"That is a terrible plan."
"It is not!" Jace defended. Alec rolled his eyes.
"C'mon, Alec! It's the only chance we've got!" Isabelle pleaded.
"No. No way. I'm not doing it. Besides, I'm a terrible actor and I can't flirt worth a damn."
"You don't have to be," Isabelle smiled, "It's not like you're actually going to talk to him."
Alec's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "What do you expect me to do then?"
"It's all about the eyes, Alec. You have to make him want you. And then he'll follow you right outside where we will be waiting. Simple." She giggled and Alec frowned.
He began to shake his head, "No, I can't do this."
"This is going to go terribly wrong." Alec muttered under his breath, fixing his cuff links on a rather eccentric outfit that Isabelle had put together. He itched at his hairline, carefully avoiding his deflect rune Izzy had put makeup over.
Alec stuck to his guns about this being a terrible plan. Their mission was to obtain information from a rather elusive seelie about some possible rebellion in the downworld. Fortunately for the mission, the seelie had been spotted hanging out at a local downworlder/human bar, where he liked to gossip - and put a deadly amount of alcohol into his human companions. Unfortunately for Alec, he had a type. Black haired, blue eyed, men.
He ordered a drink, sighing while tapping his fingers rather impatiently on the bartop. The seelie wasn't here, so now he was to play the waiting game. Jace and Isabelle were to be scouting the streets, waiting for Alec's text. Too many Shadowhunters in one area may alert the seelie, or the other patrons of the bar, to trouble.
There were downworlders of every type here. A group of Werewolves played darts in the back corner, a Warlock hustled his other warlock companions at pool, while the Vampires toyed with their mundane companions, and each party diligently ignored the other.
He must've sat in that bar stool for over an hour, cautiously watching all the patrons but never seeing his target and acutely unaware that the bartender kept feeding him martini's. He could only assume she was a werewolf based on the slash marks across her neck. He was surprised when she began to speak to him while making him another. "I never seen you around here before."
Alec didn't answer, just flashed her a tight lipped smile and tried to keep the room from spinning. She leaned over the bartop to place his drink down, drawing his attention. "You know, your kind isn't exactly welcome here."
Alec's eyes went wide as saucers and he choked on the drink. The bartender smiled wickedly, flashing those deadly werewolf teeth. "You smell like angel, shadowhunter."
Alec was pretty sure this was the absolute worst thing to ever happen to him on mission. "Mayday, mayday," he muttered to himself, wishing Jace could hear him. He fumbled with his phone, quickly realizing he better bail before he makes a fool of himself. "Fuck this," he ground out, finally rising from his seat. He grabbed the bartop to steady himself before breathing deeply.
He'd meant to be discreet, but his movement toward the back door had rousted the group of werewolves. He quickened his pace but before he knew it, he had been cornered. "Fuck, shit, fuck…" he repeated under his breath.
"Hey angel boy," one taunted. Alec slowly reached behind his back, where he was hoping to grab his seraph blade. Damn Jace for sending him without his bow.
Before he could comprehend what happened, a searing white hot pain bloomed in his side taking the breath from his lungs and buckling his knees. Two of the werewolves caught his arms before he collapsed, seraph blade handle clattering to the floor. Though his world was spinning he saw, what he could only assume to be the alpha, carrying a taser.
"Not so tough with 20,000 volts running through you, huh Shadowhunter?" The alpha jerked his chin toward the back door where the two wolves began to drag Alec. Little did they know, a curious warlock was watching them from the pool table.
They threw Alec out into the snow. It was December in New York and the snow was hard with a layer of ice over it, not exactly the padded landing Alec had been hoping for. But Alec was a fighter, he shakily rose to his feet, taking a breath before turning to face his opposers.
The alpha was one step ahead, digging his taser into Alec's chest before he even had time to react. Alec could feel the burn coming from his skin and his heart beat erratically and seemingly out of time as he collapsed once again, muscles locked and paralyzed from the shock.
"Don't worry, we'll be sure to send your body back to the Clave," the alpha laughed and before Alec could even think of a response, he was getting the shit kicked out of him. The werewolves found a sadistic pleasure in landing kicks and punches, mostly on Alec's torso. The alcohol that had been sitting so delightfully in his stomach made a not so delightful reappearance in the snow, along with the foam forming in his mouth from a few more hits of the taser on his chest.
Just as a wolf landed a solid kick to Alec's jaw, in which there was a loud crack, they were all thrown away from the shadowhunter.
"Might I suggest taking your anger out on someone else?" A slightly accented, melodic voice Alec had never heard before, spoke to the wolves.
"Fuck off, Bane. This has nothing to do with you." The Alpha spat.
"On the contrary, this little shit kicking fest against a child of the angel blatantly violates the accords, therefore affects me, and all of the downworld."
"Fuck the accords," the wolves growled. Alec finally managed to look up at his saviour, noticing it was the Warlock from the bar.
The glitter in his styled black hair sparkled under the dim street light and his eyes were a bright greenish gold with slit pupils like a cat. Alec marveled at the Warlock's bedazzled suit coat and red leather pants, also noticing his painted black nails and assortment of rings adorning his nimble fingers. He was beautiful, Alec thought to himself in a slight drunken delirium.
He wasn't entirely sure when the werewolves had left or when the warlock had started tending to him, but he groaned, opening his eyes to both occurrences. Wait, when had he closed them?
"Oh good, you're finally conscious. I thought I was going to have to take drastic measures." Bane commented.
"When did I lose consciousness?" Alec slurred, stumbling over the last word.
"About 10 minutes ago when I gave those pesky werewolves the what for." He paused for a moment, blue sparks dancing from fingertip to fingertip. Alec would have been enthralled by the magic if it hadn't make him incredibly ill to look at. "What were you thinking? Walking into a downworlder bar with your rune covered up." The warlock shook his head.
Alec tried to shrug but found the effort painful. He groaned again, flailing his arms around, reaching out into the snow. "I need my stele," he slurred.
"Oh darling, you're far beyond a rune's help." Bane told him, pressing a hand into his side. The pain that Alec hadn't quite noticed escalated into a roar.
"Oww!" Alec moaned, "Why does that hurt so bad?" He questioned dumbly.
"That's probably your ruptured spleen, my dear. You seem to be bleeding profusely in your abdominal cavity." Bane commented distantly, focusing on his task at hand. Alec was beginning to feel like he was laying on the deck of a ship that was rolling in a storm. He closed his eyes, trying to quell the bile rising in his throat.
"Stay conscious!" The warlock demanded, pressing Alec's side again.
The boy yelped. "I'm trying, but the sky is spinning."
"I know, biscuit. Try talking. What's your name?"
"Alec. Alexander. Lightwood." He found recalling his name was a terribly great effort.
Bane snorted. "Ah, a Lightwood."
Alec decided not to question that response instead asking, "What's yours?"
"Magnus Bane. I am the high warlock of brooklyn. And you are damn lucky I was here tonight, Alexander."
"I've heard of you… I think," Alec struggled out, he didn't know if his words made sense anymore. His heart was pounding so erratically, he thought it may come out of his ribcage. It was hard to focus and he could feel Magnus' magic repairing his internal bleeding. His chest felt tight and a pain was brewing under his jaw which he could vaguely recall had been viciously kicked.
A string of curses flew out of Magnus' mouth as he refocused his magic on Alec's chest; specifically his heart. "What the hell did they do? Electrify your heart?" He had asked the question more to himself but Alec felt the need to explain.
"The alpha… he… he had a taser… it was strong."
Magnus shut his eyes for a moment, words spilling out that were unsuitable for mixed company. "You're going to have a heart attack. While bleeding out. How fucking fantastic." Alec opened his mouth to reply but the tightening in his chest was becoming worse and sharp pains began to start in his back and arms.
"I can't do this here. I need things from my loft. And you're going to get hypothermia laying in this snow." Magnus stood, hand twirling until a vortex like doorway appeared before them.
Magnus attempted to lift Alec's deadweight with little success. He finally grabbed the shadowhunter under the arms and drug him through the portal to his couch on the other side.
Alec didn't have much time to admire his new surroundings. He suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe and he tried to clutch his chest but found his arms to be useless. A bolt of magical electricity shot into his chest and he arched his back, gasping. Magnus waited a moment for Alec to settle before listening to his heart, nodding his approval.
Alec didn't know when Magnus had left to make a potion before one was being forced down his throat. "Drink, Alexander. You will feel better, I promise."
Alec downed the spicy tasting potion but Magnus continued to work and the motion made Alec dizzy. He closed his eyes, losing the battle for consciousness.
Alec woke with a start in an unfamiliar place. He was laying on a royal blue couch with a fuzzy red blanket draped over him. Looking around the lavish sitting room he tried to recall the events of the night before, only receiving a terrible headache.
"Coffee?" A voice offered. Alec startled violently, falling off the couch with a yelp. He looked up to see the Warlock with glittery hair and golden cat eyes. Magnus, Alec remembered.
Magnus raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Your people seriously overstate your gracefulness."
Alec blushed, getting up from the floor and grunting at a spiked pain in his ribs. He clutched them gently and Magnus tsked. "Cracked ribs, nothing a healing rune can't fix." Alec nodded, gratefully accepting the steaming mug of black coffee.
The warlock sat in his armchair across from the shadowhunter, both sipping their coffee silently. Alec was rubbing his forehead, blood pounding in his ears and brain aching. Magnus reached over, placing two fingers on Alec's forehead which instantly stopping hurting.
Alec looked up, offering a small smile when he cleared his throat. "I'm not entirely sure what happened last night, but I ah, I do remember getting the shit kicked out of me and I'm sitting here in one piece so, uh, thank you." Alec lowered his head, stuttering out the last bit of his sentence. A light pink blush crept across his cheeks as he felt the warlock's intense stare.
Magnus looked at Alec curiously, fairly unaccustomed to shadowhunters thanking him for his services. Especially unwarranted ones. He shrugged languidly at the young nephilim. "I merely saved your life."
Alec blinked, unsure of how to respond to the warlocks nonchalant, down play of his help. He continued to sip his coffee quietly. Magnus watched Alec, a small smirk tilting up his lips.
"You could, of course, repay me for my services."
Alec put his coffee down. "Absolutely, of course. When I get back to the institute, I'll make sure-,"
"Alexander," Magnus interrupted his rambling, "I don't care for the institutes money."
"Oh," the boy paused, "then, ah, what-what do you want?" Alec suddenly felt uncomfortable and the stutter in his voice reflected that.
Magnus took a long sip of his coffee, that smirk still playing on his lips. Alec felt like the prey that Magnus was stalking before making his move. "You." Alec's eyes went wide like the proverbial "deer-in-headlights".
"You mean… like… "
"No, Alexander." He chuckled. "Like a date." Magnus' smile remained on his face, growing wider each time Alec's mouth gaped like a fish, deciding on how to answer the forward question. A date? With a warlock. No way, he couldn't! Could he?
"I, uh," Alec gulped, repeating this phrase several times before, "I'd like that."
Both Alec and Magnus were surprised by this final outcome. Magnus didn't think Alec had it in him. He smiled warmly while Alec blushed 5o shades of red.
"Glad to hear it," Magnus purred, "How about Friday?"
"Friday, that uh, sounds good. I like Friday." Alec offered a small smile before standing. He cursed himself for being so awkward. "I should get back. My siblings will be wondering where I ran off to last night."
Magnus chuckled, "You were in no condition to run anywhere last night, biscuit." Alec blushed once again, finally headed for the apartment door. He paused, hand on the door knob.
"Thank you. Again. I-Id be dead if you hadn't stepped in." Magnus simply raised his coffee cup in response. "Can I… Can I ask why you came out? How you knew they were hurting me?"
Magnus' cat eyes glittered in the dim morning light. "I took an interest in you. From the moment you walked into the bar. I couldn't understand why a shadowhunter had showed up, or why he had covered his runes. And when I saw the werewolves dragging you out the back door… well, I simply acted on the accords. Having them kill you would have caused all sorts of trouble for my people." Alec nodded at the dutiful response, opening the door.
"Not to mention I thought you were extremely attractive." Alec stopped in his tracks looking at Magnus who leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs and putting his fingertips together while his elbows rested on the arms of the chair. "What would the world do without a beautiful face like yours? Well, I certainly didn't want to find out."
Alec blushed but nodded sullenly. "Well, thank you. I'm happy to be… not dead."
Magnus inclined his head. "Alexander?" Magnus threw the boy a black square object. "I took the liberty of putting my number in. I'll see you Friday, my sweet shadowhunter."
Alec officially took the crown on how many shades of pink you could turn in a day, tucking his phone into the pocket of his tight black skinny jeans.
Once Alec left Magnus' loft, he quickly deduced he was in Brooklyn, and decided to take the long way home. The walk allowed him to think and gather his thoughts.
The terrors of the night before were starting to return to him. He remembered the taser most distinctly. He could still feel the probes of it digging into his chest. He touched his chest, feeling his heart rate soar at the memory. Breathing was becoming slightly difficult. He wrapped his arms around himself and shivered, not so much from the cold but from his memories of what had been done to his body last night. He could still feel the pain of the cracked ribs he hadn't healed yet. And most of all, he remembered Magnus.
Magnus' hands on his side, pushing against his spleen in an attempt to quell his internal bleeding. Magnus restarting his heart after it had been through electrical hell. Magnus providing a quick fix to what would have been a terrible hangover.
Alec shivered, pulling his leather jacket tighter to his body. He cursed Isabelle for this outfit and wished he had had on one of his warm sweaters. The snow had always been a delight to Alec but now he found it treacherous and cold. All he could see in the white, fluffy layers was his own body, laying there, bleeding to death.
Alec thought he could be discreet; slip back into the institute and up into his room before a soul caught sight of him. He was wrong.
"Alec!" Jace yelled before Alec was even halfway up the stairs.
"Shit," Alec cursed under his breath. Jace met him on the stairway that Alec continued to climb.
Jace grabbed Alec's shoulder and spun him around, an action that Alec was fairly used to but today sent shocks of fear straight to his heart. "Where the hell did you disappear off to last night?"
"I left," Alec muttered, hands futzing with his insufferable cuff links. "The seelie never showed, so I left." He met Jace's questioning gaze with as much confidence as he could muster.
"Okay," Jace dragged out the 'y'. "But you were gone all night."
"I…" Alec grasped for a lie, knowing full well his parabatai would see right through it. "Stayed at a friends."
"Alec, you have no friends." Jace deadpanned. Alec glared but came to realize what a lousy excuse that was.
"Look, can we talk about this later? I really need a shower." Jace gave a skeptical gaze but conceded. Alec breathed a sigh of relief but it was short lived.
"Alec!" Isabelle called from down the hallway, running to her brother and enveloping him in a hug. Normally, he would have embraced Izzy back, assuring her that he was fine and that they really shouldn't worry so much. But today, all he felt was claustrophobic and nervous. His heart rate increased and he was on the verge of hyperventilating.
He pushed Isabelle off of him, much to her concern. "I-I just need a shower okay?" Alec bolted for his room, slamming the door shut and sliding down the back of it.
He breathed heavily, head sinking in between his knees as his fingers ran through his hair. He sat there for an undetermined amount of time before he finally felt his heart slow and his hands stopped trembling.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" He breathed shakily. Alec stood slowly, the same sharp pain from his ribs hit him again. He sighed, drawing his iratze, before stumbling to the shower.
Once Alec was dressed in his old, tattered black jeans and sweater, he felt like he could finally relax. That was, until, Izzy and Jace threw open his door.
"Okay, big brother. It's time for answers."
After Alec dreadfully explained what had happened at the bar and the events following, he could feel his hands and voice shaking. He chewed his bottom lip as his siblings took in the information.
Jace was the first to notice Alec's jittery state. "Alec… do you think you could have some kind of PTSD from this? I mean the way you tensed when I grabbed your shoulder…"
"Yeah, and you practically threw me off of you." Isabelle commented. Alec started to chew on his nails, bumping his leg up and down. He shrugged at their words; he didn't know it then but Jace was dead on.
Alec continued to be in his jittery, heightened state for several days, so much so that Jace wouldn't allow him on mission because he couldn't focus. Even training with Hodge had made Alec nearly have a full on breakdown.
Every night his sleep was plagued by the events of that night. Repeating itself over and over again. It kept him awake. His anxiety was always there, reminding him every moment that someone was going to touch him and someone was going to hurt him. Finally, Alec broke.
Magnus groaned at the sound of his phone ringing beside his face. He rolled over, clearly upsetting the cat that was perched on his head. "What?" He answered snappily in his half awake state.
"Magnus?" A quiet, mouse like voice asked. "I'm so sorry, I didn't want to wake you." Magnus frowned upon hearing the voice, pulling his phone away from his face to realize that not only was it Alexander who had called him, but it was also one in the morning.
"Alexander? What's wrong? Why have you called me?" He sounded grumpy but who could blame him at this hour during his work week.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called." He spoke quietly with a tone Magnus could almost describe as panicked. Shadowhunters never panic. "But I didn't know who else to call. I'm sorry Magnus, I-I think I'm losing my mind." He whispered into the phone.
Magnus could've scolded him on how many times he'd apologized during this conversation, but the waver in Alec's voice deterred him.
"Alexander, what is going on?" Magnus was now out of bed, shimmying on his skinny jeans.
"I don't- I don't know. I think I'm in the park? But that doesn't make sense because I don't remember leaving the institute. It's so cold and I can't breathe and I-," he was cut off by a sob.
Magnus cursed, already drawing a portal. "Just hold on, Alexander. Do not move from where you are now. I am coming to find you." All he heard was laboured breathing in response.
Magnus arrived in central park, searching for his delirious and panicked shadowhunter. He finally found Alec, curled up under a large tree, utterly freaking out. "Alec. Alexander," Magnus tried to call to him.
Alec was shaking, rocking back and forth, tears slipping down his face and hands pulling at his hair. Magnus was almost certain he was having a panic attack. He went to envelope Alec when the boy shrieked, shying away violently from any kind of touch. "No, no, no, please!" Alec cried.
"Alexander, you have to calm down. You have to breathe, biscuit." Magnus tried to reason with him but it proved useless. Alec was hyperventilating badly.
Magnus swore under his breath before taking Alec's face between his hands and kissing him hard. For Alec, time stopped. He stopped breathing, stopped shaking, stopped crying; just stopped.
When Magnus let go, Alec was visibly calmer and allowed Magnus to hold him gently. "H-How did you…?"
"I believe you were having a panic attack. Someone once told me that holding one's breath stops a panic attack. Something about the carbon dioxide exchange or whatever. It worked, that's all that matters." Magnus rubbed Alec's arms, suddenly realizing the Shadowhunter was out in the snow with nothing but his sleep clothes on. Magnus was starting to wonder if he had sleep walked the whole way here.
"Come on, I'll take you home."
"No!" Alec shouted, shaking again. "I can't- I don't want to go home. P-people are always hugging me and-and touching me, and I can't stand it."
Magnus pursed his lips, quickly realizing Alec was having some kind of anxiety related to his torso, given what he had been through and the parts of it he remembered. "How about you come back to my loft then, hm?"
Alec nodded weakly, "I'd like that." His voice was quiet, and mouse like again.
Magnus gently pulled him up by his shoulders, fairly surprised Alec had no reaction to his touch this time. He drew a portal, bringing Alec through with him.
"There's a spare room down that hallway. You're welcome to it."
"Thank you." Alec sounded almost sad. Magnus glanced over at the boy, now noticing the dark circles around his eyes.
"I'll get you some extra blankets. And I could make you a tonic to help you sleep, if you'd like." Magnus offered, shedding his own coat.
"Does it make you dream?"
"No. Not typically, in my experience." Alec nodded, not really giving Magnus an answer. Magnus pursed his lips. "How about some hot tea? Warm you up a little."
Alec nodded, "Please." Magnus could see the shivers racking through Alec's nimble body and set off to the kitchen.
"Thank you," Alec spoke, purposely not watching Magnus make his tea concoction. "For saving me. Again."
Magnus chuckled, "I think you're making a habit of it, Mr. Lightwood."
Alec winced. "I still owe you for the first time. I don't think I'd be a good date tomorrow night," the boy mumbled.
Magnus smiled. "Now you just owe me a second date. Even if the first goes horribly wrong." Magnus joked, bringing Alec his tea.
Alec smiled, nodding his head in agreement. Magnus couldn't help himself from cupping Alec's cheek and damn near fainted when Alec leaned into the touch like a beaten puppy finally receiving it's first loving gesture.
"Go get some sleep, Shadowhunter." Magnus whispered, helping Alec get to the bedroom and slip under the covers. Magnus laid a few extra blankets over him when he saw him shiver again. Alec thanked him sleepily, handing back the cup he had finished off. Chamomile tea with a sleeping tonic; the boy wasn't going to wake up until tomorrow.
And Magnus would be waiting. He knew his fate with this shadowhunter was sure to be entwined.