Alec tensed and pressed the wrong key as fear jolted through the parabatai bond. The piano screeched and Alec felt the bond settle once again as Jace woke up. The nightmare played distantly in Alec's mind, the memory of a mane of red hair flaring and a pool of blood, reflecting the glow of a seraph blade.
Nightmares had been plaguing Alec's parabatai for days now and while Jace had tried to find some sleep in the early morning, Alec had retreated to the music room after his patrols with Magnus.
The piano waited, silent once again and Alec ran his fingers over the pristine keys, rows of pearly teeth, all bark and no bite. The piano keened as the shadowhunter dug his finger heavily onto a G-sharp.
Jace stumbled into the music room a moment later and slumped next to Alec on the bench. It was too small for two grown men, but Alec had listened to Jace how to play the piano in this exact position for years now. It made sense, to sit together like this. They were parabatai. They knew where to find each other and how to be. This was just another truth they never grew out of.
"The woman in my nightmare looked like Clary," Jace muttered, shivering.
"It's just a dream," Alec whispered back in an attempt to comfort his brother.
The blond shook his head, brushing invisible dust off the piano and Alec's fingers ran over the keys again, the heady tune about saying good bye playing at the back of his mind still. It sounded like a love song but no voice crooned in his ears.
"Have you been listening to pop music?" Jace asked in disbelief.
"I haven't."
Alec ignored the suspicious glance Jace sent his way and rocked on the seat, leaving the blond to play some classical piece Alec had long forgotten. There was no use in having the conversation Jace really wanted to have, because Alec had nothing but lies to tell him. When they were kids, Jace had not needed someone to play music with him as much as he had needed someone to listen. It was still true.
If only Isabelle had forgotten the existence of her violin too. It was yet another skill that their mother had not deemed necessary and Izzy persisted in honing. Alec had more than once misplaced the instrument for some precious peace and quiet.
Jace laid his hands on the keyboard, waiting.
"I saw my father in the dream. She killed him, but that's not possible," he said instead of playing. "I watched him die."
"I only saw the woman," Alec replied carefully.
"It was just a flash. But I saw him. I know it was him," Jace repeated.
Alec did not say anything, because nothing could comfort his parabatai in that moment except being there with him. So he stayed, listening to Jace playing the piano like Alec had never been able to, classical music filling the room. The Institute woke up with the last note of Jace's recital.
The parabatai met Clary and Jonathan in the kitchen, as well as Max who tried to sneak off with a cup of coffee. Alec laid a heavy hand on his little brother's shoulder and led him to the table, sitting Max down and swapping the coffee for a glass of milk.
Alec frowned when he caught sight of Clary's bag, thrown carelessly over her shoulder. Jonathan caught him staring and smiled kindly, his own back pack on the floor. It was covered in pins but no designs that Alec recognized.
"We have classes this morning. I'm majoring in engineering and Clary is an art student," Jonathan said between mouthfuls of cereal.
Alec munched on his bacon and egg roll, watching Max distractedly. Jonathan and Clary had obviously grown up sheltered from the Shadow World and more importantly, away from Valentine. They had never met the renegade, like Alec, so he was not too worried about the man's influence on them, knowing the siblings circumstances. But they were new to this life and letting Clary and Jonathan go off unsupervised seemed unwise.
He focused on Max again, decision made, and wondered if the boy was lucky to have grown up in the Institute or if he would have been better off living like a mundane. Max drank his milk with a dash of coffee, unconcerned and strangely well-behaved for once. He had not even complained when Alec took the cup of coffee away from him. Jace sipped coffee from that very cup, almost choking on the hot liquid in his haste to ask Clary if she needed a model for her classes.
"We'll come with you," Alec interrupted.
Clary frowned, red hair falling onto her eyes. The kitchen door slid open before she could protest and Church strolled in. Max squealed in delight, forgoing breakfast to pet the gray cat. The feline scratched him for his troubles but Max barely winced at the sharp pain, even though the scratch undoubtedly made his hand throb painfully.
The boy washed his hand with cold water and Church wound through Alec's legs. The shadowhunter leaned against the counter, racerback resting lightly against his spine. He was careful not to rustle the feathers around his wrists when he moved to put Max's breakfast away. The cat could See past the glamour covering Alec's wings and had tried to grab at the feathers more than once.
Church did not linger near Alec for too long though, and Clary kicked the cat out of the way when she stood up to leave. Alec narrowed his eyes, Magnus' words about her cruelty toward his cat flashing through his mind as he hurried after the siblings. Robert had seemed delighted when Alec told his father about Clary and Jonathan's identity but Alec was still suspicious.
"So you guys don't go to college?" Jonathan asked, trying to make small talk.
"No, we were home-schooled. There is the Academy in Idris for the families that live there," Alec replied.
Jace fell into step behind them, chatting with Clary. Alec gestured for them to wait when they walked past the library and he ducked inside the circular room.
Robert was sitting at the desk, sorting through the piles of paperwork that came with the Institute. Alec had gotten his blue eyes from his mother and his hair from his father, but not Robert's nearly bald head, yet. Isabelle got along better with their father, but Alec seemed to get their mother without having to try. Alec cleared his throat and Robert looked up, nodding to greet his eldest son.
"We're going out with Jonathan and Clary but Izzy is staying here. She's still sleeping," Alec informed his father.
"Good," Robert said.
"When is Mother due to come back?" Alec asked, hands clasped behind his back.
Robert tensed at that and Alec straightened, sensing that he would not like the answer. His father sighed deeply and glanced at the door, left open, before lowering his voice.
"She's stuck in Idris. Keep an eye on Valentine's children and make sure you don't do anything rash in the next few days. We don't want to attract attention to ourselves."
Alec turned around and left without another word. This felt like a threat.
Word about his wings was bound to have reached the Clave's ears now, especially with Valentine hovering around the New York Institute.
What Robert had left unsaid though, was the true reason for delaying Maryse's return. Alec and his father never had much to say to one another but this made Alec squirm. What could the Clave threaten Maryse with? Why would Robert not even mention it?
It was no secret in their family that Robert and Maryse did not love each other anymore but they provided for their children, so they made it work. The Institute felt welcoming with Hodge's constant presence and he helped a lot to keep Max busy when Maryse was away in Idris.
While Robert did not love Maryse anymore, he still cared for her and their family. Alec breathed in deeply, trying to control his breathing. Whatever the Clave had in store for Maryse, Alec would make sure to keep his siblings safe. This, was what Maryse would want him to do.
With that in mind, Alec held his head high as he stepped out of the library. Jonathan was waiting for him, but he caught sight of Clary and Jace at the end of the corridor. They had already walked into the elevator and the doors closed before Alec and Jonathan could reach them. Jonathan shuffled his feet, looking embarrassed. He did not meet Alec's eyes as they waited for the elevator to come back up.
"Sorry. Clary doesn't really like it here, Jace is the only one she can somehow stand so I thought I would give them some time together."
"Well, I hope you can stand me because we're stuck together now," Alec joked.
Jonathan blushed and looked away. The shadowhunter shook his head and stepped inside the elevator as the doors opened again, gesturing for the other man to follow. The gilded, birdcage-like grate of the elevator rattled as it went down and Alec caught sight of his exposed sides in the mirror. He adjusted the sleeveless hoodie distractedly and when he noticed Jonathan staring, he arched an eyebrow in silent question.
"Huh you… doesn't cover much… for fighting," Jonathan stuttered.
Alec shrugged. He had never found a good enough excuse to explain his outfit away and between Isabelle's heels and Jace's cockiness, he had never needed to. Until the Clave decided to visit the New York Institute (which had not happened in the past two decades), Alec would not bother with uncomfortable outfits restricting his movements. Especially when sleeves rubbed uncomfortably against his wings and he felt restricted, unable to put his wings to good use.
The elevator doors opened with a shriek, revealing Jace and Clary kissing in the nave. Alec brushed past them abruptly, relishing the way they jumped away from each other.
Alec stomped his feet all the way to the subway station because of Jace's flushed state. The blond was still giddy from kissing Clary and the slight embarrassment of getting caught lingered in their parabatai bond, even as Clary and Jonathan disappeared inside their respective buildings.
"I'm getting coffee. Would you like something?" Alec asked Jace as they found themselves without much to do.
"Nope."
The blond took a seat on a bench, facing the campus and Alec shrugged, heading into the first coffee shop he saw. He dug his phone out of his pocket as he realized there was a queue to get to the counter. He opened his conversation with Magnus, not even noticing that he did so without second guessing himself.
Alec: Trailing Clary to class. She kicked our cat this morning.It did not take long for Magnus to react, a crying emoji signaling his shock before the High Warlock replied.
Magnus: I didn't know the Institute had a cat.Alec: Church. He doesn't like anyone.
Alec finally got to the counter and ordered, hurrying out of the shop as soon as he closed his hand around his cup. A message from Magnus was waiting for him and he checked it with a shy smile, walking towards the bench Jace had decided to sit on.
Magnus: Seems fitting for a cat living with you. You don't like anyone :pAlec: Hey! I like you.
Alec did not realize what he had just written until Magnus' reply came.
Magnus: Good to know ;)He almost spilled his coffee on his parabatai's lap, choking on the sip he had just taken.
"Who are you talking to?" Jace asked, distracting him.
"Did you kiss Clary earlier?" Alec shot back.
"She kissed me, actually."
The blond spread out with his arm thrown over the back of the bench and Alec sat down next to Jace, lingering in the shade of a nearby tree. He shoved the phone in his pocket, deciding it would be wiser not to reply, else he incriminated himself further. Alec took a sip of his coffee and pondered on Jace's smug smile and slightly sappy eyes.
"You really like her?" Alec asked his parabatai.
"I know you don't trust her, but she's different and I like it."
Alec scoffed. Of course Clary was different, raised as a mundane instead of becoming a shadowhunter at the tender age of nine like they had. While nephilim blood ran thicker than most, enabling Clary and Jonathan to pick up on the training they had missed, they would never understand Jace the way Alec did.
Even Alec struggled to relate sometimes. The parabatai bond made Jace's feelings clearer, easier to grasp, but what Jace had been through as a child was nothing like what Alec himself had experienced. Bad dreams could only show him slices of what looked like a hard life for a child. Alec's parents, as distant as they were, had never purposely hurt him.
"So, have you been seeing someone?" Jace brought up again.
The blond looked at Alec, lazy and devoid of any expectation. He would not press like Isabelle tended to. But Jace could feel the way Alec's heart sped up, bumping against his rib cage in an attempt to break free of his chest. What was one more secret to keep from his parabatai? Mentioning Magnus would just make it harder to hide Alec's wings.
The Downworld knew about the wings already and it was dangerous enough. The Alpha of the werewolf pack could out Alec at any given moment. Even if Luke did not, for fear the Clave would turn against him, Alec lived with the threat of the Clave learning about his wings.
He could not put his siblings at risk. The less they knew, the safer it was for Jace and Isabelle. Alec was already too exposed. Any werewolf could let the Clave know about Valentine's experiment and what, exactly, it meant for Alec. Especially now that Valentine's children were living at the New York Institute.
"There is someone but I can't tell you about them," Alec exhaled slowly.
The bond shut down abruptly. Alec winced, knowing he had just pushed his parabatai a bit further away.
That was already too much, but Alec could not bring himself to lie openly. Not to his parabatai. Jace nodded reluctantly, hurt flashing in his amber eyes. The blond did not say anything else and they waited for Jonathan and Clary to get out of their classes.
Alec shuffled on the bench, unable to bring himself to say anything. There was nothing he could do about it, especially if Maryse was stuck in Idris. What Jace did not know could not hurt him.
Who was he kidding? Alec knew perfectly well that the lies hurt Jace just as much. But he could not put his siblings at risk on purpose. The Clave would not let Isabelle and Jace's inevitable attempt at defending Alec go unpunished.
Alec folded onto himself and did not try to uncoil the bond that stretched painfully between him and Jace, too thin to be healthy.
The shadowhunters perked up as soon as they caught sight of the siblings, relieved with the distraction they provided. Jonathan walked down a few steps, heading towards them with a wave and a smile.
Suddenly, a young man wearing glasses ran out of the building, reaching for Clary. He held her back, his fingers sliding from the young woman's wrist to her hand. Clary's fiery hair hid her expression but she pushed the other student back roughly and he stumbled, falling down the stairs.
Jonathan tried to help the young man to his feet and Jace ran up to them, standing protectively in front of Clary. Alec hesitated between his parabatai and the mundane who looked at them with something akin to fear in his brown eyes.
This was not right. Alec was supposed to protect mundanes.
"Simon, are you alright?" Jonathan asked.
"I'm fine," the mundane replied.
Simon had yet to get up and Alec offered his hand, smiling encouragingly. The young man had mousy brown hair and his glasses were broken, crushed by his fall.
"I was so worried about Clary and you," Simon said, sobbing.
The mundane grabbed Alec's hand, looking at the shadowhunter warily and let out a yelp as Alec hauled him to his feet like he weighed nothing.
Alec cringed and let go of Simon's hand, wary of the snot dangling from of the mundane's nose. Red eyes squinted at him as Simon tried to calm down, muttering his thanks for Alec's help.
"Your flat blew up and Clary missed so many classes I thought she had… I thought she was..." the mundane continued.
"Just give up already Simon!" Clary snapped.
Simon startled, looking at her with renewed tears. Jonathan turned to his sister, gaping, while Jace glanced between Simon and Clary, trying to understand their relationship.
"Clary!" Jonathan scolded.
She huffed and turned away, running down the stairs. Jace followed and Alec shrugged, nodding to the mundane and gesturing for Jonathan to follow them. At least the mundane would not get in trouble looking for the siblings, Alec thought.
Alec had enough on his plate already, caught in a web of lies he could not see himself getting out of. Between Valentine flooding the city with demons, and the werewolf pack going after Alec… Alec could only hope his mother was safe in Idris.
Magnus did not spare a glance to the ravener demon as he shot it. It was the first one tonight and the warlock did not expect to see any more. Royal blue magic blasted out of his hands, leaving a pile of ash behind, and a whistle echoed in the dark alley. The warlock preened at Alec's unveiled admiration and pushed his colorfully streaked hair back, throwing in a wink for good measure.
Alec looked away with a blush, lowering his bow in the absence of demons to kill. Without a threat to interrupt them, it almost felt like they were taking a stroll through Brooklyn, discussing the best way to coordinate their efforts.
Valentine had yet to reappear and Magnus feared the madman's next step.
They needed to be ready to face him and hopefully avoid the kind of devastation Valentine had caused in the past. The nameless warlock child was already one of too many victims. Magnus had never even seen his face. How many downworlders had disappeared with no one to remember them?
There was the matter of Alec's wings too. Valentine had not shown any interest in the young man, but Magnus did not believe the renegade had forgotten about his experiment. The High Warlock would protect Alexander too, if it came down to it.
"The Downworld knows about your wings now, it will reach the Clave eventually." Magnus commented carefully.
"I'm afraid they're already aware of it," Alec sighed. "My mother is stuck in Idris. Father did not expand on it but I don't know what else it could be about."
"Do you think you could bring your siblings in?" Magnus mused.
"I don't know. Maybe it's better if I tell Jace and Izzy now, before they learn it from someone else, but I've hidden my wings for so long…
I've lied to them my whole life. I tried to protect them, all for nothing. They'll get hurt anyway. I'm already hurting them," Alec whispered. "Jace is my parabatai, he knows something is wrong."
"There is nothing wrong with you Alexander," Magnus said gently.
"I know. I know they won't think any less of me because of my wings. But I'm not sure Jace can get over someone not trusting him, especially not me. I'm the only one he can trust, except I'm not. I never was."
Magnus stopped on the side of the alley, lingering in the shadows behind a lamp post, and Alec turned around, bathed in the warm glow of street lights.
"Is there anything true about me? If not my wings, it's every other part of me that I'm hiding from them."
The warlock frowned and kept carefully silent as he considered his next words. There was little Magnus could do or say, unfortunately. Everything was out of their control already and Alec would not be able to spare his siblings the hurt.
"What I've seen of you is true and beautiful."
Alec shuffled his feet in the pool of light. Royal blue feathers fletched the arrows in his quiver. The open sides of his hoodie fluttered with the night breeze. He moved closer to Magnus, dancing on the edge of light and dark. A siren wailed in the distance and the night dozed off again, lulled to sleep in the ever present hum of the city.
"You're so beautiful," the shadowhunter breathed out.
Magnus started and smiled, glancing at Alec's lips. The warlock took a step forward, leaving the darkness behind. Shadows dragged off his cloak like the doubts lingering at the back of his mind.
He kissed Alec instead, closing his eyes to press their lips together. The shadowhunter's arms shot out to wrap around Magnus, who let out a sigh. Alec's wings were soft, barely there as they rested on the warlock's arms and back. He reached up to cup Alec's face in his hands, pressing another kiss to the younger man's lips.
Alec kissed back, clumsy and careful as their mouths moved together. Magnus tilted his head, brushing painted nails over the shadowhunter's high cheekbones as he angled their faces just right and the warlock melted in Alec's embrace, trusting and maybe naïve.
They did not break away from each other, lips merely parted for their breaths to mingle, the ghost of a kiss.
The feathers on Alec's wrists brushed Magnus' cheek when the shadowhunter moved and the warlock's eyes fluttered shut again. Alec froze, before dipping his head for another kiss and Magnus savored how soft it felt as their lips spoke another language, soundless but not bereft of meaning.
A demon chose that moment to swoop down on them.
The light of the lamp post flickered and died. Acid ran down the window sill the demon had been hiding on and splashed onto the pavement. Alec hissed and jumped back, nocking an arrow. Magnus' hands shot up, casting a magical shield above their heads. Alec released the arrow he was holding onto as soon as the acid relented. The demon crashed to the pavement with a yowl and disintegrated at their feet.
Alec winced, glancing at his side where acid had splattered on the unprotected skin. Magnus snapped his fingers and dragged Alec through a portal. They reappeared and into the warlock's living room and Magnus pushed the shadowhunter onto the sofa. Outside, the sky blushed with the first lights of dawn. The Chairman peered at them from the top of a bookshelf and gave an anxious miaow.
"Keep an eye on him, will you?" Magnus muttered to his cat.
Alec laughed at him as the warlock disappeared into the apothecary. Magnus heard the shadowhunter's moans of pain as Magnus looked for the appropriate ingredients. He moved quickly, gathering what he needed to blend together in order to disinfect the area and heal the damaged skin. The salve was ready a moment later and he rushed back to Alexander's side.
"Have you drawn a healing rune yet?" Magnus asked.
"No. It won't do much with the venom."
The shadowhunter shrugged and winced again but let Magnus apply the salve on the wound. Chairman Meow jumped off the bookshelf and strolled up to the couch, the tawny cat rubbing against Alec's shin in an attempt at comforting him. Magnus cooed at his cat who replied with a disinterested meow.
"He's cute," Alec said.
"Is it the first time you've seen Chairman Meow in person?" the warlock asked with a frown.
"No, I saw him last time you healed me, but I scared him off before you woke up."
Alec's reply brought a smile to Magnus' lips as he got rid of his cloak and he slumped on the other end of the couch. Chairman Meow jumped on the arm of the couch and curled up next to Magnus, purring softly. Alec watched them with a fond look, waiting for the ointment to take effect and neutralize the venom lingering on his wounds. The sun rose lazily outside, scrambling up between bridges and skyscrapers.
"Well, I've had more romantic, as far as kisses go," Magnus piped up to break the silence.
Alec blushed at that and looked away, biting his lip. Magnus stilled, hoping the shadowhunter did not regret it but from the way Alec peered at him a moment later, this was something else.
"Maybe you could kiss it better," came the surprising reply.
Magnus had the strangest feeling that he had missed something. But the grin that tilted the corner of Alec's lips up and the way Magnus' heart missed a beat were more important in that moment and the warlock bit his lower lip before leaning in.
Alec kissed the warlock eagerly but hissed when he moved to touch Magnus. They glanced at the wound worriedly and Alec chuckled as his arm fell back onto the couch. Magnus pouted, because the way Alec had wrapped his wings around him had made him feel safe and cared for.
"How about we wait for this to get better? We can order takeout for breakfast," Magnus suggested.
And if Alec ended up sleeping in his bed again, well Magnus was not going to complain.