Jagnus || Shadowhunters || Jagnus || Memories Lost || Jagnus || Shadowhunters || Jagnus
Title: Memories Lost – And New Memories Made
Fandom: Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments
Disclaimer: All rights to the Shadowhunters show reserved to Ed Decter, the books the show is based off and its characters belong to Cassandra Clare. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Warnings: m/m, amnesia, mistaken identities, accidental fake relationship, fluff, m/f
Main Pairing: Magnus/Jace
Side Pairings: Bat/Alec, Luke/Cat
Shadowhunters Characters: Magnus Bane, Jonathan Christopher 'Jace' Wayland, Clarissa Adele 'Clary' Fray, Isabelle Sophia 'Izzy' Lightwood, Alexander Gideon 'Alec' Lightwood, Bartholomew 'Bat' Velasquez, Luke Garroway, Catarina Loss
Summary: Alec and Magnus stayed broken up after the war ended, but they also stayed friends. Jace, still living with Magnus, finds himself falling in love with the warlock. And Magnus is falling in love with him. Even though Alec has moved on and is in a happy relationship, neither Magnus nor Jace dare to make a move. Until a magic spell in the loft goes wrong and Jace and Magnus lose their memories. Apparently living together, they assume they must be a couple...
Memories Lost
And New Memories Made
Magnus yawned exhausted as he woke up in the... early noon. Damn that clock. Glaring at it, he gathered himself up and put on his favorite morning robes. As he left his bedroom, he couldn't help but notice Jace's bedroom door wide open. Curiously, he approached to check on his roommate.
It was strange, he had to admit that. When he had taken Jace in, it had been half for the sake of Alexander because this was his parabatai, but the other half had been genuine concern for the blonde. Beaten and bloodied, tortured by his father and shunned by his people.
Yet somehow, along the way, Jace had become more than Alexander's parabatai. They became friends, genuinely. Magnus enjoyed Jace's company at the loft and if the fact that Jace still – far after Aldertree had been gone and even now after the war – hadn't moved back to the Institute, Magnus guessed that Jace too enjoyed his company.
Things had been strained and awkward for a while, after Magnus and Alec broke up. But in the end, by that point, Jace and Magnus had already been friends and Magnus, he realized he did not want to be spiteful. It took a little while, after the war was won, for it to settle in fully.
That they had both made mistakes. Alec had kept things from him – the Soul Sword – but so had Magnus. He had not found it in himself to trust Alexander with the pain he was carrying, he had been pushing Alec away after the body-switch. And when Alec had lied, Magnus had acted irrationally. Siding with the Seelie Queen. Abandoning Alec and the others he had befriended and worked with for months now. And Alec could not forgive that.
The breakup had been the right thing to do, both Magnus and Alec had come to terms with that. They worked well together now, they had rekindled a friendship. And both of them were far happier with that friendship than they had been with their relationship, if they were being honest. It had been rushed, from start to finish. It had been too soon for Alec, who had still been very much in the closet by the time the two publicly kissed. Magnus had been the first man Alec was allowed to kiss and be with and that had been exciting and exhilarating, but as brightly as they had burned, as quickly had it turned into a wildfire that had burned them both along with it.
It was better the way it was now. Alexander surely seemed happy. The thought made Magnus smile a bit in amusement. When Magnus had met Alec's new boyfriend, the poor archer had been horribly uncomfortable and embarrassed. And granted, it was a bit of an awkward encounter. A joined mission between the Shadowhunters and the werewolves of Luke's pack, knocking at Magnus' doorstep for some magical help. Among the wolves, a new one. Bat Velasquez. And apparently, the young werewolf and Alexander had, after dancing around each other for a week when first meeting, started dating. They were cute together. Magnus could genuinely see that they were good for each other. Bat cared for Alexander, worried about him and loved him. A few times, over the past months, Magnus had stumbled in on the two sharing long looks and hugs. They were good and happy and it was what Alec deserved. When Magnus realized that, that this was the only feeling he held, no animosity and no jealousy, he realized that he had moved on from Alec.
The troubling part was to whom Magnus' heart had moved on.
He smiled gently to himself as he leaned against the doorway to Jace's bedroom. The blonde was sprawled out on the bed, half on top of the sheets, his golden hair messy an his boxers the only thing he was wearing. His clothes from yesterday were sprawled out all over the floor, laying a trail toward the bed. Jace had come home late from a mission last night. Magnus approached him, gathering the clothes and dumping them on the armchair. Gently, Magnus pulled a blanket over the blonde. Jace sighed contently and curled into the warmth.
It had been a recent development for Magnus, to fall in love with Jace. It was a bit troubling. Where Alexander's concerns about Magnus meeting the new boyfriend were rather ridiculous, this situation was far more complicated. Because the boy Magnus had fallen for was his ex-boyfriend's parabatai and brother. Half of Alec's soul. There was no way Magnus could even contemplate this.
Regardless of how enamored he was with his blonde. Carefully, Magnus brushed Jace's hair out of his face. They had found a lot of common ground. Both of them had buried their feelings rather deep inside and, prior to Alexander, Magnus too had used sex as a means of distancing himself from the world. Many nights of heavy drinking and drunkenly sharing dark stories from their past had brought Magnus and Jace close together. Magnus wanted more. He felt so close to Jace already and he wished he could call the blonde his boyfriend. But that was wishful dreaming.
He cherished the friendship he had formed with Alexander, they were close and had finally rebuilt the trust they had lost before their breakup. To be with Alec's parabatai would only break that trust.
"Sleep some longer, my little Shadowhunter", whispered Magnus amused.
He went to the living room to get some work done instead. One of his clients had left a something with him. An artifact they had brought home from a journey and weren't quite sure about. Now they wanted for Magnus to make sure it was clean. Nothing he hadn't done hundreds of times before. It was a time-consuming thing, yes, but also quite lucrative.
"Mornin', Mag...", yawned Jace, voice rough with sleep.
He hadn't bothered putting on clothes yet. Jace, sun-kissed skin and runes and trained body, just standing there and looking at him sleepily. Magnus enjoyed that view, he enjoyed it a lot.
"Good morning, Jace", replied Magnus with a smile.
"Coffee?", asked Jace hopefully as he walked up to Magnus.
"Not yet. I was distracted with work", hummed Magnus.
Jace sighed at him. "I'll go and get coffee started and make breakfast for us. Stop always getting distracted by your work, Bane. You gotta take better care of yourself."
Magnus grunted softly, looking after the blonde. And that was part of why he had fallen in love with the gorgeous blonde. Jace fussed, in his own ways. He always watched out for those he cared about and Magnus was lucky to now count himself among those people. He smiled to himself as he watched Jace prepare breakfast for them. It was so utterly domestic.
He was just a bit distracted by watching Jace. It was just a little slip, but it was enough to accidentally activate the very curse he had been working on detecting. A blast shot free from the amulet, the pressure knocking both Magnus and Jace out on the spot.
/break\
He blinked confused as he woke up. His head felt like it was filled with cotton and nothing else. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around. It was a mess. Scrambled eggs, bacon and a pan were laying next to him on the floor. Blinking slowly, he sat up and looked around more closely. A kitchen. He was in a kitchen. And considering the things with him, he had been making breakfast. Looking down himself, he noticed his lack of clothes. Well, he was wearing boxer-shorts, but that wasn't really much. And his body was covered in odd tattoos. Weird.
Wait.
He should know that. He should know that he had tattoos and he should probably know their meaning. He should know... He should know who he was. Who was he? What was his name...? He couldn't remember, as hard as he tried to think about it. He didn't know where he was or who he was. Panicking just a bit – which, in itself, was unsettling because this situation should really freak him out – he got up and first turned off the stove. Then he took another look around. The table was set for two people, which suggested that whoever he was, he was not alone.
"Hello?", he called out, unsure.
Leaving the kitchen, he froze as he saw a man sprawled out on the couch. Gorgeous and only in morning robes. Huh. He was only in his boxers, he was making breakfast, and here was a man in morning robes in the living room. His... boyfriend? Fiance? Husband? Whoever he was, he must know his name and why he didn't remember, right?
"Hey. Hey", he tried, nudging the other man.
"W—What? Who are you?!", exclaimed the other as he sat up abruptly.
"...Damn. I had hoped you could tell me. I just woke up in the kitchen. I... I don't know who I am or... or where I am. Who... are you?", he asked, sitting down next to his companion.
"I'm...", started the other man before he faltered. "I can't seem to remember..."
The two of them sat in silence for a very long time, staring around and trying to take in their surroundings. That was when the cats entered. First two, then another, then three. Soon enough, the two of them were surrounded by curious kittens.
"So...", drawled the blonde. "Uhm. Any idea what we're gonna do?"
"Well. There is a... landline. With an answering machine", stated the other.
He got up and walked over to it, pressing a button to listen to the tape. "You have reached Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn. I'm obviously not available, most likely saving someone poor Shadowhunter's hide." - "Hey! I feel personally attacked by that! Also, I live here too!" - "Ah, yes. If you haven't tried to reach me, you might have tried for Jace... what are you going by currently? Herondale?" - "So funny. Anyway. We're gonna call you back."
Well, that definitely answered three of his questions. Number one, his name was Jace Herondale, apparently. Number two, the other guy's name was Magnus Bane. And number three, the two of them were definitely living together and also definitely dating. That banter was just too cute. Turning slightly, Jace ran his eyes over Magnus' body once more, very slowly. He grinned.
"Why are you grinning at me like that?", asked Magnus curiously.
"Nothing. Just... I got a hot boyfriend", stated Jace with a wink.
Magnus' eyes widened comically, but then he checked Jace out, very slowly. His eyes darkened and he licked his lips, causing Jace to duck his head a little at the attention he was getting from the other. From Magnus. From his hot boyfriend. And he was back to grinning.
"Apparently, so do I", hummed Magnus appreciatively, earning a blank stare from Jace, which in return made Magnus smirk at him. "I too seem to have a hot boyfriend... Jace."
"Ye—eah. So, we at least know some facts, now right?", stated Jace, relaxing a little. "My name's Jace Herondale, yours is Magnus Bane, we live in... Brooklyn, apparently. We live together. We're both... not straight. And we are both men of impeccable taste."
"And we seem to run a... cat shelter", added Magnus as one of the kittens curled together on him.
"...Sounds plausible", agreed Jace as he once again attempted to count the kittens. "Yeah. It's either that or you and I are those... old cat-lady type of gays? Who adopt a gazillion cats to make up for a lack of children or something...?"
Magnus opened his mouth before closing it again. "...Let's leave that one up for investigations."
"Mh. Yeah. Let's focus on the whole memory loss thing for now", agreed Jace.
They were sitting together on the couch, close but not touching, looking at each other. They were quite obviously very comfortable with each other, naturally so. Jace hadn't even consciously moved, but his body had still found its way closer to Magnus until their thighs were nearly touching.
"Magic", stated Magnus firmly after a long moment.
"Magic?", echoed Jace in utter disbelief. "What?"
"You heard the answering machine. I am, apparently, the 'High Warlock of Brooklyn'. Whatever that means. So perhaps, I possess magic and a spell went wrong?", suggested Magnus.
"Oh, like in Tabula Rasa? The Buffy episode?", asked Jace before he glared. "Wait. Did you fuck up and try to make me forget that and then accidentally erased both of our memories?!"
"How do you not remember your own name, but the name of an episode of a TV show?", asked Magnus, kind of fascinated but also baffled.
"...The same way I know what things are called and how to walk and talk?", offered Jace with a shrug. "It seems that just the personal memories are... affected. I don't know the name of my mother or father, but I do know the names of Buffy's mother and father."
"Useful information", drawled Magnus unimpressed before smiling a little amused. "Well. Then perhaps it is some kind of magic after all. Considering you and I both woke up from seemingly having lost conscience at the most random of places and both having lost our memories."
Jace hummed, a thoughtful frown marring his features. "...Why does it not even sound absurd, that this is magic...? Just like this word. The one you used on the answering machine. Shadowhunter. It... sounds familiar. Like it should mean something. But I don't know what."
"Okay. If we genuinely believe this to be magical, then we... really can't go to a hospital. They will be sending us to the psychiatric wing right away", muttered Magnus, noticing that he was running an absentminded hand through soft, golden hair and pausing.
Tough Jace didn't seem to mind; he was very much leaning into the touch. Enjoying it. Affection. Something in his gut told him that he had never gotten a lot of that. Magnus' touch was nice. Comforting. Safe. Warm. He wanted more of it. After a short pause, Magnus simply continued running his hands through Jace's hair. It was very soft and felt good beneath his fingertips.
"If we're not going to the hospital, what are we doing?", asked Jace curiously.
"...Inspect the apartment to hunt for clues?", offered Magnus thoughtfully.
"And for clothes", added Jace, rubbing his arms. "It's kinda chilly. Why did you leave the balcony door open when you fed the cats? Now they're all inside too."
It took them both a moment to catch on. "How did you know I was the one feeding the cats...?"
"I... don't know. I mean. It felt like the right thing to say, I guess? Like, that is what happened. But I don't know how I know that", sighed Jace with a frown, massaging his temples.
"Okay. Clothes and clue hunting it is", declared Magnus determined.
/break\
They regrouped after half an hour of investigations, comparing their findings and gathering the information they had obtained from their little snooping trip (though was it really snooping when someone went through their own stuff...? Magnus had said no, but Jace was unsure).
1. They were rich. Definitely. This loft was expensive and so was the stuff in it.
2. They were definitely cat-dads.
3. They had weird taste (according to Jace. Magnus found it magnificent).
4. They might be actual dads, because aside from the master bedroom, they had found another room that was definitely lived in and the all black wardrobe, leather jackets and such suggested a moody, rebellious teenager.
5. Magic might actually be real, because they had found a lot of magic books.
6. Their bathroom was to die for. Jace had taken a nice, hot shower when finding it. When Magnus knocked, asking what he was doing, he had called it 'thorough investigation'.
7. Their fridge was nicely stocked and apparently, Jace could cook. Which he did as they regrouped and prepared notes, because he had clearly been in the middle of making breakfast when whatever had happened had happened.
After breakfast, the two of them found themselves on the couch once more, facing each other with thoughtful expressions. Useful things they had found laid on the table in front of them. Wallets, with IDs (though Jace's said Jonathan Christopher Wayland. That contradicted the Herondale Magnus had used on the answering machine?), their phones and what looked suspiciously like diaries. They were broad and heavy and the two had found them in what they had dubbed the magic room. The books were cruel and disturbing documentations of child-abuse and magic experiments, though they noted two names – Jonathan Christopher Herondale and Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern. At this point, Magnus and Jace had agreed that the last name issue was too complicated and they were going to call Jace 'Jace Bane' from here on out. After all, the beautifully detailed ring Jace wore around his neck might be an engagement ring of sorts? Perhaps a family heirloom they had decided to use for that purpose? Who knew. Certainly not them. They knew nothing.
"Okay. Phones", sighed Magnus and grabbed his. "Contacts."
His lock-screen was a picture of himself with a little girl in his arms. She was simply endearing. Blinking slowly, he lifted the phone up so Jace could see it too. He blinked.
"...But the second bedroom belongs to a teenaged boy, not a little girl?", argued Jace.
"Perhaps she is my... niece, then?", offered Magnus thoughtfully. "Or we were getting to know her and are in the process of adopting a second child."
Jace paused at that, mulling it over before nodding. "That sounds reasonable. I think we're the kind of dads who want to take in more than one orphan in need of love."
"Yes, that sounds right", agreed Magnus with a faint smile, unlocking his phone.
He went to his contacts first, not that any of the names really spoke to him. Catarina Loss. Lucian Garroway. Dorothea Rollins. Alexander Lightwood. Jace Lightwood. Wait.
"Seriously?", grunted Magnus, looking up at the blonde. "How many last names do you have? I have you saved as Jace Lightwood in my phone. This is getting ridiculous."
"Agreed", sighed Jace, rubbing his face. "Wait. I got five Lightwoods in my phone."
"Five?", echoed Magnus curiously. "I only have three, including you."
"Max, Alec, Izzy, Maryse, Robert", read Jace aloud as he continued scrolling.
"They must be your family then?", offered Magnus reluctantly, frowning.
"Alec is saved as my first contact", stated Jace, looking up at Magnus.
"Brother?", suggested Magnus and tilted his head. "I have him too. And an Isabelle Lightwood. That must be... Izzy, in your contacts. Hah. Apparently, I'm close to the in-laws."
Jace snickered, though he scrolled through his phone to see if he had any Banes saved, just to deflate. "Guess I'm not close to the in-laws. No Banes."
Magnus frowned as he too looked for family in his phone. No contacts named Mother or Father, no last name Banes. Apparently, he wasn't close with his family either.
"I got a Luke Garroway. You got a Lucian. Must be the same guy", hummed Jace. "And you have a Clarissa Fray, while I have a Clary Fray. Damn. Does everyone we know have a nickname...?"
"At least one of us saves numbers under the full first name", stated Magnus, one eyebrow raised.
"Okay. Any other contacts we have in common, aside from Alec, Izzy, Luke and Clary?"
"Simon Lewis?", offered Magnus as he compared their contacts.
"Mh. Alec, Izzy, Luke, Clary and Simon. Must be our circle of friends", offered Jace.
"Must be", agreed Magnus, in lack of anything else to add. "So, do we call one of them?"
"We don't know them. I mean. Don't remember them. What if they think we're crazy for believing this to be magic? What if that magic dungeon we found is just a hobby and our friends don't know about it?", countered Jace doubtfully.
Magnus sighed and reached out to squeeze Jace's arm. "We'll figure something out, angel."
"Angel?", echoed Jace, cheeks rosy and eyebrows raised.
"...Mh. It sounds right", offered Magnus with half a shrug.
"I like it", declared Jace with a broad grin.
/break\
"You're overreacting, Alec", stated Clary with a dubious look on her face.
"Something is wrong, Fray", barked Alec tensely, glaring at her.
"Hey. Hey, it's okay, babe", interrupted his boyfriend, grasping his wrist.
Alec relaxed a little as his boyfriend looked at him with those warm, soothing eyes. Bat had that effect on him, calming him down. It was strange, considering that werewolves usually had to struggle to keep their own balance. Not so much Bat though. Bat had learned pretty quickly to control his inner wolf. The two of them had met through Clary and Luke, through working together. And the pretty wolf had piqued Alec's interest fast, if he was being honest. It was a mutual thing, as it turned out. Alec flushed at the thought. The thought that he had left a lasting impression on Bat, as the 'tall, dark and handsome one'. There had been some flirting, shy on Alec's part because he was still not used to that, until their friends around them pushed some. Isabelle and Maia in particular, respectively. The two sneaky females had even teamed up to set them up on a date. And Bat and Alec had hit it off right away. It was nice, talking to someone who wasn't a sibling of his, or his ex-boyfriend, but still understood what was going on.
"Something is wrong, I know it", said Alec, resting his forehead against Bat's.
"Why do you think that?", asked Luke, arms crossed over his chest.
"You two are here, for one", stated Alec, motioning at Luke and Bat. "Because Magnus missed an appointment with you. That's very unlike him, Luke. You know that."
"It's also very unlike Jace to blow off patrol", added Isabelle, shifting a little.
"It's not just that", sighed Alec, pressing a hand against his parabatai-rune. "I can't feel him. Not like when he was dead. But... I can feel he is there yet he is not... answering. Like he's... unable to access the bond. It's weird. Concerning. Something is definitely wrong."
"We should check the loft", sighed Luke in agreement.
"I thought you did. And that was why you came here", asked Clary confused.
"The wards were up", grunted Luke. "But thankfully enough, we know a very talented warlock who has a... back-door key into Magnus' wards, in case something like the body-hijacking happens again. I'll call Cat, she can get us in and we'll see."
Alec nodded sharply and Bat reached out to take his hand, squeezing gently. Turning, Alec offered his boyfriend a grateful, small smile before leaning more into him. The call with Cat was short and afterward, their little group made their way toward the loft. From the corner of his eyes and with one ear did Alec listen in on Clary teasing Luke.
Alec remembered the party, the celebration of their victory. How drunk Luke had tried to hug them all and then had ended up sitting together with Catarina Loss, staring at her in drunken awe, listening to every word she said as the two spoke. Apparently, something had come forth from the drunk flirting. Good for Luke. Jocelyn's death had been months ago now and Luke deserved to be happy, after everything he had gone through, all the suffering of the past decades.
"Lucian", greeted Catarina as they met up in front of the loft.
"Cat", replied Luke with a gentle smile.
They exchanged a brief kiss, before the warlock let worried eyes wander over the gathered group. They settled on Alec, in the end. She was a close friend of Magnus'. This was weird. Alec was still weird about this. Not about Magnus, not really. The two managed to be fully professional at cabinet meetings and they could hold friendly conversations when meeting. Magnus had taken it well that Alec was now dating Bat, he had even been very encouraging of it. They were... friends, now.
"What do we think happened?", asked Catarina while working on the wards.
"We have no idea", admitted Clary with a sigh.
"Perhaps Jace brought home the wrong girl this time", offered Isabelle, one eyebrow raised. "Wouldn't be the first time a one-night-stand got him into trouble."
"A warlock who didn't appreciate waking up at the High Warlock's place...?", guessed Clary.
"Let's get inside and see for ourselves", suggested Catarina, opening the door.
What they found was not what Alec had expected. Not even the least little bit. He had expected them perhaps knocked out, maybe bleeding and hurt. He had anticipated not finding them here at all, that they might have been kidnapped. But instead, Magnus and Jace were laying sprawled out on the couch. Or rather, Magnus was sprawled out on the couch and Jace was laying between the backrest of the couch and Magnus, resting his head and an arm on Magnus' chest as Magnus held up Jace's phone, both of them laughing as they scrolled through the pictures on it.
"...What in the world?", grunted Alec unimpressed.
Not that he hadn't seen this coming. He wasn't blind. Jace and Magnus had grown closer and closer and... the looks they were giving each other had changed in the past few weeks. Alec could see it. He had been disturbed about it at first. No. At first, he had been furious. So Jace liked guys too, after all, but just not Alec? So his ex-boyfriend wanted to get with his brother? So his parabatai wanted to be with his ex-boyfriend? Honestly, Alec had gone through different stages there. Looked at it from all sides. He had even managed to take a step back and just observe them neutrally.
In the end, Alec was pretty sure that Bat had helped him accept this. Because Alec was happy and Alec was in love. Alec had no romantic feelings left for either Jace or Magnus. He was in in love with Bat. But he still held both Magnus and Jace dear and wanted them both happy. After thinking long and hard on it, picturing it, contemplating if he could live with it, he came to the conclusion that he could. That all he wanted was for his parabatai to be loved, because heaven knew Jace deserved it. And so did Magnus. Both of them deserved happiness, Alec wanted happiness for them both. If that happiness might lay with each other, then Alec didn't want to be the one thing keeping them from finding potential happiness. He had no claim on either of them, not romantically.
Somehow, however, he had still expected for them to tell him and not sneak around behind his back.
"Seriously? We're over at the Institute, worried sick about you two and you just... took a day off to go through your honeymoon phase, or what?", exclaimed Isabelle harshly.
Ah. So Alec wasn't the only one who had seen the way Magnus and Jace had grown closer... Or did she know? Did Magnus and Jace tell her but not him...? He took a step back at that.
"Oh. Hey. Uhm. People", greeted Jace with a sheepish grin, sitting up a little.
Magnus had an arm around Jace's waist still, the other hand holding Jace's phone. Both looked not quite like themselves. They looked more carefree than Alec had ever seen either of them.
"You're the people from the photos. Well. Some of them at least", hummed Magnus.
Jace hummed too, his eyes scanning them all and then settling on Alec. But it wasn't the way Jace normally looked at him. Jace looked at him like... like Alec was a stranger to him.
"You're the guy from my lock-screen. So you must be my number one contact. Alex, right?"
"Alex?", echoed Isabelle wide-eyed, staring from Jace to Alec. "Did you just..."
"Ri—ight", grunted Jace awkwardly, ruffling his hair. "We kind of... have a problem with our memory? Or rather, the lack thereof. So, if you could like... bring us up to speed? Who are you?"
Alec felt something break inside of him and he instinctively clung onto Bat. The werewolf linked fingers with him, squeezing back reassuringly. Desperately, Alec tried reaching out through the bond, but there was just a blank stare on Jace's face as he rubbed his parabatai-rune like it itched.
"I... I'm Izzy, I'm your sister, Jace", started Isabelle as she walked up to them.
The smile on Jace's face was blinding as he turned from Isabelle to Magnus. "See. Family. That must mean that Lightwood is my real last name. Maybe I'm a musician and the others were stage-names? You said by what name I go by currently. So maybe I just changed it a lot?"
"A musician?", asked Magnus with a gentle smile, nuzzling into Jace. "Mh. It would explain the large, old piano in our living room. I'm sure you serenade me a lot."
"Obviously", declared Jace with a soft laugh.
"You don't remember anything?", asked Catarina concerned, stepping up to them.
"Not a thing. Woke up, no memories", replied Jace with a shrug.
Clary, Bat and Alec followed. Clary reached for Alec's other hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. For all the times he gave her a hard time about being annoying, she knew of loss. And even though she might not truly understand the parabatai-bond, she knew how important Jace and Alec were to each other. Alec squeezed back, unable to approach Jace. A Jace who didn't remember him.
"What happened, exactly?", wanted Luke to know, arms crossed over his chest.
"I woke up in the kitchen, with a pan and breakfast scattered on the floor around me", replied Jace. "I... didn't recognize my surroundings. And then I noticed that I didn't recognize myself. All those weird tattoos... You three have them too. Are we like... in a gang?"
"A band?", offered Magnus quickly, gently running his fingers over Jace's arm.
"Let's leave that for later", grunted Luke disturbed, staring from Jace to Magnus. "What next?"
"I... went to the living room and found my boyfriend knocked out on the couch", continued Jace.
"Boyfriend?", echoed Catarina, eyes widening a little.
"Well. Yeah?", replied Jace doubtfully, turning toward Magnus. "I was in my boxers making breakfast for two, he was in his robes on the couch. We live together. We even have cute banter on our answering machine. Not to mention, you know, the... feelings."
"Feelings?", repeated Luke, straightening a little.
Jace nodded, tilting his head. "I look at him and while I don't recognize his face, my... I don't know... body does? My emotions. Like, when I look at Alex – Alec – I don't recognize his face... or his name, apparently, but I know I trust him with my life and that I love him, just like I love her. Izzy, right? We're... siblings. And I can feel that that is right, even if I don't remember it."
It eased Alec's mind a little. That even without his memories, Jace still knew he could trust him with his life. Slowly, Alec took a step forward, standing between Catarina and Luke.
"We investigated a little", continued Magnus when no one spoke. "We were just in the middle of going through Jace's phone. Pictures. There are a lot of them. But... we don't recognize anyone."
Sighing softly, Alec turned toward Catarina and Luke. Both looked as troubled as he felt.
"If you want to talk without us, we can retreat to our bedroom for a moment?", suggested Magnus, eyes curious and intense as he looked from one to the other. "Jace should get changed anyway. He's been shivering for the past ten minutes now."
"Am not", huffed Jace. "I swear, I've known you for five hours and I already know you're overbearingly fussing, aren't you. Well, not that you'd know. You've only known yourself for five hours too. Okay, okay. I'm going, I'm going! Don't push."
Both Magnus and Jace were laughing as they made their way toward Magnus' bedroom. All eyes were on Catarina as soon as the door closed. Bat nuzzled into Alec's side in the most calming way imaginable. Well, no, the most calming way was when Bat was in his wolf-form, covering half of Alec with that warm fur as he cuddled him. Sighing heavily, Alec sat down on the couch, together with his boyfriend. Catarina and Luke sat down opposite them, while Isabelle stood with her arms crossed and Clary paced the room in a very 'Clary trying to solve a problem'-manner.
"How do we fix this, Catarina?" asked Clary worried.
"We first need to find out what even happened", sighed the warlock, clasping Luke's hand. "Good thing we have a very competent cop among ourselves who can investigate."
Luke huffed and looked at her, making her smile and lean in to kiss his cheek. "Okay. I'll go around the crime scene. You can help me, young Shadowhunters."
"I'd like to talk to Magnus and Jace some more", stated Alec.
"I'm coming with you", hummed Catarina.
Bat pulled him down into a brief kiss, worry in his eyes. "Don't let it get to you, corazón."
"I'll... try", sighed Alec, resting his forehead against Bat's for a moment.
Catarina and Alec went toward the bedroom, just to pause and knock first. When Magnus opened the door, both of them were decent (a blessing, in Alec's humble opinion). Yet they seemed more vulnerable than if they had been actually butt-naked. Their smiles, their eyes, their body-language. Both lacked the usual tension, the walls and guards both of them had up. The snark and quips they used as defense mechanisms. Years and years of pain were... simply gone.
"What does the name Valentine mean to you, Jace?", asked Alec.
"Valentine's Day?", offered Jace with a confused frown before his eyes widened. "Oh god. It's not Valentine's Day and I didn't get Magnus anything, right? Is that why we were hexed?"
"Hexed?", repeated Catarina curiously.
"...We came to the conclusion that it must be magic", admitted Magnus uncomfortably. "Now, we're both fully aware that this is absolutely ridiculous, but... We can't explain it any other way."
"But... you're not... aware of any magic?", asked Catarina carefully.
Magnus just tilted his head and blinked before he smiled. "You think I'm Harry Potter?"
"Well, it would fit. Have you looked outside?", asked Jace with a snicker before clearing his throat. "Red hair and a hand me down robe. She must be a Weasley."
Magnus sputtered into laughter, while Alec just stared at them in stunned silence. Harry Potter jokes? From both of them? Jace miming a British accent? Both laughing openly?
"Well, Mister Potter, Mister Malfoy, we'll leave you to it for now then", stated Catarina. "If you'd just... wait here while we discuss the situation. Thank you."
"Did she just suggest roleplay to us?", whispered Jace lowly before snickering childishly.
"Why, is that your wand or are you just happy to see me?", laughed Magnus.
This was beyond bizarre. As soon as the door closed, Alec turned toward Catarina.
"They genuinely don't remember anything", mused the warlock with an edge of fascination.
"We think we found the culprit. Well, indirectly so", offered Luke.
He motioned toward an amulet, cracked open and laying on the table. Catarina hummed, feeling the magic around it. She approached it and grasped it carefully, turning it over.
"Magnus must have been working on this and activated the safe-guards", mused Catarina.
"So. Can you fix this? Can you fix them?", asked Clary worried.
"I should be able to", hummed Catarina, nodding slowly.
"take your time", offered Alec, swallowing.
"Alec!", hissed Isabelle wide-eyed.
"You can't be serious!", exclaimed Clary enraged.
Alec took a step back and shook his head. "Don't you think it doesn't hurt me that my own parabatai doesn't recognize me? But have you seen them? I've never seen either of them this... happy. They didn't just forget us, the good things. Magnus forgot... his mother's death, his stepfather's death, everything that hurt him over the centuries of his life. Jace forgot Valentine. As far as he's concerned right now, you, me, the Lightwoods are the only family he has ever known. All of the abuse and torture and heartbreak both have suffered is just... wiped away. I don't... There is too much good in both their lives to be kept forgotten, but... but we should let them enjoy this... for a little while. Just a day or two. For the first time, they're just... simply happy. Without any burdens."
There was a solemn stretch of silence as everyone looked downward. Everyone present knew that out of them all, Jace and Magnus had suffered the most throughout their lives. And all of them had seen them, the way they had laughed and looked at each other.
"Two days", amended Catarina after another moment. "I will look at this thoroughly. Not just for your request's sake, but also because messing with memories is tricky and if I do not fully know what I'm dealing with, they might lose their memories forever. So I will not be rushed. I will take my time to be thorough. And then I will call you."
"Do we like... leave them alone though?", asked Bat doubtfully.
"They seemed happy", snorted Isabelle and shook her head. "We should probably regularly check in with them and tell them again which numbers are ours so they can call if something happens. But... I liked that soft smile on Jace's lips when he called us family. Regardless of how much he loves us, there had always been a reluctant... doubt to it, like he didn't really fully believe he had a place in our family. When he looked at me, there was no doubt. Not even the smallest bit."
"Mh. I'd like to talk to a Magnus who is not burdened with the ghosts of his past", agreed Catarina. "I could make him believe he is my apprentice. What? Let me have a little fun."
"You're horrible, woman", grunted Luke, suppressing his laughter.
"Oh, you love that about me, my wolf", smirked Catarina with a wink.
"But... do we tell them that they're not dating?", asked Bat carefully. "I mean. They aren't, right? I'm not the only person who doesn't know about this, or anything...?"
Alec raised his eyebrows, looking toward Isabelle and Clary with an inquisitive glance. Both of them just shook their heads and shrugged. So Magnus and Jace either had managed to actually lie to everyone, or they truly hadn't figured it out yet. Alec sighed and shook his head.
"Leave them be. I'll check in with them tonight", grunted Alec.
/break\
Magnus inhaled deeply as he woke up. Something smelt like honey. Smiling to himself, he turned a little to bury his nose in the soft source of the scent. Said source of the scent grunted and snuggled up closer to him. Blinking slowly, Magnus looked down. Ah. Jace. His... boyfriend? Fiance?
The blonde was gorgeous. And funny. He had made Magnus laugh a lot since they had met yesterday. But apparently, they must have known each other for years. Lived together for a long time. And the way Jace made him feel told Magnus that he was truly in love with the blonde.
"Mornin'...", yawned Jace, long lashes fluttering.
Magnus found himself lost for words. Jace had not yet been close enough for Magnus to truly get lost in those mismatched eyes. Ice-blue and gentle, but his left eye with a soft hazel color in the lower quarter. Those eyes were mesmerizing. Magnus could just stare into them all day.
"H—Holy shit!", exclaimed Jace suddenly and jumped up.
Magnus froze, confused. "W—What? What happened?"
"Your eyes", whispered Jace in awe, patting for the hand-mirror on the nightstand (apparently, one of them was rather eccentric). "Look. They just turned... woah."
Magnus gasped as he stared into his cat-like eyes. Amber. He had cat-eyes. Where did those come from? They... They needed to call someone. Someone who knew what this meant.
"T—This is freakish", spat Magnus, covering his eyes.
"What? No. Are you crazy?", asked Jace confused, gently grasping Magnus' wrists. "They're beautiful. They look amazing. Come on. Don't hide. We're living together. I must have known this about you. And I sure as hell was into it. Am into it. Damn."
Magnus blinked slowly as he reluctantly removed his hands and stared up at Jace, who was now leaning over him. There was no disgust, fear or judgment on the blonde's face, just open awe. And in that moment, Magnus consciously felt himself falling more in love with Jace.
"But we should probably still call Alec and ask him what this means", suggested Jace softly.
"Yeah. Probably", agreed Magnus, still just staring into Jace's eyes.
/break\
The next day, Catarina had finished the anti-spell and they gathered at the loft once more, waiting with bated breath to see if it actually worked and if Jace and Magnus had their memories back.
"None of you thought about telling us that we're not dating?", asked Magnus judgmentally.
Alec blinked slowly as he saw the crass difference between this Magnus and the Magnus from two hours ago. All of his carefully crafted masks and walls were up again; at least the ones he had saved for family and friends. Alec knew Magnus had even more, for strangers. Everything was back. All the years of abuse, the years of pain and heartache and loneliness, every betrayal he had ever experienced over the centuries, the torture and trauma. Everything that had made Magnus decide that he could not be open with anyone, not fully, never fully. It was something Alec had accepted many months ago, but now that he had gotten to see what Magnus had been like, without all the things the world had done to him...? It hurt. It really hurt.
"You two were being so cute", stated Isabelle with a teasing grin.
"Look, it was just a misunderstanding", grunted Jace, looking at Alec.
Alec felt heavy, all of a sudden. Tired. Tired with the burdens his parabatai had decided to carry on his own. Jace had closed up just the same. Eyes guarded, hunched over, keeping all entrances in his view. Everything was back. All the years of abuse, the years of pain and heartache and loneliness, every betrayal he had ever experienced, the torture and the trauma. Everything that had made Jace decide that there was no one aside from his parabatai that he could truly, fully trust.
The frown on Alec's face deepened as he looked from Magnus to Jace and back.
When the pieces fell together, his eyes widened and he turned toward his boyfriend. Bat tilted his head curiously, before he understood what Alec wanted. Raising both his eyebrows, he nodded and started herding everyone else out of the room. Only leaving Alec, Jace and Magnus.
"The three of us, we gotta talk", declared Alec, slowly leaning back.
"Like Jace said, it was merely a misunderstanding, Alexander", stated Magnus calmly.
"You're both so full of shit", muttered Alec beneath his breath and shook his head. "This is about me, isn't it? The only reason you two aren't together is me."
"W—What?", sputtered Jace wide-eyed, confusion written all over his face.
"You two are clearly in love with each other", sighed Alec a bit exhausted, lifting a hand to make them shut up when both made to protest. "No. The past two days alone were blatant proof of that, but I've known for weeks. Isabelle has known for weeks. Clary has known for weeks. Catarina might have known even longer, on your account Magnus." Alec paused for a moment, tilting his head. "I thought the two of you were just... oblivious to it. Or not ready to move on yet. But... the way you two are looking to me to assure me that this was a misunderstanding, instead of each other, tells me that both of you are being absolute idiots."
"Excuse me?", asked Magnus, looking like Alec had just ruffled his feathers good.
"Oh, you heard me", grunted Alec, staring Magnus down. "You already have enough issues about love and the fear of losing it. Yes, I'm talking about both of you, Jace. So, I don't know if you're using me as a convenient thing to put between you. A valid reason not to risk your hearts. Well. I'm not that thing to be put in the way your this. Because I don't have a problem with this."
"What...? H—How can you not?", asked Jace wide-eyed. "I'm your parabatai! He's your ex-boyfriend! That's against this brother-codex that Simon was talking about."
"...Really? Mundie stuff? That's your argument? You should have stopped while you were still ahead, Jace", snorted Alec a little amused. "No. I... Okay, yes, I did have a problem at first, when I first noticed the looks between you two. Of course I did. But then I... watched you. Saw the way you are with each other and I realized that I was being selfish. I am happy. I have someone I love, someone I cherish. Someone who loves and cherishes me. And... just because you and I used to date, Magnus, how... why should that give me a right to veto your future love-life?"
Alec's eyes softened as he looked at them both. "I love you both. But I haven't been in love with either of you for a while now. I want you both to be happy and if you can be happy with each other, then I want that. I will not be the thing to stand between your happiness. I refuse to. So, I will leave now, because I promised to take my boyfriend out on a date tonight. And the two of you will talk."
"Alec-", started Jace, reaching out for his parabatai, eyes troubled.
"No", stated Alec very firmly as he got up. "No. You officially have my blessing. So if that was the only thing you were hiding behind to avoid risking your heart by giving it to someone? Well. Sucks for you, Jace, because if you keep arguing, I will get Clary back in here so she too can give you her blessing, which she would, because she too just wants you to be happy."
With that, Alec left, closing the door rather loudly. The silence that followed was deafening.
Jace turned to look at Magnus with large, hopeful eyes. The past two days had been like a dream. He had never laughed that much. Every exchange with Magnus had been so gentle and sweet. When they had gone to bed together, just to wake up in each other's arms. It had been so warm and soft and comforting. Jace felt himself yearning for this, for more of it.
"I've... been falling for you for a while", admitted Jace, looking at his hands. "You're... amazing. And the kindness you showed me from the day you took me in and let me stay here and just... never kicked me out... I... Is there a chance? Is what Alec said true... for you too?"
Magnus opened his mouth, denial on the tip of his tongue, but then Jace looked up and those mismatched eyes were large and hopeful beneath long lashes. And Magnus wanted that. Wanted him. He really wanted Jace. Wanted what they had had for the past two days, only real this time.
"This is going to be complicated", warned Magnus seriously. "You and I, we are both damaged in our own rights. It'll require a lot of work. And both of us to... open up and trust."
"Not exactly things either of us are good at", agreed Jace, fidgeting with his hands. "But... do you think we can actually make it work? You and I? Together?"
"If the last two days were even remotely a glimpse into what is possible...", drawled Magnus.
He reached out, very slowly, brushing Jace's hair out of his face and slip his hand around to Jace's neck. He barely pulled, because Jace gladly leaned in, following Magnus' lead.
Both paused with only a breath between their lips. Their eyes locked before they both closed their eyes and sealed each other's lips. The kiss was soft, careful. Filled with hope.
"I love you too, angel", whispered Magnus gently against his lips as they parted.
"Angel, eh? That's not gonna stick is it?", laughed Jace softly, leaning against Magnus.
"Oh, it will. Believe me, it will. That, or Mister Malfoy", teased Magnus with a smile.
~*~ The End ~*~
Author's note: This was suuuch a shit-ton of fun to write! Just, cute fluff for my boys, giving them a chance to be without all the pain of their pasts.
And if part of this seems familiar, that's because I teased this story on tumblr! So come visit me at takaraphoenix for more teasing and such. ;D