Violets

~ Prologue ~

Blackbird singing in the dead of night

Take these broken wings and learn to fly

- The Beatles

'Magnus?'

'Mhmm?'

The warlock blinked and sleeply opened his eyes. Dawn light streamed softly through the silk curtains, and as they fluttered gently in the breeze, he could hear the beeps of Brooklyn rush hour traffic in the distance.

It was day.

He yawned and stretched, his long frame bunching up the rumpled duvet at his waist. He loved the early morning smells of New York more than anywhere he had lived in during his long life; the cool air on his cheeks, the sweet waft of bagels from down the block, and Alec. Alec made everything seem brighter, more exciting; when Magnus saw the world, it was like he was seeing it all over again through his boyfriend's eyes.

He turned over, muttering nonsense into the pillow. Alec was sitting up, his back to the headboard, looking pensive. Magnus loved when he caught him in moments like that, sleep-weary yet open in a way that barely anyone else saw.

'What were you saying, love? A bit early for me to be functioning,' Magnus murmured, hating to disturb the peace that surrounded the younger boy. Alec started a little and blushed.

'Sorry. Go back to sleep, it was nothing. Just me thinking aloud.'

'Tell me.' Magnus crawled across the mattress and wrapped his arms around Alec's waist. The Shadowhunter kept gazing intently at the sunrise from the loft window, but curved instinctively into the embrace, his lip tugging upwards and shoulders relaxing. Magnus knew this was Alec's way of silent communication; if you knew him well, even his slightest movements gave away what he was thinking.

Right now? Well, even if Magnus couldn't read minds, I love you. I love you.

'Something's bothering you, I can tell. Alec.' The last part half playful, half serious, Magnus clasped both of Alec's hands and turned him towards him, dragging his eyes away from the city dawn. Alec stared at their fingers intertwined, as if they were somehow going to break or disappear. His young, wise face was creased with thought.

'Nothing,' Alec sighed, and kissed him softly. Magnus closed his eyes and inhaled the smell of Alec's raspberry shampoo, the faint whiff of coffee on his breath, the feel of his heartbeat thumping against his own.

'Nothing my sparkly ass. Alexander Gideon Lightwood, tell me what is going on and stop trying to distract me with kisses. It is not working.' Magnus sat back and crossed his arms, trying his best to look stern and failing. His lips were more than distracting, as well as the kicked puppy look he was getting.

'It's stupid,' Alec muttered, flopping down on his back and pulling the blankets to his chest. Magnus smiled gently and lay by his side, reaching for his hand. 'Nothing you say is ever stupid. I hate that word; it seems as humanity gets older, it makes up more negative words and nothing wonderful anymore.'

Alec chuckled, and Magnus felt the rumble against his chest. 'You are so much wiser, and more mature, and loyal in your eighteen years than I am in my eight hundred. And if something is bothering you, than it bothers me too.'

'Fine. By the Angel, you can make me do anything just by flinging some fancy words around, can't you?' Magnus shrugged playfully, and Alec rolled his eyes to the ceiling. His face softening, he pulled the warlock close to him again, and this time didn't let go.

'Do you ever get the feeling that we've met before?'

Magnus laughed quietly, affectionately running a hand through Alec's hair. 'I think every couple feels that way, Alexander. And it is a glorified cliché. I did watch The Vow with you, you know.'

Alec scowled. 'I know. There's just something I can't shake.' He snuggled closer into Magnus's waist.

'Maybe it's just lying here, with you in a New York City dawn, without Jace spoiling it by trying to throw a seraph blade at my head or Izzy telling me to move because I'm blocking her view of the mirror.' He smiled at the memories, and Magnus thought, how can I ever love anyone after this man? How will I live?

'And I am magnificent. It must be a good deal for you, having me all to yourself, when I could be partying away at the many Downworlder clubs.'

'At seven in the morning?'

'It's been done. The vampires tend to live it up as long as possible before they have to go back to their holes or whatever.'

Alec smiled again, but the cloud had passed back over his features. Magnus sighed gently, and locked their fingers together again.

'We're together. Right here, right now. I don't plan on leaving you,' he paused, 'well, not until I have to go get breakfast, but anyway. I love you, and you're here, and that's all I need to know, not whether we had some gay caveman affair in another life. I just want you.'

Alec blushed, and his eyes glinted slightly when he contemplated Magnus's face. His eyes were impossibly blue.

'I think your ego is the size of a small planet, and you deliberately put way too much glitter in your hair when you know I love it loose, but I love you too.'

'Thank you, I guess?' Magnus mock slapped him and they laughed, voices mingling and wafting out the loft window and rising up above the daybreak and the sea.

New York was waking up. Multicoloured, spotted pansies bloomed in windowboxes, swallows flitted between high rise apartments and the sounds of a city at work blared from every house on every street.

In a small loft in Brooklyn, a warlock and his Shadowhunter slept on. There was plenty of time, plenty of places to see, and plenty of people to see them with.

The past should be left well alone. But this is where our story begins.