefully, he couldn't keep the cry in.  He took a moment to breathe and glared at the man in front of him.  
"Soon," Jonathan promised, licking his lips.  "Soon, little Angel, we will find out how to take your wings from you so I can have them.  You never deserved them, you know, keeping them hidden, keeping them away from everyone."  
Alec bit down the words that wanted to threaten, that the wing transplant, the mad idea that Jonathan wanted to attempt, would never work.  There was no possibility of it happening.  He breathed out slowly, staring at him.  "You can't do this."  
"Oh, I can," Jonathan promised, smirking again.  "And I will.  It's just a matter of time."  
Another feather pulled and Alec snarled, thrashing in the chains, even as the metal bit into his skin for the hundredth time.  
Jonathan laughed.  "Now, now, Angel.  You don't want that iron to hurt you more than it already is.  Do you know how difficult it was to temper those cuffs in demon blood so they would hold you, despite your precious runes?  I can't have you ruining my good work."  
"They're going to find you-"
"They?" Jonathan mocked.  "The rest of your precious Institute has already given up looking for you.  You're a lost hero.  When I return you to their doorstep, you will understand, you will fully understand the depth of their cruelty.  They will throw you out without a word."  
Alec glared, narrowing his eyes at him.  "You don't know that.  They wouldn't do that to me.  I know they wouldn't."  
"And I know them better than you ever could, little Angel," Jonathan breathed, dancing a few steps backward in delight.  "Only a few more days before we sever your wings, Angel.  Then they will be mine, and you'll see that I'm right."  
Alec swallowed hard, unable to keep his wings from quivering at the idea.  "I won't let you take them without a fight," he promised, glaring at Jonathan.  "You aren't going to take my wings."  
"Don't you understand?" Jonathan asked, tilting his head to the side.  "Do you truly not know?  You've already lost them.  Now it's just a matter of time."  
Alec glared at Jonathan as he continued to laugh before walking out of the room.  He slumped in the chains that were holding him upright and took a deep breath.  It had been days, which meant that none of his runes were active, who knew where the hell his stele was, and, if he was right, he was out of time before his wings were taken.  
He looked around the small cell they had kept him in.  There was no way out, and trying to break free of the chains would result in him breaking at least his wrist, and dislocating one of his shoulders, which meant his wings would be useless.  Alec closed his eyes and sent up a prayer to the angels that the others would come for him.  Jonathan was wrong.  They would come for him.  
~!~
It had been four days.  
Four days that Magnus had burned, tortured, and devastated his way through Idris' underground, searching for Angel.  
Everyone was aware that he was on the warpath now, and no one was eager to stand in his way.  He flicked a small piece of flame off his fingers and surveyed the information he had gathered.  
He knew who held Angel.  He even knew why.  
The one, devastating piece of information he could not seem to track down was where.  No matter how many he threatened, and no matter how many he killed, the location of Angel was being kept just out of his reach.  It was infuriating, and he was running out of time.  
A staccato knock came on the door and Magnus waved it open, the shadows forming a hand that turned the knob and moved aside to let Viper in.  He glanced at her, his eyes narrow.  "Anything?"  
Viper shook her head.  "The search for him has been formally declared finished.  They're considering him dead, now."  
Magnus breathed in slowly and looked at the table in front of him.  "He's not dead," he repeated, the mantra the only thing continuing to keep him going after everything.  "That's not what he wants.  Angel isn't dead."  
"Even if you are right," Viper held up her hands when furious golden eyes glared at her.  "Even if you are right about what Jonathan wants from him, there's no way to know that he would even survive whatever they have planned."  
Magnus sighed and slumped against the table, exhaustion making flames flicker at his fingertips as his anger continued to burn.  "I know," he agreed, looking at everything again.  
She smiled knowingly.  "But you're not going to stop, are you?"  
Magnus shook his head, looking at the table.  "Not until Angel is home," he agreed.  
"So, you going to tell him about the whole in love thing when he gets back?" she teased, winking when angry gold eyes snapped to her again.  She held up her hands when the glare deepened.  "I'm not one to judge, I've had my fling with Thorn more than once, as everyone likes to chat about."  
Magnus' lips quirked.  Fling it most certainly was not, but neither of them were ready to admit more.  "Even if I did feel something for Angel," Magnus said, clearing his throat.  "Even if I did.  He's more than indicated that he wants nothing to do with me."  
She raised both of her eyebrows and softened, nodding.  "I can see him insisting on that.  Doesn't mean that it's true, only means that is what he's been taught to parrot."  
Magnus didn't look at her.  "I won't be a piece on the side for anyone.  Not even him, Viper.  I'll bring him back to you all, destroy the people who did this in my city, and things can go back to normal."  
Back to normal with frustrated eyerolls, scoffing, and the occasional blush would be enough to sustain him.  It would.  He took a deep breath and shook himself, looking at the map of the city spread out in front of him again.  
"The one thing we do know," Viper said, her heels clicking on the floor as she approached him.  "Is that he's in the city.  We can feel him, but his signature is too muted for us to get a precise location."  
Magnus breathed out slowly, an idea starting to form.  "Do you know what part of the city?" he asked, his voice soft.  
"South," Viper confirmed.  "But that sprawls all out to the docks, and who knows-"
"I need a favor," Magnus said, closing his eyes as he tightened his hands on the edge of the table.  "I need you to figure out an emergency that can draw every hero away from the south side of town tonight."  
Viper's eyes widened.  "What are you planning?"  
Magnus took a shaky breath.  "It's better if you don't know.  But we are going to find him.  Tonight."  
"How long do you need?" She asked, taking a step towards him.  "And please tell me you aren't about to do something dumb like kill yourself to manage whatever you're thinking?"  
"Kill myself?" Magnus asked, his eyes dark as he looked at her.  "Oh no.  Flame and shadow cannot kill me," he breathed, looking back down to the papers again.  "Keep the heroes out, Isabelle," he said, using her name, looking at her.  
Isabelle tensed, glaring at him.  "Magnus.  What are you planning?"  
Magnus looked at her and took a deep breath, before turning away and heading deeper into his lair.  "You can let yourself out," he ordered.  The shadows were crawling around his hands, responding to the magic surging in him.  
"Magnus!"  Isabelle cursed when he didn't listen, the shadows of his lair swallowing him before she was ushered out the door by them.  She crossed her arms over her chest and pulled out her phone, hitting a number.  
"Well hello, my darling Viper.  To what do I owe the pleasure?"  
Isabelle took a deep breath and tried not to let the flutter of her stomach give away how much she liked that nickname whenever Meliorn used it.  "I need your help," she said, biting her lip.  
Abruptly, the teasing lilt to his voice was gone.  "What do you need, my darling?"  
Isabelle breathed out in relief, clenching her eyes shut.  "I need to explain in person.  Can I come over?"  
"The doors are always open for you, Isabelle.  I'll see you soon."  
"Thank you," she managed, hanging up before she started to run.  Whatever Warlock was planning would save Alec, and that was what mattered.  That was what she had to focus on.  
~!~
Alec screamed, sobbing as he sagged in the chains.  
The pain was like nothing he had ever experienced.  Every twitch of muscle sent fire racing through him, and he could hear the rustle of feathers, adding to the injury.  
"Don't worry," Jonathan said, smirking, even as he watched the wings be brought over to him.  "I'll put them to good use.  And if you survive long enough, we'll dump you right on the door of the Institute.  Maybe you'll get to say goodbye."  
Alec wanted to shout, to rage at Jonathan, but his entire body was trembling with pain and he couldn't hold himself up any longer, sagging, the iron digging into his wrists again.  
Jonathan laughed.  "Not so defiant now, are you?  Useless to your precious cause and to those you've called family."  
Alec clenched his eyes shut, trying to breathe through the pain, but it only brought another wave of fire washing over him.  How was he supposed to escape now?  He blinked again, the pain making his vision go fuzzy as he tried to focus and figure out a way to get out of here.  He had to get out.  
Jonathan's cry of victory was the last thing he heard as he fell into unconsciousness.
~!~
Magnus took a deep breath and shook out his hands, stepping up to the edge of the building.  
Standing on the edge of the roof of Freight Tower wasn't something that he wanted to do, but it was the tallest building on the south side of town, and that meant it was the only place he could do this.  Explosions from across the river, on the north side of town, told him that Isabelle was keeping her word.  
Magnus exhaled slowly, and closed his eyes.  
This was going to hurt.  
But he was going to bring Angel back, no matter what it took, even if meant using powers that he detested tapping into.  
Spreading his feet until they were shoulder length apart, Magnus slammed his palms together and began to chant, closing his eyes.  Shadows began to curl and wrap around his legs, sliding up him, wrapping around him like the tightest cloak.  
Shadow stepping was dangerous, and doing it necessitated being able to lose one's self to the power, but depending on how far he cast his net, he should be able to pull himself back out.  
The shadows were up to his waist now, creeping up even slower, crawling up his chest, towards his heart, hands clawing at him.  Magnus looked out at the city and cast his hand out, a series of silver sparks shooting from them.  Once he had his net cast, it was a matter of falling into the shadows, their siren’s embrace.  They called him home.  
The shadow crept up his neck and Magnus forced his breathing to remain slow and steady.  They crawled up his face, pulling at him, suffocating him, and taking over.  He could do this.  He could.  For Angel, he would do this.  
Once the Shadows covered his face, Magnus froze, his chest stopping mid-breath.  There was no longer a need to breathe.  He was a shadow.  Shadows did not breathe.  He opened his eyes and leapt for the shadow in the wake of the building in front of him, disappearing into it.  
Traversing the Shadowlands, the hidden walkways of any city was dangerous, but Magnus watched as all manner of creatures fled before him.  It likely had something to do with the flames left behind in every step he took, causing the shadows cast by him to extend far beyond them.  His power stretched, out through the net that he had set, reaching, exploring.  
Connected to the shadows of the city like this, there was nowhere to hide from him.  Every shadow was his domain, power that begged to be twisted and torn by his fingers, to leap to his every command until he had smothered the world in flame.  Today he did not simply walk the paths of shadows.  He was them.
A familiar shout of pain had him spinning.  
There.  
This time a scream.  
Magnus snarled, a low, echoing noise that sent every creature nearby scattering, running from him.  Flames gathered around him, a duality of being, one of flame and shadow as he began to move.  
The noise of Angel's sobbed out screams and shouts was a beacon in the shadow and Magnus did his best not to focus on exactly what it meant, that he might arrive too late.  He would save Angel.  He would.  He was not going to fail now, not after everything.  
A flash of light had him pausing, stepping into the shadows of the real world and out of the realm of shadows, surveying the sight before him.  
Angel, wings removed, bloody stumps on his back, his body wracked with pain. 
Magnus turned his attention to the shouts of victory he could hear in the other room.  Angel first.  Then them.  He breathed out, letting some of the shadows recede, enough that Angel would see, and hopefully recognize his eyes.  Magnus stepped up and in front of Angel, cupping his face.  The shadows were repelled by the light of his skin, and Magnus smiled at it.  
Alec flinched away from the touch to his cheek, waiting for the flash of pain, but there was none, only a continued soft touch.  He forced his eyes open with a grunt, trying to breathe through the pain waiting for him.  In front of him, a shadow with glowing golden eyes rippled.  "Wh, what..." he breathed, staring.  
"I'm here to rescue you," Magnus explained, keeping Angel's eyes on him.  "I'm here to rescue you, Angel."  
"W-Warlock...?" Alec asked, frowning, wanting to shake his head, but the less he moved the better.  "What, what're..."  
"Shhh," Magnus soothed, leaning in to kiss Angel on the forehead.  "I will be back to soothe your pain soon, Angel.  But first I must deal with those who have dealt you pain.  They will not survive."  
Alec opened his mouth, but it was too dry, and the pain too much.  The stumps at his back flexed, his wings wanting to respond to the sight of Warlock, of Warlock ready to go on some sort of a rampage for him.  Blackness was coming for him again.  
Once Angel was unconscious, Magnus carefully freed him from the chains, melting them off his wrists with a touch of concentrated fire.  He put Angel down on his front, carefully pillowing his head as best he could.  The sound of a maniacal cackle outside the door drew his attention.  
So these were the children playing at being villains?  
Magnus stepped into the shadows of the cell and outside the ones in the room, surveying the eight or so men that were standing there, all surrounding one in the middle.  His eyes narrowed at the sight of Jonathan Morgenstern.  He started to step forward, only to freeze when Jonathan sat up, Angel's wings spreading out behind him.  
Magnus went cold.  
~!~
Every villain and every hero have an origin story.  
Magnus' was simple.  He was the son of a human and a Prince of Hell.  
Simple, right?  
Wrong.  
Once his parentage had been found out, he'd been kicked out of the Academy faster than some mass murderers.  After all, how could he ever be a hero?  He was destined to be a villain, as bad as his father.  
His father had found him then, left with nowhere to go, and a bad taste in his mouth for the supposed structure of the heroes blessed Clave that kept all citizens of the world safe.  
If they didn't want his help, his protection?  
Fine.  Then they wouldn't have it, and he wouldn't miss it.  After all, there was plenty of good he could do breaking the law.  
It had taken years to establish himself as a  Supervillain, but not one who took the lives of innocents.  He was on his good days a petty thief who never kept the money he stole, and on his bad days, the reason that no true villains moved into his part of the city.  
It was a role that suited him surprisingly well, right up until Angel had started trying to prevent his crimes, self-righteous and demanding he follow the Law.  The broken Law that nearly executed him for a crime that he had hidden because it had been committed by a terrified child.  
That was the day Magnus knew that Angel, for all he tried to uphold the Law and do what was respect, was just like his sister, Viper.  They were not the rigid structure they had been raised in.  They could be persuaded to do the right thing.  (Though with a truly excessive amount of glaring on Angel's part.)  
And now.  
This two-bit villain that Magnus had sent packing more than five years ago had not only captured Angel, but had taken his wings.  
Magnus lifted his chin and let power bleed out of him, the lights in the room starting to flicker.  The men started to shout, and the first one to catch sight of him was strangled by shadow before he could take a step further, his body slumping to the ground.  
"You're too late!"  Jonathan shouted.  He clenched one of his hands, pulling a weapon out to point it at Warlock.  "You're too late to save the precious Angel!" 
Magnus tilted his head and stared down at the boy whose wings were too big for him, spread behind him and quivering.  "If he dies, then you will die screaming," he promised, shrugging.  The next man to approach him, Magnus suffocated with shadow, listening to him choke before he fell to the ground.  
"So this is the infamous Warlock.  And here I thought you were nothing but a two-bit pretend villain."  
Magnus turned his eyes to the one who had spoken and absently surveyed the magic gathering around her palms.  "One does what one must.  You will pay for what you have done tonight."  
"They have persecuted us for centuries!" She snarled, pointing at the door.  "You come in here to defend them like you nowtow for them and you fight back against them just as we do!"  
Magnus tilted his head in consideration and studied her.  "Is that what you believe you are doing in stealing his wings?  Somehow evening the odds of the battle you wish to fight?"  
"One less member of the Institute is one less we have to fight!" Jonathan growled, holding onto his blade, glaring at Warlock.  "And if you're going to stand in our way, rather than join us, we'll kill you too."  
Magnus laughed, shaking his head with a snort.  "Kill me?  Do you think you are anything more than a waste of my time?"  He lifted his eyes up to the wings on Jonathan's back, each vein in the wings turning black.  Blood poisoning.  It was only a matter of time, now.  
"We'll show you!"  
Magnus watched as the remaining figures in the room ran at him.  He closed his eyes and breathed out slowly, shadows leaping out of him with a scream, reaching for each of them.  Two had their necks broken by their own shadows, and the others fell, one after another, shadows twisting around them.  He turned his attention to Jonathan.  
Jonathan sneered.  "A monster.  You should join us.  They'll never allow you near the Institute!  Even if you do rescue their precious Angel, they won't even say thank you before they're throwing you out of the place!"  
Magnus chuckled, low and deep in his throat, flames growing around him as he stepped closer to Jonathan.  "Who are you working with, child?  You would not come up with a plan like this on your own."  
Jonathan screamed as the flames started to lick at the bottom of his feet and Magnus stared at him, watching him as he started to sweat, his body thrashing as he made the flames hotter.  "Tell me," he ordered.  
"My father!" Jonathan screamed, thrashing as the fire abruptly died out, sinking against the wall, his new wings quivering in pain.  "V-Valentine.  Morgenstern.  This is his idea."  
The Morgensterns were one of the most prestigious families in the Clave, and were staunch supporters of the Institute.  
Magnus turned to look at the cell where Angel was being held.  If they had orchestrated the capture of Angel, then it made sense why the search had been called off for him so soon.  "Why?"  
"Your precious Angel wants change.  He wants to work with the good villains, the anti-heroes, he calls them.  He's a fool, he's going to be killed!"  Jonathan shouted.  "He didn't deserve these wings, he didn't deserve to wear runes, I did, not him, it should have been me!"  
Magnus scowled and resisted the urge to send the flames into the boy to burn him from the inside out.  He needed to bring him to Viper, to get him to confess in front of the others, and bring Angel back.  "How many of you are there in the city?  How many work with you?"  
"You expect me to-ah!"  
Magnus tightened the rope of flame around his throat, his eyes glittering in his fury.  "I expect you to tell me.  Now.  And I might consider sparing your life if you do."  When Jonathan had given him everything that resembled useful information, Magnus tied him up and knocked him unconscious before stepping into the shadows, holding onto the bastard.  
Walking past his self-imposed barrier to the Institute was a struggle, but he was not about to let this be.  He stepped out in front of the gilded doors and sent a blast of fire at them, sounding every alarm there.  Heroes, some still in training poured out and Magnus threw Jonathan, the boy wearing Angel's wings down on the ground in front of him.  
Viper was at the front of the group out of the dilapidated church.  "Warlock!  What are you, where's-"  
Magnus held up his hand and walked away from her, melting back into the shadows.  He had hunting to do, and hunting never suited the righteous.  
~!~
Isabelle chewed on her lip, pacing impatiently across Operations, her eyes darting up as more heroes walked in the front door, but there were no further reports of Warlock.  More than a dozen bodies had appeared, all with his signature on them, and all of them associated in some way with Jonathan.  But there was no sign of Alec, nor of Warlock beyond the bodies he was leaving behind.  
"Izzy!"
Izzy turned, relaxing at the sight of Jace.  "Thank the angel," she breathed, reaching out to wrap him up in a hug.  "Did Clary explain everything that's going on?"  
"She did, but I don't understand," Jace said, crossing his arms over his chest.  "What is this whole mess with Alec's wings?  How are they on someone else?" 
Izzy bit down on her lip and sighed.  "That's the part we don't understand.  Somehow Jonathan was able to take Alec's wings and graft them to what was left of his.  They're fully functional and he's dangerous, considering how powerful Alec's wings are."  
"And Warlock just dumped him on our doorstep?  And has now been running all over the city killing people?" Jace asked, frowning.  "Isn't the guy like, minorly incompetent?  He lets himself get caught by Alec all of the time."  
Izzy rolled her eyes.  "Yeah that's just his particular brand of flirting because apparently, villains can't do anything normal.  But he's one of the anti-heroes that we keep an eye on.  He tends to not get involved in the big three unless it's at the service of people and for good reasons."  
Jace frowned.  "And there is still no sign of Alec?"  
"No," Izzy said, her face falling.  "That's the part that worries me the most, that Warlock is going on this rampage because he found Alec dead, and Jonathan with his wings."  
"It isn't," Magnus said, stepping out of the shadows under the table they were standing beside.  His skin was starting to burn with his shadow walking, but it was a small price to pay to be able to get everywhere that he needed to.  "He's alive, and I've made him as comfortable as I can at the moment."  
Izzy's hand dropped to her weapon and she stared in shock.  "Warlock, what are you-"
"Shut up," Magnus growled, narrowing his eyes at her, well-aware there were dozens of weapons being pointed at him.  "Listen to me.  This was done from inside this building.  Your prejudices have been your unfolding.  If I give you Angel back now, it'll spell his death."  
Jace frowned and shook his head.  "You don't know what you're talking about, Warlock."  
"No?" Magnus asked, glaring at Archangel.  "You want to tell me why the search was called off so quickly?  I found him in a matter of days, Archangel.  Days.  And the entire cadre of heroes that you have here couldn't find a lead?  You don't find that at all suspicious?"  
Jace opened his mouth and snapped it shut, scowling at him.  "How the hell did you get in here?  This building is warded against-"
Magnus' smirk was lethal.  "You've never warded it against Nephilim.  Too many of you are."  He waved and gave Archangel a wink.  "Yourself and Angel included, of course.  I fall under the same jurisdiction, just a far more evil one, of course."  
"Warlock," Isabelle interrupted.  "You need to bring him back to us.  Without his wings, he could go into shock and die.  You need to let us-"  
"I don't need to let you do anything," Warlock said, reaching out to press a finger under her jaw, tilting it up.  "I will take care of Angel myself, and if you all dare to harm him, I won't give you a second to breathe before I destroy you myself."  
Isabelle pulled away from the fingers under her chin, reaching out to grab him, but he was melting into the shadows again, the lights flickering around them.  There were too many staring at them until Izzy ordered all of them to get back to work.  She turned her attention to Jace and frowned.  
"You think he's telling the truth?" Jace asked, frowning.  "I can't see it happening, but-"  
"Think about how my relationship with Thorn is treated," Isabelle said, her voice soft.  "And then ask yourself that question again."  
Jace scowled and looked back at the ceiling.  "So, what, we all leave and become vigilantes?"  
Isabelle snorted.  "No.  I think we get more information and then make a decision.  We're going to need Spitfire, and maybe even her best friend."  
Jace groaned.  "Of course we are.  As if we didn't have enough to do after the cleanup on the north side."  He rubbed a hand over his face.  "Okay.  Let's get started because I at least know where to begin looking."
Isabelle raised her eyebrows.  "You do?"  
Jace nodded.  "Grandmother."  
Isabelle snorted.  "Nothing quite like going to the source when suspicious shit is going on," she agreed with a nod.  
~!~
By the time he made it back to the cell Angel was resting in, Magnus knew that he was going to pay for all the power he had used tonight.  It was a matter of time before he crashed.  Picking up Angel with a grunt, wincing when the man gave a moan of pain, even unconscious, he stepped into the shadows once more, heading home.  
Magnus summoned one of the best healers that he knew, his best friend, and had her look over Angel, ignoring the look on her face when she realized who was lying face down in his bed.  The stumps on the back of Angel's back were ugly, wounded things, and it would likely be a long time before he could glamour them, let alone move around without any sort of pain.  
"When are you going to bring him back to the Institute?" Catarina asked, packing up the last of her things.  "I've bandaged them as best I can, but-"
"He's not going back," Magnus said with a sigh.  "At least not until I have a chance to talk to him."  
Catarina frowned.  "Do you think that's wise?  His people-"
"The search for him was called off before I found him," Magnus said, rolling his shoulders.  "And the Institute will be busy for a very long time cleaning up the mess that I made tonight of Jonathan Morgenstern's organization.  They'll also have to decide what to do with the wings that he has stolen."  
"Ah, that's the real reason that you don't want to give Angel back?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at him.  
Magnus shook his head at her.  "The shock of seeing them on someone else could either send him into a rage, or deep depression, with the distinct possibility of both.  Either way, I can't allow him to do that."  
"Keeping him here and hiding the truth from him isn't going to help him," Catarina shot back.  
"I'm not going to keep the truth from him," Magnus growled.  "I'm just...going to try to find him an alternative.  I don't know what that is yet, but that's what I'm going to do."  
Catarina sighed.  "Your crush is going to get you in trouble, Magnus."  
Magnus glared at her.  "It's not a crush."  
"It is, and you're rather pathetic about it.  Just make sure it doesn't end up in you being dead," Catarina said, looking at him.  
Magnus huffed out a breath and rolled his eyes before turning back to the patient stretched out in his bed.  He brushed some of the hair out of Alec's face and watched his chest rise and fall easily.  "It doesn't matter.  He wouldn't ever want to be with me regardless.  Allow me a little pining over the pretty boy out of my league, won't you?"  
"If that's all it really is, friend, then I hope that he treats you well," Catarina said, giving him a skeptical look.  "But I have a feeling your heart is already invested.  It was always too big for your own good."  
Magnus winced.  That was the truth.  "Thank you for helping to heal him."  
"He should wake up tomorrow.  You need to get some rest if you're actually going to keep him here," Catarina said, frowning at him.  "I'll come by again if he needs more healing, just let me know?"  
"I will," Magnus promised, settling into a comfy chair beside the bed, watching the slow rise and fall of Angel's chest.  "I don't think he will, at least not for now."  
Catarina nodded at him again before taking her leave and Magnus turned his attention back to Angel.  He smiled faintly.  He'd known Angel's name for years now, since one couldn't be friends with his sister and not know his name, but Angel had always been the one to put the professional separation between the both of them.  
His eyes drifted to the remains of Angel's wings and he sighed, summoning a sketchbook to his fingers before starting to draw.  At the very least he could do something to try and make this awful mess better.  Try, of course, being the word, but it was all he could do.
When Alec woke, his back was no longer on fire and he was in the comfiest bed he could ever remember lying in.  He closed his eyes and buried his face back into the pillows again.  He didn't want to wake up.  Pain was going to be waiting for him when he woke up.  
"I know you're awake."  
Alec sat up in a flurry, going to spread his wings out behind him in defense before gasping, his whole body spasming in pain at the fire that raced from his shoulders.  "F-F..." he barely managed to swear, black dots dancing in his vision.  
"Shit," Magnus swore, stepping up closer, reaching out to press his palm in the center of Angel's back, using his shadow magic to soothe the pain and draw the fire of burning muscles out of Angel and into himself.  He took a deep breath, his body quaking at the pain he could feel before he pulled his hand back.  "Don't move too fast, you'll hurt yourself again."  
Alec covered his face, realizing belatedly that he was no longer wearing his mask and he looked up at Warlock about to snarl and blinked.  
Warlock wasn't wearing a mask either.  
He blinked again.  
Warlock was wearing comfy silk pajama pants and a robe that was open, exposing a bare chest.  Alec forced his eyes away and glared at the villain.  "Where is my mask?"  
Magnus sighed.  "I don't know.  When I rescued you from Jonathan, he'd taken it from you and my priority was stopping him and getting you out.  I didn't stop to look for it."  
Alec blinked, his mouth dropping open.  "Y-You rescued me?"  
Magnus smiled ruefully.  "Your precious Institute had already called the search off for you.  I wasn't about to let you go so easily."  
"You hate me.  I'm always stopping you," Alec corrected, staring at the villain.  Like this, his eyes were a warm brown, and the smile on his lips made his stomach twist.  He looked away and cleared his throat.  "You are a villain, remember?"  
"Oh yes, because stopping me from robbing pawnshops owned by the mob, and corrupt banks and other corrupt institutions are absolutely the most villainous thing I could be doing," Magnus scoffed, rolling his eyes.  "Honestly.  You wouldn't recognize flirting if it hit you upside the head, would you?"  
Alec stared at Warlock in shock, his head spinning.  "You, you've been flirting with me?  What?  Why?!"  
Magnus blinked and stared at Angel.  "Uh.  You know, I honestly wasn't expecting you to ask that question."  He rubbed the back of his head and gave Angel a smile.  "Because I think your self-righteous constipated look is adorable and would like to see it without the mask on occasion?"  
Alec shook his head, taking a second to process that before he shook his head harder.  "I don't, you're playing some kind of prank on me.  Fuck.  Can you just, let me go-"
"No," Magnus interrupted, putting a hand in the center of Angel's chest, halting his motion to get up.  "Letting you go is not something I can do, I'm afraid."  
Alec froze and carefully sat back on the bed, his eyes darting around the room.  Had he gone from one trap to another?  
"Before you panic?" Magnus said, holding out Angel's phone.  "You aren't confined to this room, and hell you aren't confined to the city.  But you cannot go back to the Institute."  
Alec relaxed a fraction and grabbed his phone, swiping it open and sagging in relief when it looked mostly untouched before he turned to Warlock.  "And why the hell can't I go back?"  
"Other than the fact that I now know Jonathan worked with other individuals inside the Institute and Clave to ensure you were kidnapped and your search party stopped weeks earlier than it should have been?" Magnus asked, his tone conversational.  "I imagine if you give them another day, Viper and Archangel can confirm what I'm saying, I sent them looking from their end."  
Alec blinked.  "You, how the hell do you know that?"  
Magnus shrugged.  "I tortured them all until they told me what I wanted to know before I killed them.  I think your Institute is finding the last of the bodies now.  I did leave them quite the mess after I found you."  
Alec froze, something uncomfortable twisting in his chest before he looked down at the blankets.  "I thought you didn't kill people," he managed, his voice low.  He'd heard Warlock make that statement jokingly, dozens of times over.  "You always told me you didn't."  
"I told you I don't kill innocents, Angel," Magnus said, his voice soft.  "And that has remained unchanged.  Not a single innocent has died by my hand, and nor will one.  The day it does, I'll put myself in one of your precious cells."  
Alec stared down at the blanket.  "But you killed people, because...?"  
"Because," Magnus blew out a hard breath.  "They'd hurt you.  They'd kidnapped and tortured you, and they had plans, and did it, to a great many other heroes.  I found the evidence.  That is what your Institute is cleaning up now."  
"And you think if I go back-"  
"I think if you go back, the target is on your back and I can't protect you there," Magnus said, spreading his hands.  "But I can protect you here while you heal.  And I work on a project for you."  
At the mention of healing, Alec couldn't help flinching.  He looked over his shoulder and a small whimper escaped his lips at the sight of the bandages.  "So he did take them."  
"He did," Magnus breathed stepping closer to kneel on the edge of the bed in front of Alexander.  "I nearly burned him alive from the inside out when I saw that he had."  
Alec closed his eyes and tried to breathe through the idea that he would never be able to fly again, would never be able to use his wings in battle again, would never have them as an expression of his emotions, would lose a part of him that had been there since he was a baby.  "I'll be fine," he said.  The words weren't convincing and they didn't feel it.  
Magnus stood up from the bed and headed into the kitchen, bringing a tray back to the bed that Angel was resting on.  "My name is Magnus," he offered, picking up one of the coffees on the tray.  "I brought in one of the best healers I know to treat your back.  She'll be back later tonight to make sure you've started to heal well."  
Alec flinched at the sight of food, but reached out for the coffee, cradling it close.  "I'm going to be demoted.  I might even be kicked from the Institute."  
Magnus sighed and looked down at the mug between his hands.  "I understand.  And yes, it's entirely possible that you will be."  
Alec took a deep shaky breath.  "I don't, where the hell am I going to go if I get kicked out, it's been my whole life and-"
"Woah, woah," Magnus said, reaching out to take Angel's arm, holding onto it to keep him from hurting himself.  "Breathe.  I'm not going to kick you out, because trust me, I had that experience when I was younger being kicked out of your Academy and I'll never do that to someone."  
"I can't stay here," Alec said, curling up.  "You're a villain."  
Magnus looked at him, waiting until Angel looked at him with confused and sorrowful eyes.  "No, I'm not.  I never have been.  I'm a Nephilim, just like you are, Angel.  The only difference is in our bloodlines."  
Alec's breath caught and he stared at Warlock, no, Magnus, he'd shared his name.  "I, how do you know that?"  
"I once attended your Academy.  I thought to be a member of the Institute.  A hero, a protector of the people who deserved to be protected."  Magnus snorted and shook his head.  "I was kicked out, thrown to the streets when my parentage was revealed, and it didn't matter how much power I had, how strong I was, and how much good I wanted to do.  That was all they ever saw." 
Alec frowned and stared at Magnus.  "Wh, why would they kick you out because of your parentage?  If you're a Nephilim, then-"
"Because," Magnus said, smiling faintly at him.  "My father is a Prince of Hell.  I am a true son of an Angel.  And unfortunately, it's a demonic one.  So I was removed.  He found me later."  
Alec flinched and dropped his eyes to the blankets before lifting his head and offering up.  "I'm sorry that that happened to you."  
"As am I," Magnus agreed.  "But I will never be a villain who commits the big three, as you all are so fond of saying.  I get no joy in death and destruction, and I see no point in attempting to kill you all.  I protect those I must protect, I kill those who deserve it, and ensure a safer world for the vulnerable."  
Alec swallowed and scowled.  "And who decides who those who deserve it are?  You?  Like you somehow have the ability to tell if someone is evil or not?" 
Magnus tilted his head and stared down Angel.  "I killed everyone who was involved in your kidnapping, Angel.  Every single one of them, without hesitation, save for Jonathan."  
"I didn't ask you to do that," Alec said, his heart pounding desperately.  
"Of course not," Magnus agreed.  "No hero would ask for the deaths of others.  But I am not a hero, Angel, nor have I ever been one."  He took a long and slow sip of his coffee.  "I want you to stay here, and away from the Institute for at least another few days.  Allow your back to finish healing.  I have a few plans for you that you might want to see."  
"Plans?" Alec scoffed, rolling his eyes.  "What kind of plans do you think I'll go along-"
Magnus tossed the notebook at him and turned to leave the room, leaving the breakfast tray behind him.  He pressed a hand to his heart, ignoring the twisting ache in it as he walked through his lair.  All he would ever be in the eyes of Angel would be a villain.  
Alec stared at the notebook in front of him, at the detailed drawings that were sketched out.  His breath caught at the sight of the notes on the mechanics detailed out.  He'd even gotten the wingspan right, and if these schematics were correct, he might even be able to fly with these wings.  
Alec dropped a hand to the sheets, a tear falling down on the paper, sliding off his chin to stain the charcoal, followed by another, and then another.  He sucked in a pained breath and slumped to his side, putting the drink on the tray, curling up as his back started to ache all over again.  His wings were gone.
~!~
Magnus sighed and gave Angel as much space as he could stand before he wandered back into the room, waving away the tray quickly before helping to get the man situated in the bed and on his stomach again.  He was still groaning in pain, his body shaking as his muscles twitched and pulled where the weight should be and it no longer was.  
He picked up his notebook off the bed and looked at the design.  He'd already started prototyping it, but he had a feeling that Angel wasn't ready to even begin that conversation, let alone testing anything that he could come up with.  Magnus carefully threaded his fingers through Angel's hair, before leaning down to kiss the top of his head.  
"Sleep well, Angel.  I'll keep the shadows from your dreams, don't worry.  Rest," Magnus promised him, standing up to leave him alone in the bedroom again.  
Magnus settled down in front of his workstation for what felt like the fifth time in as many hours.  Angel was still sleeping, taking slow deep breaths as he kept his face buried in the pillows and he'd already scrapped the skeletons of two prototypes that would replace his fingers.  
He pushed his fingers through his hair when a call came through his phone from an unlisted number.  Magnus flipped it open and settled back in his chair, closing his eyes.  "Warlock speaking," he drawled.  
"You're going to pay for taking him."  
Magnus sat up in a rush, his eyes flying open, power flaring out of him.  "Who is this?" he snarled.  
"We had plans for him, you know.  And now that we know he's precious to you, do you think that he'll ever be safe?  You've shown your hand, Warlock."
Magnus snapped his eyes shut and forced himself to breathe, icy calmness washing over him.  "Have I now?  One rescued pretty Nephilim and you somehow think I've gone soft?  May I remind you how many dead I left in my wake in the rampage I made across the city?"  
"We're not afraid of you."
He very much doubted that, but letting them have their delusions was going to help him in the long run.  "Then do you mind telling me what it is you want other than Angel?  I'm not sure what a wingless Nephilim can do to be of use these days." 
"If he's so useless, then why are you protecting him?"  
Magnus laughed.  "Not even I am immune to the fortunes of the Institute.  They've paid me very handsomely to design the prototypes of his wings that he will wear."  Silence on the other end, and Magnus resisted the urge to smirk in victory.  He'd surprised them.  
"They would never..."  
"No?" Magnus asked, his tone nonchalant.  "They wouldn't do anything in their power to get one of their strongest Nephilim battle ready?  Especially considering all of the additional protections I could give a pair of wings?  I might not be a hero, but they know I would not risk crossing them."  
The voice hardened.  "You're going to risk crossing me, then?"  
Magnus laughed, low in his throat.  "You haven't given me a reason to fear you, or even, truly, give a damn about why you think you can influence me in any way, shape, or form."  
"I'll kill him."
Magnus narrowed his eyes.  "Who?  Angel?  You already had your chance and you did an abysmal job.  I'm afraid you are not qualified to take another shot at it."  He looked at his computer and smirked as the trace was completed.  "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to come to kill you, since you made the mistake of being on the phone with me far too long."  
There was a shout on the other end of the phone line and Magnus laughed as he started to hear more shouting before the call disconnected.  He hit a button and waited for it to connect.  
"Raphael?  East end.  Continent street.  Sending you coordinates now.  Kill everyone," he instructed, leaning back in the chair.  "They're the ones who've been kidnapping everyone."
"Consider it done," Raphael growled.  "You need proof?"  
Magnus laughed and shook his head, standing up in a flourish from his chair.  "None at all, dear boy, just get the work done," he instructed.  He turned around and saw Angel standing on the other side of the table, his arms crossed.  "I'll talk to you soon."  He blew kisses into the phone and hung it up before smiling widely at his guest.  
"About time you were up and about, Angel.  I've been wondering if you were more injured than I thought!" Magnus said, smiling at him.  "Did you sleep well?"  
"Did the Institute really pay you to create new wings for me?" Alec asked, frowning at Magnus.  
Magnus burst out laughing.  "First off, you and I both know that they would never put their money in my hands.  The level of mockery alone that I would subject them to simply isn't worth it, whether they lowball, highball, or simply offer me nothing, nothing would hold me back."  
Alec's lips twitched and he smiled, even as he felt disappointment curl in his chest.  So Magnus wasn't designing new wings for him.  
"Besides," Magnus said, clapping his hands together.  "I haven't had a good project to sink my teeth into in months, and trying to recreate wings that you can actually use, and that can help you fly, and maybe have a few improvements on your old ones-"
Alec blinked and stared at Magnus.  "You're....wait you weren't kidding?"  
Magnus blinked and stared right back at Angel and softened, pulling up the schematics that he had already started to flesh out.  "No, Angel.  I wasn't kidding when I said that I was going to design wings for you.  I can't imagine the pain you're in, or how much you miss them."  
Alec swallowed and dropped his eyes to the floor, blinking hard.  "I can't afford that," he admitted.  "I, my family is well off, but they wouldn't-"
"Angel," Magnus stopped, stepping around the table, reaching out to touch his arm.  "There's only one thing I'm going to ask in payment, all right?  And it's something you can give freely."  
He couldn't stop himself from giving Magnus a suspicious look.  "And what, exactly, is this thing that I can give you so freely?"  
"Your name," Magnus said, grinning.  
Alec flushed and bit down on his lip, looking away from Magnus at the design he could see rotating on the table.  His wings ached and he reached out to touch his fingertips to the tip of one wing.  "Alec," he whispered.  "My name, Magnus, is Alec."  
Magnus' breath caught and he froze in place when Alec looked back at him.  They'd had their fair share of staring contests, but it had always been through masks, both of them playing a part, but here, like this, they were both stripped bare.  He coughed and turned back to the table.  "Well, consider these fully paid for then, and I'll be able to start prototyping them in a few hours."  
"All right," Alec said, biting down on his lip.  "Can I use your shower?  And uh, I kinda need to get some clothes."  
Magnus shot Alec a look and smiled faintly at him.  "I think if you were to call your sister and let her know that you're all right, she'd be more than willing to meet you somewhere and bring clothes to you."  
"You telling me she doesn't know the location of your lair?" Alec shot back, rolling his eyes.  
"Of course she does," Magnus said, grinning at the shock on Alec's face.  He winked at him.  "She's been here often enough that she probably has the route memorized.  Did you think I was the only one looking for you when you went missing?"  
Alec softened and smiled.  "Ah.  That makes sense.  Thank you, for that.  For rescuing me.  For getting me out."  
Magnus smiled faintly.  "I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner."  
Alec let out a hard breath and nodded, pulling out his phone.  "I'm going to go call Izzy.  Where should I tell her to-" he blinked and turned back to Magnus.  "Wait if I'm going to meet her somewhere, that means I'm going to..."
"You're going to know that my very evil, very dark, and gloomy lair," Magnus gestured to the well-lit and bright space filled with warm colors and fresh sunlight.  "Is located in an apartment building in Brooklyn, yes."  
Alec blinked and stared at Magnus, his cheeks starting to flush.  "I, thank you.  For, for trusting me."  
"Just don't come arresting me unless you want to play cops and robbers and we'll call it even," Magnus shot back, turning his attention to the desk.  "Now you go call your sister and you let me know when you're ready to head out."  
Alec rolled his eyes.  "Planning to accompany me?"  
Magnus whistled, high and piercing, and watched as a cat wandered out of the shadows, black as night with green eyes, who immediately started to weave between Alec's feet.  "No, not at all.  Planning to send a friend with you if you get into trouble though?  Yes."  
"Hello there," Alec said, leaning down to hold out his hand, smiling as the cat made of shadow started to lick his fingertips.  "Does he have a name?"  
"Chairman Meow," Magnus said, his lips quirking up when Alec started to snicker.  Look at that, the self-righteous Angel having an actual sense of humor.  Stranger things had happened.  "He'll keep to the shadows as he follows you, and maybe even your shadow.  You can't hurt him, and if anything happens, he'll follow you and then let me know."  
"That's helpful," Alec said, petting the cat again and listening to him purr.  "Is he a real cat-ow!"  
Magnus started to laugh.  "He's got a personality, let's say that.  Whether he's a cat or something else tends to be determined by the moment.  He likes being a cat the most, I think.  Probably because I let him lounge around the loft all day long."  
"All right," Alec said, standing up.  "I'll call Izz, uh, shit.  Viper."  
Magnus snorted and rolled his eyes.  "I know her name, Alec.  It's fine.  I think at this point we've agreed to trust each other at least a little bit?"  
Alec swallowed and nodded, flushing as he turned away from Magnus.  "Yeah, yeah, you're right.  I, I do trust you."  
Magnus felt those words like a punch to the stomach, and they were accompanied by the tiniest and most sincere smile he had ever gotten from Alec.  Fuck, he was doomed.  This crush was never going to go away at this rate.  
He watched Alec move through the loft and back into the bedroom before he turned back to the wing design, humming as he pulled up several references of Angel in battle before starting to get back to work.  It wouldn't do for Alec to think that he was doing nothing but eavesdrop.  
When the sound of Alec's footsteps coming back in his direction much sooner than anticipated echoed, Magnus turned and caught sight of the fear on Alec's face.  His stomach dropped.  
"Izzy's been arrested," Alec said, his hand clenched tight around the phone.  "They nearly arrested Jace, ah, Archangel, but they didn't have enough charges to make it stick on him, considering who his grandmother is."  
Magnus swallowed, staring at Alec.  "What charges was she arrested on?"  
"Working with villains to cause disruption and harm in the city," Alec said, pressing his hand to his face.  "Which it sounds like is exactly what she had to do so you could do whatever you did to rescue me."  
Magnus cursed and grabbed his phone, flipping through it before he pulled up an old contact, hitting dial.  The phone rang once, twice, before it connected.  "I need you to come to New York.  Now.  No, this is not up for debate.  We've got bigger problems, and I need an old Academy Professor to represent a Nephilim in court."  
Alec blinked in surprise and stared at Magnus.  "What?" he breathed.  
Magnus held up his hand to Alec.  "Don't give me that you old curmudgeon.  This is one of the good ones, and I would know.  No, for Edom's sake, I'm not dating her, I like her brother, not her."  He froze and glanced over at Alec, but thankfully the man seemed to be preoccupied with his phone.  "She needs your help, and I need her to stay out of their prison, now can you come help or not?" 
Alec's heart was pounding in a truly unattractive manner, but he continued to stare at his phone, pretending that he wasn't replaying the words 'I like her brother, not her' over and over in his head.  Did Magnus mean him?  Why would Magnus like him?  
"All right," Magnus said, hanging up the phone.  "That'll take care of your sister, at least for now.  Ragnor's got some clout with the Clave, apparently a centuries-old debt in his favor, so that'll help buy us some time."  
"I don't understand," Alec said, rubbing his forehead.  "Why is this happening now?  What is going on?  That would have normally gotten a hand slap, because no one cares as long as no one dies, and no one is seriously injured!" 
"The answer is obviously that someone very much wants you and your siblings out of the picture," Magnus said, putting his hands on his hips as he rubbed his forehead.  "Okay, practicalities.  You need clothes to wear, and we need to do some hunting down of evidence."  
Alec raised his eyebrows as Magnus pulled out a wallet and handed him a black credit card.  "I hate shopping."  
Magnus huffed.  "Do you want me to buy your clothes?"  When Alec immediately looked terrified, he grinned.  "That's what I thought.  Though, I wouldn't torture you too badly.  Maybe buy you some new armor that doesn't have holes in it."  
"My armor doesn't-"
"Just," Magnus held up a hand.  "Go somewhere, go quick, get what you need, and please come back here.  Chairman will be able to let you in.  I have to go try to figure out what is going on in the Institute."  
Alec frowned.  "You can't go snooping around there.  You'll get caught."  
Magnus blew Alec a kiss and winked at him.  "Oh, ye of little faith," he teased.  He headed for the front door and stepped out, snapping his fingers to change his outfit as he started walking down the hallway.  They needed to figure out what the problem was before things got worse.  
~!~
Alec paced across the room for what felt like the hundredth time in the past hour.  Chairman was still staring at him and Alec scowled at the cat before he looked at his watch.  He didn't even have a way to contact Magnus, and he was going to fix that the second that he got back, but until then he was left-
The sound of rattling against the door had him jumping up and he strode for it.  On the other side was Magnus, slumped, his clothes smoking.  "Magnus!"  He yanked the door open and caught him, his clothes singed and his whole body almost limp.  Alec slammed the door shut and turned to look at Chairman, who was rapidly coming towards them to investigate.  
"We, we,"  He cleared his throat and tried to think.  "We need to lock this place down to keep him safe.  Do you know how to do that?"  
With one look at him, Chairman was off and streaking for Magnus' office.  Alec jumped when an alarm blared, but then the windows were all slammed shut and he could see, and feel, heavy wards coming down around the building.  He relaxed and focused on getting Magnus to the bedroom.  "Magnus what the hell happened," he whispered, brushing some of the hair away from his head.  
"Hurts," Magnus breathed, reaching out to clench his fingers in the shirt that Alec was wearing, blinking his eyes open as another wave of pain washed over him, making him cry out.  "Hurts oh, Edom, it hurts."  
"What does?" Alec asked, getting Magnus to the bedroom, putting him down on the bed, looking him over, his eyes raking over his body worriedly.  "What hurt-" His eyes widened at the sight of the Agony rune burned into Magnus' arm, and the way his body was wracked with pain.  "Magnus," he whispered.  
"This shit," Magnus panted, clenching his eyes shut as he rode out the wave of pain.  "Is not fun, Alexander."  
"I know, I know it isn't," Alec said, reaching out to take Magnus' hand, squeezing it hard.  "Squeeze when you ride it out."  
Magnus grunted.  "I'll break your hand, I can't," he said, even as another wave of pain hit him and he gasped, clenching hard enough to hear Alec's bones start to crack and the Nephilim give the sharp inhale of pain.  
"The difference," Alec breathed, fumbling for the stele he was glad that Jace had passed him earlier, swiping it over his iratze.  "Is that I can heal my hand.  I can't get the rune off of you."  
"How long does it last?" Magnus managed, opening glassy eyes to stare up at Alec before he pitched forward, pressing his face against the soft shirt Alec was wearing, and the firm chest behind it.  "Fuck, fuck, fuck," he whined, his body shaking.  
Alec swallowed.  "Almost five hours in total.  I think the official time is four hours and fifty-seven minutes."  
Magnus breathed out hard and forced his eyes to focus on the clock by the bed.  "Thank fuck it's almost over," he said, arching and crying out when another wave hit him, making his whole body start to shake even harder.  "I can't, Alexander, I can't, it hurts, it hurts-"
"I know," Alec whispered, carefully cradling Magnus against his chest even as he cried out again, the lights flickering ominously around them, the shadows starting to dance.  "I know, but you're going to be okay.  You're going to be okay, just keep breathing through it."  
When the wave finally subsided, Magnus sank into Alec's arms again with a whimper, leaning against his neck.  "You really do know, don't you?"  he asked, turning dazed up to the other Nephilim before the pain was back again, slamming through him, ripping a scream from his throat as he fought to hold still.  When Alec's arms came around him, pinning him in place, he wanted to fight, but he knew he would risk hurting Alec.  
"I've had to wear the Agony rune four different times in my life," Alec breathed, holding Magnus tight as he screamed again, the shadows growing even longer around them.  He focused on Magnus.  He could worry about those and what they might mean later.  "It's never been easy and I've hated it every single time."  
Magnus was glad when the wave receded fully, and that Alec didn't let him go, only held him closer.  "I have twenty minutes left," he managed, closing his eyes.  "Promise I'll explain after, I just-"
"Shhh," Alec soothed, rubbing his hand up and down Magnus' back.  "Just focus on getting through the fucking thing, then we'll worry about the rest of it, okay?"  
"Right," Magnus grit out, right as the pain started to ramp up again.  He shook and he felt some of the lightbulbs in the room pop under the weight of his power that he was trying to keep restrained.  He could hear his father's voice echoing in his mind and he tried to breathe.  Fuck, he never should have come home, Alec was here, and if he ended up hurting Alec-
Alec held onto Magnus tighter, wishing that he had his wings so he could wrap them protectively around them both.  "It's all right, Magnus.  I've seen this more than I ever want to admit to.  Just scream.  I promise it's a little easier if you scream and give in to the pain like that."  
Magnus wanted to grit his teeth and get through this without that, but now that Alec had mentioned it, there was no holding it in.  He screamed, again and again, until his throat was sore.  
By the time the rune faded twenty minutes later, he was exhausted and he slumped into Alec's arms with a whimper, his entire body falling forward.  "Fuck," he breathed, looking down at his arm and the rune that was now almost entirely faded.  "Alec, what..."  
"Everyone learns to get through the pain," Alec said, his voice hollow.  "We scream and we thrash, but they have to be sure we won't give up secrets under the worst kind of pain imaginable.  So they test us with that."  
Magnus shuddered, clenching his eyes shut.  "Fuck," he whispered.  "They weren't supposed to catch me, but they managed to get ahold of me when they realized I was sneaking in a meeting I shouldn't have been.  They had that rune on me and were bringing me to a cell.  I barely managed to dive into a shadow to escape."  
Alec breathed out slowly.  "Chairman put the loft on lockdown.  The entire Institute is going to be out looking for you now," he said.  "Especially if you heard something that you weren't supposed to."  
Magnus pulled his phone out of his pocket and pressed the recording button.  
"-and he's supposedly rescued the Lightwood boy!  Are you incompetent?  We told you to kill him, not steal his wings and leave him a cripple!  He's much more useful to us dead than like this!"  
Alec flinched.  
Magnus pressed stop on the recording, sighing into Alec's skin.  "I'm sorry," he managed, his voice hoarse.  
"So am I," Alec whispered, looking to Magnus.  "But I'm glad that you're the one that rescued me, Magnus."  
Magnus gave a small nod into Alec's shirt and closed his eyes, sagging.  "I have to rest.  Shadow walking without prep for it drains me hard.  I wasn't ready for that, and they were definitely trying to stop me."  
"Is that why you arrived singed and smoking?" Alec asked, helping Magnus out of the jacket and then belts he was wearing.  Ignoring Magnus' soft noise of protest, he got his shirt and his pants off before tucking him into bed.  
"No," Magnus whispered.  "That's because of the monsters.  That's why I always have to go in ready.  They'll attack me if I'm not a certain way and I wasn't ready."  He sighed and closed his eyes, curling up in the blankets.  "M'sorry you're having to take care of me."  
"It's all right," Alec said, settling into the bed beside Magnus, getting comfy on his side, smiling in amusement when Magnus immediately pressed in closer to him.  "You know, I'm almost disappointed you're not making a joke about having gotten me into bed already."  
Magnus sighed.  "I'm disappointed in myself, honestly, but I'm also exhausted.  I'll crack all the jokes you could ever want when I wake up, Alexander," he promised, focusing on the warmth of the blanket around him and the fact that Alec wasn't pushing him away for some reason.  
"You know," Alec whispered.  "You keep calling me that, but I seem to remember telling you my name is Alec."  
Magnus snorted.  "Alexander Gideon Lightwood.  Twenty-three.  Heir presumptive to the Lightwood family, and likely heir to the Head of the Institute.  Codename, Angel.  Works side by side with siblings Jace and Isabelle, codenames Viper and Archangel, respectively."  
Alec blinked and pulled back to stare at Magnus, ignoring the small disgruntled noise he made.  "How the hell do you know all of that?"  
Magnus reached up and pressed his finger to Alec's nose.  "One, because information is my business and I am very good at my job.  Two, because your siblings are actually shit at keeping their cover when you aren't around.  Three, because I would be a fool if I didn't look into you considering what you stand to inherit."  He yawned and closed his eyes again.  "I've known that stuff for a long time, Alexander, and not once have I ever used it against you.  I never would, unless you forced me to."  
Alec made a small noise in the back of his throat.  "You're really not a villain, are you?" he whispered, pushing some of Magnus' hair out of his face, meeting golden eyes when they blinked up at him.  His breath caught and he couldn't help staring.  
"No, Alexander, I'm not," Magnus admitted, closing his eyes again.  "I'm far more on your side than I am theirs."  
Alec tightened his arm around Magnus, pulling him in that much closer, trying to keep him safe by holding him as close as he dared.  It seemed like there were a lot of things that the Clave and the Institute were lying about and he intended to get to the bottom of them.  
~!~
When Magnus woke up, he was warm.  
It was a refreshing change from the chill that normally sank into his bones after a major magic depletion and he cuddled closer to the human furnace that was thoroughly wrapped around him with a happy noise.  He nuzzled into Alec's chest with a sigh before he blinked open slowly.  
"There you are," Alec said, blinking hard to wake himself up.  "Was wondering how long you were going to sleep."  
"What time is it?" Magnus asked, pulling away only enough to conjure a glass of water for himself to sip, soothing his sore throat.  Upon hearing that almost eight hours had passed since he'd gotten back, he sagged back in and against Alec.  "The whole world is going to be looking for both of us, and I am afraid that both of your siblings are now also at risk."  
Alec tensed, cursing.  "Shit, that's not good."  
"No," Magnus agreed, taking a deep breath.  "It isn't.  It means we need to get them out.  Jace might be able to stay out of direct arrest thanks to his Grandmother, but neither of them is going to be able to leave the Institute for a very long time.  That leaves them plenty of time to out-maneuver us."  
"So what do we do?  I can't just leave them there!" Alec protested, biting his lip.  "Fuck, but it's not like I can waltz in there and take them out, either."  
Magnus hummed and considered that, looking up at the ceiling, even as he remained nestled in Alec's arms.  "There are a number of different things we could do, but what we should do, and what we need to do is get them out of there.  And then we need to begin gathering our side."  
"Our side?" Alec asked, raising his eyebrows.  
Magnus snorted and opened his eyes to look at Alexander.  "The morally gray side, my dear.  Welcome to it, we have cookies, hoodies, and damn good alcohol."  He pushed himself upright and pushed his fingers through his hair.  "The Clave is going to kill you the second you return.  We have proof of that.  They could try to pin whatever your crimes are on your sister, which means we need to get her out."  
"And what do we do after we get out?" Alec asked, frowning.  He crossed his arms over his chest.  "I know I'm hardly hero material at the moment, but both of them-"
Magnus pressed a finger to Alec's lips.  "You are more a hero now than you ever were working for them," he promised.  "I have a suspicious feeling that Jonathan is going to be their undoing, and right now we need to get everyone out that you think you can trust."  
"Fuck," Alec breathed out slow, considering that.  "There are maybe, a dozen.  That we would need to get out.  The chief of security, I trust him.  Aline, my cousin.  Her not-girlfriend.  The girl you know as Spitfire."  
"The one your sister is best friends with?" Magnus asked, grinning when Alec shot him a smile and a nod.  "Got it.  And where Spitfire goes, the plucky best friend also goes?"  
Alec nodded, chewing on his lip.  "We need to get them all out of the Institute and away from the Clave.  But what the hell do we tell people?  That a whole bunch of heroes have suddenly gone rogue?"  
Magnus tapped a finger on his jaw.  "I think, I might actually have an idea about that," he allowed.  "But first.  Jailbreak.  We need to get them out.  Can you get a message to any of them?  Safely?"  
"Maybe Aline," Alec said, tilting his head in consideration.  "No one would be expecting me to reach out to her, and she can organize the others."  
"Great," Magnus said.  "You start on that.  I need to make some calls of my own.  And see how your prototype is coming along."  
Alec's eyes widened.  "You already-"  
"Of course," Magnus said, rolling his eyes.  "I'm not going to make you sit around miserable for one second longer than I have to."  He stood up and stretched, snapping his fingers to change his outfit before he started for the door.  
"Magnus," Alec called, looking down at the sheets.  "Why are you doing this?  Why are you helping me?  Us?"  
Magnus blew out a hard breath.  "Because you are the best hope that we have for change, and I want to see this world change.  I want to see heroes that are real heroes again like you and your siblings, not only protecting those who don't need it."  
Alec bit down on his lip, hard enough to taste blood.
"Because, believe it or not, Alexander, this world does not exist in black and white, and intentions should always count for something, whether they are good or bad," Magnus leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.  "We're all some sort of human, and we are all going to make mistakes and fuck up, and unless we allow ourselves that growth and the chance to redeem those mistakes we have made?  We're no better than the monsters we fight."  
Alec's heart was pounding uncomfortably the longer he stared at Magnus and the compassion he could see shining in those eyes.  "Magnus?  May I ask you something?"  
Magnus smiled faintly.  "You haven't shied away from asking me anything yet.  Not sure why you're hesitating now."  
"Why are you designing me wings?" Alec bit down, his shoulders tensing, sending a bolt of fire down his back as he grunted.  "Why, why waste the time, and the energy, and the effort and-"
Magnus stepped back into the room, kneeling on the bed next to Alec, reaching out to tilt his chin up.  "Because I want to," he said, keeping it simple as he met Alec's eyes.  "Because I cannot imagine losing something so intrinsic to my own sense of self, and it is in my power to help you get it back."  
Alec's mouth went dry and he stared at Magnus, his eyes flickering down to his lips that looked so soft, especially this close.  "Because you want to?"  
"Because I want to," Magnus confirmed with a nod.  He smiled faintly and gave Alec a wink.  "And maybe I like you swooping down to interrupt my little petty crimes a bit too much.  I'd certainly miss you landing in front of me, hands on hips, self-righteous look on your face-"  
"I do not!" Alec protested, his face hot.  
Magnus put his hands on his hips, tilting his head up and puffing out his chest just a little.  "Warlock, put down that money right this instant, on the order of the Clave and my authority as-"
Alec burst into laughter, unable to help himself at the impression of him Magnus was doing.  "You're much better at that than my siblings," he allowed, grinning at Magnus."  
"The trick is to imagine a stick up my ass.  It helps," Magnus said with a wink at Alec.  "But, all teasing aside, I would miss you if you were never around to be a goody two shoes again.  So I'm going to help you."  
"And all you want as payment was my name?  Which you already knew?" Alec asked, narrowing his eyes at Magnus.  "How did that work?"  
"Oh fuck I forgot that's what I made you pay," Magnus muttered, rubbing his hand over his face.  "Okay, so maybe I wanted you to be willing to tell me your secret identity, not just blow your cover like that."  
Alec rolled his eyes.  "So what do you actually want?  I'll see what I can do about paying you."  
Magnus grinned and winked at Alec.  "Well, I was originally going to ask for a kiss, but I figured I'd be pushing my luck asking for that."  
Alec blinked and felt his cheeks heat, even as he stared at Magnus.  "You, you were going to ask for..."  
"A kiss?" Magnus asked, raising his eyebrows.  "Yes."  
"Why do you want to kiss me?" Alec asked.  "No one wants to kiss me, I'm just, just..."  
"Handsome?" Magnus supplied, watching Alec's eyes jump to his again.  "Beautiful, actually is a word I would much rather use, but I can understand you might be a little uncomfortable with it."  He breathed out slow and looked up at the ceiling.  "Loyal, especially to his siblings and with a true sense of good and evil, right and wrong.  I know damn well you should have arrested more much more often than you did."  
Alec flushed and glanced down at the blanket before looking up at Magnus again.  
"Kind," Magnus continued, smiling faintly.  "And I'm not just talking about the kitten rescues.  You do things I know make you uncomfortable to help others.  You care about people - not just the prestige being a hero gives you."
Alec stared at Magnus, his heart pounding as Magnus kept talking.  
"You have a truly excellent sense of humor, even though you like to pretend you don't have one," Magnus continued.  "I know damn well that you smile at all of my puns, don't give me that, Alexander."  
Alec laughed, his head falling back.  
"You laugh with true joy," Magnus continued, watching Alec abruptly sober.  "You made sure I was safe inside when I was hurt and injured.  You took care of me when I could barely move.  You held me when I was screaming with pain."  
"Magnus..." Alec breathed, staring at the other man.  
"And because," Magnus finished, pressing a fingertip to Alec's lips before kissing him on the tip of the nose.  "I would like to date you, Alexander.  Not just kiss you.  I'd like to spoil you, and make you laugh like that far more often.  I want to find out what your favorite foods are, what your favorite color is, and how you take your eggs."  
Alec stared at Magnus, a flush working its way up down his neck until he met Magnus eyes head-on and smiled against his finger.  He closed his eyes and pressed a kiss to the tip of it, listening to Magnus gasp.  "My favorite comfort food is macaroni and cheese, I used to make it for Jace and Isabelle whenever they were upset and I kinda ended up loving it by osmosis."  
Magnus' eyes widened and he stared at Alec.  
"My favorite food if I am going out to eat is any kind of curry.  The spicier the better.  Izzy and Jace have always teased me about having no taste buds, but I love curry," Alec continued.  "Maybe you know a curry place that we could go to?"
Magnus forced himself to nod.  He was going to find the best curry place in the damn city.  Maybe the world, and take Alexander there every chance he got.  
"My favorite color is a dark forest green," Alec continued.  "Tease me about it if you like, but that's why my armor is that color.  I know it doesn't blend in, in the city, and it's almost black, so no one minds too much, but I love that dark green."  
Magnus blinked hard and looked down at his finger that was still pressed against Alec's lips and tried to keep his breathing steady so he didn't do something ridiculous like pull Alec into a kiss and never let him go.  
"I have yet to find a way to take my eggs that I don't like, except for over easy, because that's just too much fucking effort for eggs," Alec admitted.  "But sunnyside up and scrambled are my favorites.  Though, a loaded omelet is the way to my stomach, always."  
"Why," Magnus choked down the word, his heart pounding so damn hard.  "Alexander, what are you-"  
"So I guess," Alec said, kissing the tip of Magnus' finger again.  "This is a yes to, to whatever.  A kiss.  A date.  Because, well," he lifted his eyes and started to smirk.  "If it's going to keep you from preventing petty crimes in the future, I have to do it for the good of the city."  
Magnus' eyes widened and he burst into laughter, grinning at Alec before he shifted and wrapped his arms around Alexander's shoulders, careful of his injury smiled at him.  "I hope you know that I am going to kiss you now before we go on this stupid fucking adventure that is going to get the both of us killed."  
"Sounds great," Alec whispered and closed his eyes as Magnus leaned in that last inch to press their lips together, making him gasp and shiver under the gentle touch.  He could feel Magnus wanting to push closer, to take more, but they'd have time for that.  He lost himself in the slow press of their lips together and when Magnus drew back, Alec pulled him in again.  
Magnus groaned and tangled his fingers in Alec's hair, tugging impatiently on them until Alec was gasping into his mouth as they kissed harder and wetter, the slick sounds filling the room until they had to break apart.  "Fuck," Magnus whispered.  "I never thought you'd actually respond to my flirting, I just like flustering you."  
"I'm going to have to figure out how to fluster you in return," Alec said, his tone grumpy.  "But now we have to go take care of..."  
"Everything else?" Magnus offered.  "You are sadly correct."  He stretched and nodded, stealing another soft kiss.  "We're going to bring everyone here.  I can branch onto the house, and I have the best wards in the entire city.  There's no place they'd be safer.  Once we've got them out, I'll shadowstep us into the loft, and then we don't need to worry about things until we're ready to act."  
Alec blew out a hard breath.  "Which still leaves us with no plan to get Isabelle out, because she's locked up, and if I know them, which I do, they've made sure that her cell will be very well lit."  
Magnus' eyes were bright and he smirked.  "Well, it's a good thing for you that I have a plan for that, isn't it?"  
"All right," Alec said, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Magnus.  "Let's see what this plan of yours is."  
"Call Aline and get the others out.  Then we'll bust Isabelle out."  
Alec nodded and pulled out his phone, watching as Magnus stepped away and towards his office.  He bit down on his lip and saw Magnus add a faint sway to his hips, making him blush.  "Stop that, you tease!" he growled.  
"You were the one watching," Magnus called, his voice lilting in amusement.  
Alec's cheeks burned, because damn the man for being right.  He blew out a hard breath and flipped open his contacts.  He had to figure out how to explain everything to Aline.  And hopefully, get her to believe him enough so that she didn't turn him in.  
~!~
Magnus was almost surprised how easy it was to get everyone out that needed to get out.  Alexander's motley crew was able to escape, either following existing patrols, or sneaking out of the Institute over the course of three hours, and now they were all standing in his loft.  He shook his head.  
It felt too easy.  
A knock on his door meant the second phase of their plan was about to begin.  He clapped his hands and opened the door, gesturing Meliorn in.  "Excellent, now that we're all here, it's time to begin our plot to rescue Isabelle."  He turned to the man and smiled.  "Shall I explain?"  
"Go ahead," Meliorn gestured to him.  
"Fantastic!" Magnus said, turning to the ground still looking around his loft in wide-eyed surprise.  "All right, so the plan is going to be to smash our way in and pull her out, and, hopefully, in the ensuing chaos, everyone gets away and no one is hurt, and we all come back here in one piece."  
"And what after that," Jace growled, crossing his arms over his chest.  "We just stay here forever?"  
"We'll get there blondie, one step at a time," Magnus said, holding out his hands.  He turned back to Meliorn.  "So, what you all might not know, but the cells are underground, buried against the foundations of the Institute."  He watched them roll their eyes and continued.  "Fortunately, this is not a detriment as you might think, but something we can absolutely use to our advantage!"  
"How?" Jace asked, glancing between Alec and Warlock.  "And how are we going to help?"  
Magnus turned to Meliorn.  "Well, we're going to take advantage of Meliorn's power.  He's going to manipulate a few of the larger, older trees around the Institute and use their roots to, well.  Breakthrough the foundation walls.  Man-made creations will always bend to the forces of nature, after all."  
Meliorn nodded and continued.  "Once I've been able to break through, that'll add one more thing to the room to cast a shadow.  And if there's a shadow in the room..."  
"I'm able to get in!" Magnus finished, his voice triumphant.  He grinned bright and wide.  
"So," Spitfire asked, frowning.  "What are we supposed to do to help?"  
Magnus grinned in delight.  "I am so glad that you asked Spitfire.  Er, I'm sorry, I don't know your real name?"  
"Clary," she said, smiling.  "And this is Simon, Underhill, Aline, and Helen."  
"Thank you that helps, because I was not going to be able to keep you all straight normally," Magnus said, looking to Alec standing in the corner away from them, longing obviously in his face.  "You, my dears, are going to provide the distraction that your precious Institute is preparing for."  
They blinked.  
Alec spoke up next, stepping forward and looking at all of them.  "You're going to be glamoured.  Magnus' friend, Ragnor, is joining us shortly.  He's going to make you all look completely different and you're going to run around town causing havoc.  The more unique uses of your powers you can manage the better."  
Aline started to grin.  "You want them to think the attack they're preparing for is actually going to happen."  
"That's exactly what I want," Alec agreed, looking to her with a smile.  "And more than that, I want them to empty the damn Institute to deal with all these issues popping up.  That'll make it easier to get Isabelle out."  
"All right," Simon said, frowning.  "But how do we run around town, avoiding a bunch of superheroes, without getting caught?"  
"You all get a familiar!" Magnus said, clapping his hands again.  "Chairman, come here, please."  
Magnus snapped his fingers once the cat was nearby, sending a quick concussion of magic through the room, and abruptly, in Chairman's place, were several smaller versions.  He knelt down and gave each of them a good pet.  "All right, I need you to keep all of them safe, okay, and bring them back here when they're done causing mischief."  
Magnus waited until there was a Chairman Meow paired up with each of the heroes and sighed in relief before turning to Alec.  
"And I stay here to make sure everyone gets home safe?" Alec asked, his smile tight.  "I can do that."  
"Actually," Magnus said, taking a deep breath.  "I have a job for you, and I need you to trust me in order to do it."  
Alec stilled and turned to Magnus curiously.  "I trust you," he supplied, nodding at Magnus.  
Magnus smiled at him gratefully and stepped in closer.  "The Institute is going to be all hands on deck being distracted by everything going on, but they are also going to think there might be a trap waiting for them."  
Alec started to nod.  "You're right.  They would.  Too much chaos and things look like it's going to be a trap."  
"Right," Magnus said, taking a deep breath.  "Which is why I need you to walk in the front door of the Institute, pretending to be injured."  
Alec blinked, his eyes widening.  "You need me to...what?"  
"Magnus that won't work!" Jace protested.  "They know you have him!"  
Magnus didn't look away from Alec and started to smirk.  "You need to tell them who I am."  With a wave of his fingers, his mask was in his hand and he offered it to Alexander.  "You need to offer them precisely who I am, and say that you managed to escape, because I was wounded."  
Alec's breath caught.  "They'll have tortured you, so they'll know you would have come back here injured, and I could have maybe gotten free."  
Magnus nodded.  "Exactly.  So you're going to show up and cause absolute insanity."  
"How the hell do we get him out again?" Jace snapped, glaring at Magnus.  "He's got the most dangerous job of all and he-" he stopped, biting down on his lip when several pairs of eyes swung to him in indignation before he continued.  "-he's unarmed.  Alec, you can't-"
Alec turned to look at Jace and straightened his shoulders.  "I might not have my wings, Jace, but I have my runes, I have my training, and I am going to do my part to help keep all of you safe."  He turned back to Magnus.  "You'll get me out?"  
"This is the part where you need to trust me," Magnus breathed.  "I'm going to be with you the entire time."  
Alec blinked.  "How are you going to do that?"  
"Once I get Isabelle out," Magnus said, looking at him.  "I'm going to crawl into your shadow and stay there.  I can remain there as long as you are casting one in some regard."  
Clary frowned.  "But they put Isabelle in a room with-"
"The Institute only has two maximum security rooms outfitted in that way," Magnus countered, watching their eyes widen at his knowledge.  "One, right now, houses Jonathan, and the other Isabelle.  We're about to destroy one.  And besides, with his wings gone, none of them would consider Alexander a threat, would they?"  
"No," Alec agreed.  "None of them would.  They'd have to interrogate me, of course.  Make sure that I was telling the truth.  But none of them would consider me a threat."  
"So," Magnus finished.  "The second that we are alone, I step out of Alec's shadow and bring him back here."  
"This is complicated," Helen said, speaking up for the first time.  "And you're both putting each other at a great deal amount of risk.  Why can't we just break out Isabelle and run?"  
"Because," Magnus said, looking at her.  "Meliorn needs time to move the roots.  That'll take time, and give them more time to notice something is wrong.  Everything is going to depend on whatever you choose to make your crimes."  
A thought occurred and Magnus looked to all of them, his face pained.  "And for the love of Edom, can you please, just this once, commit actual crimes, not some weird version of almost-a-crime?  Smash a jewelry store window, try to steal a painting from a museum, I don't care, pick something."  
"The irony of a known villain encouraging heroes to do crimes to cover up a greater crime that he is doing is not lost on me," Simon muttered, huffing.  "All right, so let's say everything works, we all regroup here... and then what?"  
Magnus sobered and turned to look at Simon.  "Do you want the truthful answer?"  
"Yes," Clary spoke up, her eyes darting across the group.  "We want a truthful answer."  
"Jonathan did what he did to Alec with acting orders from someone within the Clave, likely his father and others working with him.  Alec was supposed to be killed, not have his wings removed.  The progress that all of you represent, I have no doubt that there are plans to kill you all within the year," Magnus said, meeting each of their eyes.  "The truth is that you can never go back as the Institute and Clave stand as they are."  
"Which means..." Aline trailed off, looking from Magnus to Alec and back again.  "You're talking about war."  
Magnus' face was grim.  "I am.  It will be an all-out war, heroes versus the assumed villains.  The rallying cry on both sides will be massive, and the civilian population caught in the middle are the ones who will suffer."  
Silence echoed across the group and Magnus felt the weight of what he was saying land with each of them.  "I don't know what the answer is to that yet.  But I know that all of you represent the hope that the Institute and the Clave can be different.  You are heroes.  I never want you to stop being heroes, I truly don't.  However the system you are a part of is broken."  
"More broken than we realize," Alec cut in.  "And that is a problem to solve after we have Izzy with us and we can figure out what to do.  So first, we execute this wild plan that Magnus has come up with.  Once that's done and we have our team together, then we figure out what our next steps are.  Got it?"  
"Got it," the group echoed.  
"All right," Magnus said.  "I'm giving you an hour's headstart.  I want the chaos to start in an hour.  That'll give Meliorn and I enough time to do what we need to do."  He turned to Alexander.  "In exactly two hours, I want you to walk into that Institute."  
"You got it," Alec said, smiling at Magnus.  "Let's go."  
Magnus watched the heroes file out of his home, his familiars chasing after each of them, praying that that was enough of a token to keep them safe.  They were the hope of the future, and unless they could pull this off, there was nothing left for them.  He shook himself and focused on Alec, waving to Meliorn as he left as well.  
"This is going to be dangerous," Alec said, looking at Magnus.  "What if I can't keep a shadow for you?"  
"You will," Magnus said, smiling at him.  "It's quite hard to eliminate shadows, believe it or not.  And I suspect that they will make a grave mistake in their knowledge of shadows."  
"And what's that?" Alec asked, rolling his eyes at Magnus' antics.
"You'll see," Magnus breathed, reaching up to pull Alec in for a kiss.  When their lips slid together, he melted against the Nephilim, smiling at him as they parted.  "You stay safe for me, all right?  I want that date with you."  
Alec smiled at him.  "You do the same.  I'm not going to be able to come in and rescue you."  
Magnus stood on his tiptoes and gave Alec a kiss on the nose.  "I think that you could come and rescue me just fine if you wanted to."  
Alec shrugged and didn't bother to argue the point.  "Come on, let's get going," he urged, stepping out of the door.
~!~
The first part of the plan went off without a hitch.
Alec watched as heroes poured out of the Institute as alarm after alarm came in, some of them legitimately concerning when he caught wind of them.  The brief mention of Grand Theft Auto made him laugh, because that had to be Jace.  After all, who would ever suspect someone capable of flight to steal something like a car?  Or apparently several cars.  
Many of the heroes leaving were wary and Alec could see in their eyes that they did suspect something, which meant that it was about time for him to play his part.  He looked at the fake blood that Magnus had smeared on him with a wink and waited for the notification on his phone.  Once he had it, he began to limp towards the Institute.  
It didn't matter if he made it in, or someone saw him and brought him in.  His unglamoured wing stumps, and the blood he was coated in would be enough to raise concerns and alarms.  
Thankfully, he did make it all the way to the door and sagged against it, banging hard until it was yanked open.  The young woman took one look at him and went ashen before turning to shout for a medic.  Alec smiled at her gratefully and pretended to lean even heavier against the door, breathing hard.  
"Alec!"  
Alec lifted his head slowly, blinking at the sight of his parents, struggling to push himself upright, breathing hard as they approached.  "I escaped," he managed to croak.  "He, he returned injured.  I got away."  Magnus had encouraged him to keep it simple and Alec had no intention of ignoring that advice.  
Maryse Lightwood pursed her lips.  "Took you too long.  We'd already thought you dead."  
Days ago, the words would have stung, cut deep, but Alec merely nodded, hanging his head.  He felt her eyes drift behind his shoulders to the stumps of his wings, and he hunched in on himself.  "They hurt," he barely managed to croak, glad for the sight of the medic hurrying towards him.  
"Get him to one of the low-security cells," Maryse snapped.  "You can treat him there.  We need to keep him under watch."  
Alec wanted to laugh, because if he'd truly been as injured as he was playing, he was barely able to stand, let alone put up a fight.  But all of his runes were active and while he leaned heavily on the shoulder of the medics who were helping to shuffle him to a cell.  
Once they were out of the sight of the rest of the Institute operations area, Alec spun, knocking the both of them unconscious before he shoved them into a nearby closet and hurried down to the cell, quickly locking himself into the one they'd intended.  There were two brief taps on the back of his hand, Magnus' signal that everything had gone well getting Izzy out of there Magnus was hiding in his shadow as planned.  
Alec shuffled over to the bed and stretched out on it, glad that Magnus tapped him again to let him know he was still there and tried to breathe.  "How long do we need to stay?" he whispered.  
"Until we get the all-clear that all the others are back safe," Magnus whispered.  "But I'm going to be with you the entire time.  Don't worry.  If anything happens, I'll keep you safe."  
"I can protect myself you know," Alec growled, curling up so the stubs of his wings weren't touching anything.  "But I appreciate it."  Instead of a tap, he felt a brief squeeze and a sensation that might have been a kiss on the back of his neck, right as the Institute alarms began to blare, a red alert.  Everyone knew now that Izzy had escaped.  
Except, the alarms didn't stop blaring.  
Alec listened to the sound of multiple people running past the cell, and the sound of screaming.  He frowned.  The alarm was still going off.  "Magnus?" he called.  "Magnus something is wrong."  
Magnus frowned and closed his eyes.  "I can step away to try and find out, but I don't like the idea of leaving you in this locked cell."  
Alec held up the key that he'd picked off the guards.  "Don't you worry about me," he said.  He looked back down to the shadow as the screams started to get louder.  "Magnus something has gone wrong, can you confirm everyone is back?"  
Magnus cursed and dove through the shadows, racing as fast as he could, gathering magic around him as he burst out of the shadows in the loft, his magic curling around him.  A quick headcount confirmed that everyone was back.  "Fuck!" he swore.  "Get to the Institute, something has happened, and I think people are in danger!"  
He didn't wait to see their answer or reactions before he was diving back into the shadows, racing for Alexander.  Whatever happened, he wasn't going to leave Alec to face it alone.  
~!~
As soon as Alec heard the screams start to fade into the distance, he unlocked his cell and crept out, keeping as low a profile as possible.  He didn't need someone recognizing him before Magnus got back and they could work together.  What the hell was going on and why was the alarm still blaring?  
"You fools!"  
Alec froze around the corner, slamming his eyes shut, his heart starting to pound.  Jonathan.  Jonathan had escaped in the chaos somehow.  
"Did you think you could contain me?  Me?  You had to strip my wings once to keep me from killing you all, what did you think was going to happen once I mastered his?" Jonathan shouted, sending another cascade of needle point tipped feathers, watching as more people fell.  He smirked.  
"Now," Jonathan purred.  "Now you are going to pay.  For daring to keep me locked up.  For not squishing those pathetic villains under your heels like you should have.  Kneel to me if you want to live, or I'll cut each of you down one by one!"  
Alec heard the sound of protests, and then bodies dropping and he clenched his eyes shut, remembering Jonathan laughing in his ear as his wings were removed and he tried to breathe, the panic pressing in on him.  
"Alexander."  
Alec's eyes snapped open and he nearly melted in relief when Magnus was suddenly there, standing in front of him, gold eyes out and shining, power coalescing around him in waves.  "Thank god," he breathed.  "Magnus it's Jonathan, he's free, and-"
Another wave of screams and Alec tensed, trying to breathe, and he felt shadows wrapping around his arms and up along his shoulders and around his torso.  Instead of the suffocation he expected, he felt wrapped in Magnus' arms, in his power, and it was a comfort.  
"I'm going to keep you safe," Magnus promised, meeting Alec's eyes.  "I'm not going to let him hurt you any longer.  We're going to stop him here and now, and we're going to keep everyone else safe, you understand?"  
Alec managed a brief nod and more shadows gathered around him, forming armor.  Weight at his back had him frowning and he looked over his shoulder, his eyes widening as he stared at the black wings made of shadow and flame spread out behind him.  
"Well," Magnus drawled quietly, smiling at him.  "This wasn't what I had in mind when I planned to design your wings, but," he leaned in and stole a kiss from Alexander.  "I can't deny that I adore the sight of my power on you like this."  
Alec flushed and cleared his throat.  "Flirt with me after we defeat the evil villain killing every hero in sight."  
"Noted," Magnus whispered, stealing another kiss.  "Good thing I know precisely how to dance around your wings, don't I?"  
"Yeah," Alec breathed, the realization filling him with relief.  Magnus hadn't seen him use the full force of them, but then again... He turned his eyes to the wings behind them and caught sight of the flames flickering over the shadows.  Maybe his new ones weren't without their abilities either.  
"All right," Magnus said, taking a deep breath.  "Together.  You charge, I'm going to slip into the shadows and get behind him."  
"Sounds good," Alec breathed.  "You make sure you stay safe.  I don't want to see you get hurt."  
Magnus' golden eyes flashed and power started to gather around him, shadows crawling up his body, solidifying as they went.  "Oh, darling.  He could only hope to hurt me."  
Alec turned the corner and tucked his wings behind him, hiding them as much as he could, taking in the sight of Jonathan spinning, with what had once been his wings.  The black veiny disease had only gotten worse and he stared at the way they looked weak and shrunken.  Abruptly, Alec realized what was happening.  The grafting hadn’t taken.  It wasn't working.  
"Go, Alexander," Magnus urged, giving Alec a small push forward before he dove into the shadows, stepping into them easily, leaping from shadow to shadow through the Institute, trying to find a position to attack from.  
Alec stepped forward and grabbed one of the swords that had been dropped by another hero and settled it into his hand, calmness, either from Magnus' magic, or from himself, cascaded over him.  When Jonathan spun to him, his eyes wide in shock, Alec lowered the blade and spread his wings.  "Surprised to see me?" he asked.  
"Abomination!" Jonathan screamed.  "I'll kill you once and for all!"
Alec ducked behind a turned over table as soon as Jonathan sent a cascade of quilled feathers at him and looked behind him, watching as the feathers went straight through his wings.  He stared at them and started to smile.  Oh, that was going to be convenient.  
"Coward!  Come out and fight me!"  Jonathan screamed.  "I'll rip those wings off you just like I did these and listen to you scream all over again!"  
Alec swallowed down the bile in his throat and stood up, leaping over the table to take a swing at Jonathan, the blade sinking into the corrupted feathers.  Jonathan screamed, the pained sound echoing in the building.  Alec barely managed to dodge back in time when the razor bladed feathers came for him again, breathing hard at the sight.  
Behind Jonathan, he caught sight of the shadows starting to gather and coalesce and he smirked, tightening his hands on the sword.  "Looks like someone is still learning to use my wings."  
Jonathan snarled and picked up a sword from the floor. "I'll learn to use them better than you ever did!"  
"You know," Alec said, ducking under another swipe of feathers, crashing to his knees before pushing the blade straight up and towards the joint.  "Somehow I doubt that," he snarled, ripping the blade out, watching as black blood began to sludge down the white feathers.
Jonathan screamed again, but Alec watched as Magnus quickly immobilized him with shadows, wrapping one after another after another around him.  Once he was entirely held still, Alec looked to Magnus, his chest heaving.  "Take them off," he growled.  
Magnus' eyes lit up at the demand.  "You sure you don't want to do the honors?"  
Alec glanced towards the wings that were no longer his and shook his head.  "Cut them off and burn them.  I don't want a trace of them left."  
Jonathan screamed as the shadows around his wings began to tighten and then there was a sickening snapping noise before he crashed to his knees.  
Alec knelt in front of Jonathan, even as he watched Magnus do as he had requested, setting the wings aflame, destroying every last corrupted inch of them.  He smiled and tilted his head.  "You know, Jonathan.  I might be one of those weak heroes you spoke of, but, I'm beginning to learn the value of a little bit of villainy."  
"You'll pay," Jonathan spat, his eyes flipping to black.  He started to laugh, smirking as power began to gather around him.  "You'll all pay."  
Magnus had an instant to realize what was about to happen, with the power suddenly fluctuating around Jonathan, about to target Alec.  He threw it out, wrapping his shadows around Jonathan, shoving Alexander back, physically holding him in place.  
"No, no, you won't stop me now!" Jonathan screamed.  "I'll kill all of you.  All of them, destroyed at my hand!"  
"Never," Magnus snarled, his power growing, wrapping tighter around Jonathan.  He could feel the explosion growing in Jonathan's chest and he clenched his eyes shut, focusing on containing as much as he could.  If he could just pull this creature into the shadows, then it wouldn't hurt...
Magnus heard Alec scream something behind him, a command, an order ringing across the Institute.  He took a deep breath and prepared to jump, just as Jonathan stilled in his arms.  
All the Institute lights went dark.  
Magnus smirked and let the darkness come.  
~!~
It had been a desperate last-second attempt to help Magnus, to give him more power, or more ability to move, or more anything that could keep him safe, and as Alec felt the concussion from whatever Jonathan had done.  It rattled the building, but then Magnus was standing, barely illuminated by the glow of monitors from Operations, his chest heaving, his eyes gleaming in the shadows. 
"Magnus?" he managed, pushing himself upright, taking a shuffling step towards him.  When golden eyes narrowed at him in suspicion, Alec froze, frowning at the sight.  "Magnus, what's wrong?"  
Shadows began to crawl along the walls, rippling around them, all around Magnus, and Alec realized that they were creatures coming to attack Magnus, because of where and how he'd been pulled there.  "Magnus!"  he shouted, diving towards him.  "Magnus, you have to move!"  
When Magnus turned resigned golden eyes towards him, Alec realized that Magnus knew.  He knew about the monsters that were now being given free rein, that they would be able to attack them all unless he drew them in and they came for him and no one else.  "No!"  Alec scrambled against the shadows that were moving in flux under his feet.  "No, Magnus!"  
With a last, desperate push of his wings, Alec propelled himself into Magnus, wrapping his arms and wings around him, holding him tight.  "I've got you, hold on, I've got you," he shouted, drawing his wings in closer.  He focused on keeping them wrapped as tight as they could around them, even when the monsters began attacking and slicing into his wings.  
He took a deep breath and felt the shadows start to press into his wings, making them heavier, but he held onto Magnus as tight as he could.  "I've got you, I've got you, hold on, Magnus," he repeated, saying it again and again, even as the shadows started to recede further, the lights flickering back to life above them.  Alec grunted under the weight, but if it was going to protect Magnus, then he would do whatever he needed.  
"I've got you, I've got..." Alec blinked hard, trying to meet Magnus' eyes, but the lights around them were growing brighter.  Where had the shadows gone?  He stumbled and crashed to his knees, breathing hard, but Magnus was there, Magnus' arm was around him, holding him tight.  
~!~
"What happened to him?"  
Alec blinked and scowled at the voice.  It was loud.  He didn't like it.  
"Why hasn't he woken up yet?"  
That one was less annoying, but still, why was everyone talking around him?  
"Let me finish healing him and maybe I can tell you."  
That voice was his favorite.  He liked that voice.  Wanted to bury himself in it and listen to it mumble nice things to him.  Maybe it would do that if he asked nicely?  
Alec took a deep breath and forced his eyes open, blinking them slowly, glad when there was immediately a shadow over his eyes, shielding them from the overly bright lights of Magnus' loft.  There was a gasp from in front of him, so Alec blinked again, looking at everyone standing in front of him.  "S'wrong?" he mumbled.  
"Nothing is wrong darling," Magnus whispered, reaching out to comb his fingers through Alec's hair.  "But several things have changed and you need to know them."  
Alec sighed and sank back into the pillows, closing his eyes again.  "Did Jace do something stupid again?"  
"Hey!" Jace protested.  "I don't always do something stupid!"  
Alec smiled faintly.  "Only when you're with plucky best friend."  
"I have a name!" Simon said, huffing and putting his hands on his hips.  "Honestly, you fit two tropes perfectly and no one ever lets you live it down."  
"Such is life," Magnus said to Simon, kneeling next to Alec.  "Alexander, I need you to open your eyes again."  
Alec grunted and squinted his eyes open, staring at Magnus.  "There."  
Magnus leaned in and stole a soft kiss, before pulling back to look at Alec.  "Darling, I have some news for you."  
"I haven't had enough news?" Alec whined, staring at Magnus.  
"Well, I can pretty much promise you'll want this," Isabelle said, kneeling next to Magnus, smiling at her brother.  "Easy stuff first?"  
"Sure," Magnus said, taking a deep breath.  "So the Institute has been named yours, in name and ownership from this point on until the day you name your heir."  
Alec's eyes snapped fully open and he sat up in shock.  "It's been what?!"  
"Yeah, that's what happens when Jonathan kills most senior staff and there aren't many beyond us left.  Those that were out looking for the messes we created aren't in any shape to lead the place," Jace said, watching Alec.  
Isabelle laughed when her brother blinked again.  "Yeah, after your shadow trick, no one really wants to mess with you, Alec, and I kinda can't blame them."  
"Shadow...trick?" Alec asked, blinking.  "Magnus manipulates the shadows, not me."  
"Yeah, except for when I collapse into your arms from over-exhaustion and you decide to control all of it on your own and channel that into the wings that I gave you," Magnus said, smiling ruefully.  "Which had the side effect of making them permanent, by the way.  It's my magic, grafted all the way to your soul, given physical form."  
Alec spun around, looking behind him, and as if spurred by the thought, his wings burst from his back, a mass of shadows and flames, constantly in flux and moving, rotating.  "They're permanent?" he breathed, turning to look at Magnus.  
Magnus nodded, his eyes on the magnificent wings behind Alexander.  "They are.  The magic was mine, but now, it feels like yours.  It's been made yours by your will.  Still not entirely sure what they can do, but we'll figure that out."  
"Right," Alec said, his voice faint before he turned back to Magnus.  "You're all right?"  
Magnus took Alec's hand and gave it a squeeze.  "I am perfectly fine, Alexander.  Nothing is wrong with me."  
"So," Alec looked around at all of them.  "Why are you all standing around as though it is the end of the world?"  
"Well, we weren't sure you were going to live after you did whatever it was to protect Magnus from the shadows," Clary said, putting her hands on her hips.  "One moment the Institute was entirely in the dark and the next you were pulling it all in to you."  
"Right," Alec said, his voice hoarse before he turned to Magnus.  "So, where does that leave us?"  
"With a hell of a lot of work to do, an Institute that is yours to do with as you wish, and a leadership team behind you..." Magnus said, looking around the room.  "I think the next step is yours to make, Alexander."  
Alec turned to look at Magnus, watching him shuffle awkwardly in place before he reached out and tangled his fingers in the necklaces Magnus normally wore, pulling him in closer.  "Well, I know exactly what I want that next step to be."  
"Oh?" Magnus asked, raising his eyebrows.  
"Yeah," Alec breathed.  "This," he added before he pulled Magnus the rest of the way into a kiss, listening to the whistles of the group as he lost himself in the slow press of lips.  "Sounds perfect," he whispered when they had to separate.  
Magnus laughed and pulled Alec into another kiss.  "Yes it does, Alexander.  Yes it does."
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Hey is that ANOTHER prompt fill?  World must be ending...
40 notes · View notes