Alec sat on the couch with Magnus beside him. His laptop was open with an image of Magnus, during their trip to India.
"Yes, you insisted on wearing a sari," Alec sighed. They'd spent the last hour looking over memories together. Every piece of physical evidence of their time together, most of which consisted of their travels through Europe.
"I can see that," Magnus chuckled. "You don't look happy about it."
"I was trying not to be embarrassed," Alec smiled.
"Trying, and failing, I see," Magnus added.
"I had just come out of the closet a week before," Alec defended himself. Magnus laughed lightly.
"I haven't asked you," Magnus said, his tone turning serious. "How did your parents take it?"
"Not well at first," Alec replied easily. "But, they got over it."
"I can't imagine Maryse taking it well," Magnus said. "I have known her a long time."
"You knew her before I was born," Alec confirmed. "I think I was just about a year old when you saw her with the circle."
"It's so strange," Magnus observed. "To hear you say those things in such a calm and casual way."
"Time heals," Alec shrugged.
"But it didn't heal you," Magnus said. "When I left- I mean- you didn't get better."
"That's different," Alec said, looking into Magnus's gleaming cat's eyes. He could read the question in those eyes so he continued, "You were just suddenly gone, and I was so confused... but at least I knew you were alright. When you were being held by your father, I didn't know if you were alive or dead." Alec shivered as he remember. "I was broken."
"It seems I was too," Magnus replied softly. "From what you've told me, and what I can remember."
"What do you remember?" Alec asked.
"Being chained," Magnus said, after a moment. "I remember being miserable, but I don't remember you arriving to save me."
"You thought only Clary came to save you right?" Alec asked.
"Yeah, and I remember Simon," Magnus said. "He gave up his memories, and became human so I wouldn't be a pile of ashes."
"But you helped him get a few of his memories back," Alec comforted him. "He's at the Shadowhunter Academy now, and he will have his memories back when he ascends."
"Izzy would like that," Magnus smiled.
"So, you remember her feelings for him?" Alec asked.
"Yes," Magnus replied. "At Jocelyn's wedding, she stayed back. It seemed like she didn't care, but I knew she cared more than the others."
"I was your date to that wedding," Alec added. Magnus smiled, and Alec could read in his eyes that Magnus had guessed this already. Alec laughed. They'd talked so much about their past at this point, Magnus was starting to understand. Alec wondered how long it would be until it slipped his mind that Magnus's memories were gone.
"How is Simon doing?" Magnus asked.
"Better," Alec said. "Though Izzy said their dates over the summer didn't go well."
"Not well how?" Magnus asked.
"Just awkward, and didn't flow I guess," Alec said. "Though she seems happier just having him be more receptive."
"I hope she isn't discouraged?" Magnus replied.
"Oh no," Alec laughed. "That isn't in her nature. She is sending him a letter, and she is sure enough of his answer that she is going to be there when he opens the letter."
"That sister of yours is something else," Magnus smiled.
"I am sure they will find their way back to each other," Alec said confidently.
"Like we did?" Magnus whispered. Alec beamed at him, then leaned forward to kiss Magnus. The rest of the day passed in joyous nostalgia with the man he loved. Alec thought he could do this forever, just be with Magnus. But life did eventually make a reappearance in the form of his parabatai.
Jace arrived at the apartment about twenty minutes after Alec texted him, explaining that Magnus had returned and everything was fine. Jace burst through the doors and glared at Magnus who thankfully was looking the other way.
"Whoa!" Alec said jumping up to remove Jace before Magnus saw him.
"I have a bone to pick with him," Jace grumbled.
"No, you don't," Alec said firmly. He was secure in his belief that Magnus wasn't going to leave again, but that didn't mean he wanted Jace to upset Magnus.
"He left you!" Jace yelled. "And not like before. You guys didn't break up, he just left after everything you two have been through!"
"He was scared," Alec said. "He lost all his memories, it's understandable. Chill Jace!" Jace took a deep breath and stopped fighting Alec's grip on his shoulders, but he still looked mad.
"Alright," Jace grumbled. Alec released his friend but remained on alert.
"Who was at the door?" Magnus's voice called from the other room. Alec could hear Magnus approaching, and let his arms fall to his sides before the warlock could see.
"Jace came to see for himself that you were back," Alec explained calmly.
"Yeah," Jace agreed, though he wasn't convincing. "And don't be surprised if Izzy does the same thing." Alec groaned and covered his face with his hands. Just what he needed.
"Alright," Magnus said slowly, clearly confused. And sure enough, Isabelle arrived less than ten minutes later, but to Alec's great relief she didn't look mad.
"I kissed Simon!" Izzy chirped as she danced into the room. Jace was staring at her with the strangest expression, and Alec knew exactly how Jace felt. Izzy didn't chirp.
"That's wonderful," Magnus told her.
"We made out for hours!" Izzy giggled as she collapsed dramatically onto Magnus's couch.
"When did my apartment become a Shadowhunter headquarters?" Magnus asked the room at large.
"It's a wayward home for Shadowhunters," Izzy corrected him. "If you are going to quote yourself, do it right."
"Alexander," Magnus sighed. "Your family confuses me."
"I know the feeling," Alec laughed. Jace studied Alec's face for a moment, then seemed to decide Alec was happy and let his own revenge plan go. Alec relaxed. He knew Jace was just being himself, but he really didn't need that drama.
After that, Alec spent a easy afternoon with his siblings and his boyfriend. It felt strange to simply call Magnus his boyfriend. The warlock meant so much more to him than that, but Alec wasn't about to move too fast with a Magnus who didn't have his memories. He wasn't even sure he'd have the guts to propose if Magnus was his old self. Alec put the idea from his mind for now.
When Maia and Lily appeared at their front door a few days later, Magnus seemed to assume they were there to see the High Warlock. He approached them, and inquired as to what he could do for them. Magnus was very surprised when they asked for Alec.
"When you were gone Alec solved our mermaid problem," Maia explained as the two girls got comfortable in the living room.
"I see," Magnus replied. "Well in that case I shall leave you to it." Magnus kissed Alec goodbye, and then went off into his office while Alec, Maia, and Lily got to work. His work with Maia and Lily wasn't a distraction from his pain anymore, but Alec still enjoyed being useful.
When Alec and Magnus attended Helen and Aline's wedding, he couldn't help but think about the future again. Two women were getting married in gold. Maybe what he wanted wasn't so impossible. Magnus could never take a wedding rune, but that didn't matter so much really. Alec knew Tessa had worn her wedding rune on a piece of jewelry when she'd married William Herondale, a hundred and thirty years ago.
Alec didn't say a word though and when the wedding ended, Izzy was too busy telling him her story of rescuing Simon in faerie land, and meeting Mark Blackthorn to think anymore of it.
They returned home from the wedding to a message for Magnus. Rather than read over his boyfriend's shoulder, Alec walked past Magnus and into the other room.
"Caterina wants me to teach at the Shadowhunter Academy," Magnus called to Alec. "But she is talking like they've already asked me once."
"Oh that's because they have," Alec called back as he made his way over to Magnus. Alec had observed over the years that when you lived with someone, talking to them from different areas in the house like this happened often. "While you were gone. Sorry, I forgot to tell you."
"She says I owe her since she took all that time away from teaching to learn what happened to my memories," Magnus said.
"Well, she is kinda right," Alec said.
"The semester had barely started," Magnus defended himself. "And technically, I didn't ask her to. You did."
"Fine, I owe her," Alec sighed. "Though you benefited, so let's just agree we owe her, and go help out."
"Ragnor was always the better teacher," Magnus said.
"Just a guest lecture or two isn't like full time teaching or anything," Alec said. "You do have a unique perspective to offer the students."
"That's true," Magnus agreed. Alec knew appealing to his ego was the best way to get Magnus to agree.
Clary came over not long before they left for Alicante to tell them about the parabatai ceremony she'd witnessed, and her plans to become parabatai with Simon once he ascended. Alec was happy for her, but he was also happy for Simon. Alec just wasn't sure how to talk to Simon. He knew he would have to get over this though, as he'd likely run into Simon at the Academy. Though Robert was living in Alicante at the moment, Alec decided against a visit since his parents had been even less keen on Magnus, since Magnus's memory loss.
Since Magnus had moved back in, he'd insisted on reducing the amount of magic he did despite Alec's efforts to assure him that it likely made no difference. So, though Magnus portaled them close, he was happy to walk the rest of the way.
"You doing less magic is rather strange," Alec said as they walked.
"How so?" Magnus asked.
"Well, usually I am the one telling you it's better to pay for coffee then magically thieve it."
"That attitude would seem to fit your character," Magnus observed.
"Low key really doesn't fit yours," Alec said. "Remember when Caterina first discovered you'd lost your memories?" Magnus nodded. "She didn't sense anything physically wrong with you apart from the memory loss, so I don't think less or more magic will effect anything."
"I do miss stolen coffee," Magnus mused.
"Okay, maybe stick to paying for coffee," Alec backtracked, and Magnus laughed. "It doesn't taste any better if you steal it you know." Magnus chuckled.
"Caterina is at this school," Magnus said. "If anyone knows enough about warlock healing magic to know what is what, it's her. I'll ask."
"Thanks," Alec smiled at him. Mortal or not, he wanted Magnus to feel like himself again, and that meant Magnus being comfortable doing magic.
When they entered the castle, Alec found himself meeting students who knew rather a lot about it. It was slightly disconcerting.
"Now you know how I felt," Magnus laughed, as they walked together up the stairs to the attic room they would be staying in during their visit.
"Ah no," Alec countered. "That was totally different. That was hero worship where worship shouldn't be."
"You did survive a demon hell dimension," Magnus reminded him.
"I went to rescue you," Alec reminded Magnus.
"And in doing so ended the Dark War," Magnus argued as they climbed the stairs.
"Clary did that," Alec disagreed, but they had reached the room, and Magnus's attention was suddenly otherwise occupied.
"This room is horrible," he said. "We are supposed to live here for two weeks!?"
"It looks like the rest of the place really," Alec added. "This whole academy needs major repairs."
"This is impossible," Magnus exclaimed. "We are canceling the trip."
"I have a better idea," Alec said, turning to face Magnus. "Why don't you magically repair the room?"
"Alexander," Magnus said, deflating. "I don't- I mean I haven't-"
"You haven't talked to Caterina yet, I know," Alec whispered, gently touching Magnus's face. "But it's okay." Alec thought for a moment about the irony of this situation. If Magnus was his normal self, Alec would have likely been the one complaining that Magnus summoned half a grocery store without paying for it.
"Alright," Magnus whispered. He turned to face the room, and with a wave of his hands blue sparks began to flow, cleaning windows, repairing cracks in the walls and, with a gentle thud, stocking the fridge.
"How do you feel?" Alec asked him.
"I feel fine," Magnus said. "I think."
"Told you," Alec smiled at him. He kissed Magnus sweetly, then went about exploring their new accommodations.
So I have been fitting this story into the events of the Shadowhunter Academy series last night if you haven't noticed. Also I have the next chapter basically finished. I think this story will have a total of 8 chapters then I will upload the first chapter of my yet to be named Malec fantasy AU.
Sneak Peek Ch 7:
The cries continued for hours and hours; Alec forgot about the rest of the world. The infant's cries had drown everything out. The sun was setting by the time the cries finally stopped. The baby was laying on their bed and Alec lay down beside him half asleep already.
When Alec awoke, he was fairly sure he hadn't slept long. It was dark outside but what frightened Alec was that Magnus was gone. Alec quickly looked around the rooms and when he could find Magnus no where he gathered up the sleeping child in his arms and left the attic suit.