Alec blinked up at the smooth, grey ceiling of the recovery ward. He lifted his head drowsily, noticing his wounds had been reduced to thin, pink lines, iratzes curling up his arms and over his collarbone. Minutes after he awoke his memory did too, and he was painfully aware of what had happened. He relaxed his muscle, remembering his training, loosening every drop of tension in his body and allowing himself to sink into the mattress. When his eyes were closed, images flashed before his eyelids, ruining his relaxation in an instant. Alec sighed, sitting up slowly, reaching a hand to brush his neck, remembering the sensation… Alec quite suddenly felt ill. He leaned over the edge of the bed, hacking weakly, cold sweat breaking out over his skin. He had saved him. Magnus… A door creaked open, and Alec looked up with a mixture of hope and dread. It was Isabelle, of course. Alec scolded himself; Downworlders couldn't enter the main chambers of the Institute. Isabelle, noting Alec's expression, frowned.
"Not what you were hoping for?" she said sarcastically, crossing to him, sitting on the edge of the bed. She pressed the back of her hand against his forehead in a loving gesture, feeling the heat that radiated from his skin. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked worriedly. Alec nodded firmly, as if that would make it true.
"Where's Magnus?" he said hoarsely. Izzy frowned.
"In the Sanctuary. SIT DOWN, Alexander Lightwood." She snapped, forcing her brother back onto the bed with a hand.
"I'm fine, Iz." He said sternly. "I have to see him…" Isabelle grabbed a handful of her brother's hair, holding him back as he attempted to escape again.
"What happened?" she demanded. Alec hissed.
"Izzy, just let me… I'll tell you later!" he yelled, twisting her arm around. Isabelle released him with a frustrated sigh, unwilling to fight him. She had a sudden thought, uncoiling the golden electrum whip from her wrist. Alec's hand gripped the doorknob just as the whip coiled around his ankle.
"Who was the vampire?" Isabelle asked calmly, before her brother could retaliate. He paled visibly as Isabelle flicked the whip away from him.
"C-camille." He stammered. Alec slammed the door behind him, leaving Isabelle sitting in frustration.
Alec sped down the corridor, down the stairs and around a corner. The sudden turn caused his vision to spin and fade, and he paused, gasping in shock. He had no recollection of what happened to Magnus. Alec flung open the sanctuary doors, admiring the only place connected with the Institute that Downworlders could enter. A Shadowhunter appeared to be standing guard over the room in full Shadowhunter armor. He gave Alec a cold, critical stare; one Alec had become accustomed to after Magnus' and his outburst in Alicante.
"He's in there." The Shadowhunter said, jerking a thumb towards the only door that was open. Alec frowned, striding past the man without a second glance. I could have figured that much myself, he thought bitterly. He hovered outside the door, though, trying to formulate words, an apology, anything. But he couldn't think of anyway to prepare himself, and the guard was glaring at his back. So with a haughty sigh, Alec slipped inside the room.
Magnus Bane sat cross-legged, back pressed against the head of the bed. His eyes were closed, but the door swung closed behind Alec, so clearly he was aware of the Shadowhunter's presence. The warlock's hands rested on his knees, palms toward the ceiling, as if he were meditating. Alec hesitated inches from the door, their encounter was doing nothing for his headache. Suddenly, Magnus' eyes fluttered open, revealing black cat-like slits, hovering in yellow-green irises.
"Alexander." He whispered, fixing the younger man with an impeccable grin. Alexander watched Magnus with concern. His smile was laced with exhaustion, an observation only Alec could have made. His face seemed gaunter, features a little less bright. Although the most startling thing could easily be Magnus' apparent lack of hair gel or makeup. He looked very… human. The warlock sat up, flat hair swaying in thin, jagged clumps around his face. The suit jacket he had been wearing was sprawled across the wood floor, so that only his unbuttoned flannel shirt and beltless slacks remained. Alec swallowed dryly.
"Are you quite done staring?" Magnus asked flatly, but his eyes twinkled. Alec flushed as Magnus ran a hand through his hair, smile fading. The warlock stretched out a ring-laden hand, patting the bed next to him. Alec hesitated before obediently sliding onto the bed next to him. There was a disturbingly long silence, and Alec watched Magnus stare down the wall in a frightening way.
"You argued with me for days… days, about things that don't even matter." Magnus said coldly, and Alec realized with horror that he was actually angry. "You ran away in the middle of a party and tried to get yourself killed." He snapped. Alec sat up.
"I didn't try!" he said indignantly. He stared at Magnus angrily, but when he met the warlock's eyes his anger dissolved. Magnus looked… tired. Even more than tired. Exhausted. He rubbed a hand through Alec's untidy hair, rings catching in the thin, dark strands.
"And you looked so sexy in your suit before you got it all bloodied up." He whispered playfully. Alec seethed, still burning from his previous comments.
"Shut up." Alec snarled, and Magnus tensed suddenly, looking wounded. Alec's eyes widened. "It wasn't, I mean… dammit." He glared at his feet, stretched out in front of him on the bed. "Sorry." He mumbled. "I didn't mean it." There was silence, and then Alec stiffened. "The shut up part! Not the, you know, I didn't mean it when I said," he stammered, until Magnus clapped a hand around his mouth, watching him with an amused look.
"Shut up already." He chided Alec, removing his hand. Magnus leaned closer, their faces moving closer together. Alec took a long breath, heart beating faster. Magnus froze, face turning down in a frown. He pulled away, and Alec snapped his attention straight ahead, frustrated and embarrassed. "How did you get bitten?" Magnus asked, watching Alec's breath catch as he asked the question. "What were you guys doing up there?" Magnus always looked people straight in the eye when he spoke. The inhuman quality of his gaze made it off-putting for most people to meet his gaze. Alec stared boldly back at him. It had always been said that you could never win a staring contest with a cat.
"We were looking for Simon." Alec began vaguely. "Apparently he's been in danger recently, and when he vanished we all went to look for him. Lilith,"
"That's nice." Magnus interjected, eyes hardening. Alec held his gaze. "But it doesn't explain what happened to you." The statement lingered in the air until Alec was forced to break the staring contest, shame scrawled across his face.
"Lilith had Camille as a prisoner on the 10th floor." Alec began haltingly. He glanced up, hoping for some reassurance from the warlock, but Magnus had gone rigid, staring down at Alec in shock. When Alec said nothing more, Magnus sighed, unfolding his legs and stretching them out in front of him to mirror Alec.
"I told you to stay away from Chamille. Unless you're into her now or something." Magnus said it casually, but his face showed that the thought didn't amuse him.
Alec felt frustration bubbling to the surface again.
"She said she could make me immortal… like you." Alec added meaningfully. Magnus looked at him, and for a moment he saw a glimmer of pain beneath Magnus' careful mask. It quickly faded.
"And you didn't expect that, as a vampire, she would do this by sucking your blood?" Magnus asked dryly. Alec frowned, glaring at the bed sheets.
"She told me there were other ways…" he retorted, but his argument was quickly fading.
"So you let her free in return for your immortality." Magnus said calmly, hesitating on the last word as if it were a particularly large obstacle. Alec winced. It was at times like these that he became painfully aware of how out of reach Magnus was; centuries older, centuries wiser. Alec looked up at Magnus indignantly, summoning his courage to speak.
"I don't want to be another one of your… toys." Alec spat, hands balling into fists. Magnus opened his mouth to interject but was quickly cut off by Alec. "I don't want you to think about me that way because… well because that's not how I think of you." He finished quickly, staring at his toes in embarrassment. Magnus looked at Alec seriously, reading the Shadowhunter's confliction in the silence that followed. A hand brushed Alec's cheek, turning his head, and he looked up at Magnus in surprise.
"There won't be another." Magnus whispered, leaning closer. Their feet were touching.
"But, I…" Alec trailed off, feeling Magnus' breath brush his skin. Their faces were inches apart. "Yeah, okay." He murmured weakly. Magnus gave a carefree smile, letting his hand drop.
"Sheesh, don't worry. I'm sure there are plenty of ways to become immortal that don't involve sadistic vampire bitches." Magnus cooed, leaning closer. Alec tilted his head up, pressing closer, feeling Magnus' cheek brush his face… and then Isabelle walked in. Alec started, flinching back, but Magnus just sighed. "Twice in one day, Isabelle Lightwood. You owe me." He whined, slumping back against the headboard. Isabelle grabbed her brother by the arm, hauling him roughly off the bed.
"Stop canoodling. Alec has explaining and training to do." She ordered, dragging Alec toward the door. She slammed her hand on the knob, rattling it furiously, but it wouldn't budge. Isabelle scowled, turning slowly to the warlock.
"Magnus Bane." She said icily, glaring at the warlock who was sprawled innocently across the mattress.
"I said you owe me." Magnus reminded her calmly. "I get Alexander to myself tonight." Isabelle glanced between her brother, who had a retardedly cheerful expression on his face, to the warlock, who's face couldn't be seen but probably looked equally as stupid.
"Just, fine. Whatever. Open the door." She seethed. Magnus twirled a glittery hand and the door clicked open. Isabelle began to storm out, muttering under her breath.
"I'm curious, Isabelle." Magnus said suddenly, and his voice was so cold and cross that they both stopped. "When did you decide it was okay to be sassy with the High Warlock Of Brooklyn?" The question was venomous, and Isabelle paused. Then she composed her usual attitude, and replied.
"When you stopped being THE HIGH WARLOCK," she drawled. "And started being my brother's boyfriend. " And with that she slammed the door behind them. Magnus laughed into the empty room.
"Fair enough." He murmured.
Alec ran the towel over his neck, catching the shower water that tried to drip from his hair and down his back. He tugged a black t-shirt over his head, tucking it into his pants. As he stepped from the changing area in the training room to the door, Isabelle leered at him.
"Have fun." She said snidely as he passed her, throwing the towel at her face.
"Silence, Infidel." He quipped, marching down the hall. Alec radiated with tension. Magnus and him… being around the warlock filled him with a dizzying mixture of pleasure and anxiety. He was shaking, he noticed suddenly. He felt ill. By the time he reached the door to Magnus' temporary home he was breaking out in a cold sweat. He hesitated, hand on the knob. Maybe he should wait until he had recovered some more. He felt seconds away from collapsing. With a steadying breath, Alec pushed the door open, striding into Magnus' room. He was quite taken aback by the warlock's appearance. His clothes were in the same state of disarray but now Alec could see the exhaustion playing across his features. Their eyes met, and Magnus' face slid into a catty grin, marring his weakness.
"Welcome, welcome." He said grandly, leaning against the wall with one hand, the other perched sassily on his hip. Magnus crossed over to him until they were standing only a foot apart. Alec pulled the door closed with a soft click behind his back. Magnus said nothing more as he closed the distance, hands coming up to Alec's side. Alec's heart ached as he yearned to lunge forward and close the distance, but his head suddenly throbbed with pain. Magnus paused, watching the pained expression on Alec's face.
'Is this what you want?" Magnus asked nervously, bringing his hands back down slowly. Alec forced the pain back, realizing Magnus had noticed it.
"Is it what you want?" he countered nervously, catching Magnus by the wrists as he began to pull away. Magnus' mouth stretched in a quirky smile, twining fingers with the Shadowhunter. He leaned forward, lips hovering over Alec's.
"Wholeheartedly." He murmured, sliding his hands up Alec's arms to his shoulder. Alec pressed forward, lips meeting Magnus'. The Shadowhunters hands slid down , hovering around Magnus' waist underneath his pristine white button-down shirt. Magnus' lips softened as he parted Alec's mouth. The warlock's spider-like fingers weaved through Alec's hair, moisture from the wet strands dripping down his arms. Alec pulled away for a moment, taking a deep breath. His brow crinkled in annoyance; he was having an unusually hard time breathing. Their lips brushed again, a playful tease that made Alec shudder, hands sliding up Magnus' back, pressing him closer with spread hands. Alec tilted his head to the side, barely breaking away, taking a shaking breath again. Magnus' eyes were closed but he turned his neck, catching Alec, pulling the breath from his mouth. The warlock's hands clutched at Alec's shirt, balling the material in his fists. Alec could feel Magnus' heart pounding through the place where his hands clutched at the warlock's back. He took a deep breath through his nose, feeling faintly ill. His eyes flickered open, but his vision had grown hazy. Startled, he jerked away suddenly with a gasp, feeling his legs slide out from under him.
When he could focus again, he was lying on Magnus' bed. The warlock hovered over him, looking concerned.
"What…?" Alec muttered, too disoriented to finish the question.
"Too much adrenaline in one day." Magnus said. He looked unconcerned, light-hearted as always, but his face had darkened visibly.
"It's not your fault." Alec murmured, trying to sit up and failing.
"Of course it is. Our little spat's the reason you ran off to get yourself killed." He said coldly, offering his hand to Alec.
"I wasn't trying to get killed!" Alec barked, but he took Magnus' hand to sit up. Alec sagged visibly where he sat on the edge of the bed.
"Damn I'm messing it up." He hissed to himself.
"What?" Magnus said, raising an eyebrow. Alec looked up, flushed, as if he didn't realize Magnus could hear.
"Our, you know, whatever this is…" he trailed off in embarrassment. Magnus smirked, standing in front of Alec.
"We'll have to take it slow then." He laughed. Alec watched him carefully.
"You look like shit." Alec said pointedly, leaning back on his hands. Magnus's brow furrowed.
"Ouch." He said bitterly. "You run away, try to get yourself killed, and…." Magnus added before he could object again. "Insult me." Magnus suddenly leaned over Alec, pushing him back flat onto the bed. Alec looked up at him in surprise.
"You're a cruel one Alexander." He whispered, leaning in. Alec knew he was avoiding the question. His hands came up, grabbed Magnus' shirt front and shoved him over. Magnus looked up at him in surprise as Alec crouched over him, staring him down.
"Seriously Magnus. Are you okay?" he said darkly. Magnus' smile faded gradually and he sighed, running a hand through his matted hair. "You don't look good." Alec explained. Magnus raised an eyebrow.
"They don't keep eyeliner or hair gel n the Sanctuary." He said sarcastically.
"No, you look…. Older." Alec tried to explain, and then realized the mistake he had made.
"Older?" Magnus said, starting to laugh. Alec gave a frustrated growl. He wondered if he would ever get a serious moment out of Magnus.
"Just shut up." He snapped, and Magnus fell still, gazing up at Alec seriously.
"Are you okay?" Alec repeated, staring him down. Magnus was silent for a long moment, and then finally gave a disgruntled sigh.
"No actually. I'm tired and drained and my boyfriend won't stop freaking out on me." He replied darkly. Alec flinched visibly. Magnus sat up, and Alec sat back on his heels facing him.
"Are YOU okay?" Magnus asked, looking him up and down. "I've never had someone pass out after this sort of thing." Alec looked away.
"I'll be fine." He muttered, but he hardly believed it. Magnus grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him in.
"Get well soon." Alec whispered, pressing his face into the warlock's shoulder.
"You too." Magnus said, voice laced with concern. Suddenly, the door slammed open and shut, and Isabelle staggered into the room.
"Get up!" she hissed, dashing over to them.
"What?" Alec said indignantly, sitting up.
"MOM'S COMING!" she whispered, and Alec leapt off the bed, hitting the wall dramatically. Even Magnus' face blanched in fear. And then Maryse Lightwood stepped into the room. A cold silence washed over the room as the three stared at her. Her lips pulled taut into a thin line of disapproval as she keenly observed every detail. The wrinkles in Alec's shirt where Magnus had clutched at it. The crumpled bed sheets. The way they both looked vaguely star struck. Isabelle stepped slowly back from her mother's wrath. The silence engulfed the room and then was broken by a single word, pointed like a sword.
"Disgusting." Maryse Lightwood spat. Alec dropped his head, glaring at his shoes. Magnus's face had gone blank, but there was a cold anger bubbling beneath his cat eyes. Isabelle stiffened, fixing her mom with a scathing glare, but Maryse, seeing her expression, rounded on her.
"And you would allow this? Behind my back?" Isabelle shrank back from her mothers' cold rage, but Magnus bristled.
"Nothing was kept secret from you." Magnus reminded her, thinking of their outburst in Alicante. Maryse seemed to calm a little at that, but she still argued fiercely.
"I thought this was a phase… or you were joking, or something, but this," she stammered angrily while Alec shifted uncomfortably against the wall. Magnus, sensing Alec's unhappiness, stood to face her.
"Maryse Lightwood," he began formally, but she interjected him.
"Magnus Bane." She said, ice in her voice. "How dare you string my son along so you can have another, another… plaything." She finished accusingly. Alec felt his moms' gaze searing into his skin but he couldn't meet her eyes. He was overwhelmed by her reaction. She had never acted this way about him and Magnus before. Magnus went rigid.
"I object." He said stiffly, but Maryse was only looking at her son. Alec finally was forced to meet her gaze, bound by the unblinking eyes so much like his own.
"He's nothing but a Downworlder." She whispered, voice quavering, and Alec felt himself slipping. He sagged against the wall, suddenly feeling like he was going to black out again. He couldn't give mother the satisfaction. "Get out. Take your brother to his room," she looked him up and down and then added, "And by the Angel, don't let anyone see him." Isabelle stepped forward, taking her brother's arm. Alec took a step toward Magnus, watching her mom's nostrils flare in response to the movement.
"Magnus…" he started, voice shaking. The warlock reached out, squeezing his hand.
"Don't touch my son, warlock." Maryse spat, and Magnus pulled away obediently, but slowly. Magnus fixed Alec with a calm but worried look.
"Just go. It's okay." He said calmly, gesturing Alec to the door. Isabelle dragged him forward. Alec had one more glance back before the door slammed closed behind them.
