Chapter Text
Alec stepped up closer and stopped at the brick wall, holding out his palm, feeling it warm as he pressed it against the brick. No matter how many times he did this, it still took his breath away.
The brick slowly slid away and Alec stepped into the Market. The sunshine, colors, and noise washed over him and he grinned, bright and wide as the door closed behind him.
"Alec!"
Alec dropped his eyes to a blur of clattering hooves and pink sparks and grinned, picking up Katherine as she drew closer, spinning her around before depositing her back on the ground. "Well, hello and good morning to you, Miss Katherine."
Katherine grinned brightly and danced in place. "I'm so glad you came to visit today, Alec! We haven't seen you in forever!"
Alec grinned back at her. He wouldn't bother to remind her that he'd seen her only a week ago when he'd gotten sidetracked from their shopping to play with the kids for the better part of an hour. "Well, I am certainly glad that I visited today, because I've missed you all."
"Will you come play with us?" she pouted up at him. "You always throw us the highest!"
Alec gave a sheepish laugh, especially when several of the adults nearby gave him knowing looks. "I have a little bit of shopping to do first, but then I promise I'll stop by to come play with you all."
Katherine's eyes widened. "Are you buying a present for Magnus?"
Alec knelt down in front of her and brought a finger to his lips. "I am. But you have to keep it a secret, okay? I don't want him to find out."
Katherine slapped both of her hands over her mouth. "I won't tell a soul, Alec, I promise!"
Alec smiled. "Thank you. Now, go head back and let the others know I'll be there soon?"
"You got it!" Katherine said, spinning around to dash deeper into the market.
Alec stood up and brushed the dust off his pants, watching her head bob through the crowd until she was back with the other kids, safely under the eyes of their chaperones. He relaxed and turned his attention to the market, heading for Dimitri, who was waiting for him with a knowing look.
"Oh don't give me that," Alec grumbled, untucking a notebook from his holster. "Here, I brought you my notes on combining with Adamas, I thought you'd find this interesting when using ferrywort..."
~!~
Magnus stared at the text message on his phone for a long time after he received it from Alexander, his heart aching in the best way. Alexander, who had been late coming home, had responded that he had spent the day at the Shadow Market, and wanted to take him out for dinner.
Magnus let out a low breath and pressed his hand to his chest, the bond between the two of them pulsing happily. He could feel how relaxed Alexander was, and to know where he'd spent the day, without him there was just... He shook himself and summoned a portal into the New York Shadow Market.
Of course, he knew exactly where to find Alec - anyone did, after he was there for more than an hour.
All of the children flocked to Alexander, and he never turned any of them away. Magnus had seen him give piggyback ride after piggyback ride, toss children into the air, only to easily catch them again, tickle them, act as a human jungle gym, only to collapse to the floor so the kids could continue to crawl all over him.
It made Magnus want things he hadn't thought about in centuries, seeing Alexander surrounded with children, imagining a similar sight in their home. He shook himself, and headed to the center of the square where the area was sectioned off for children. Exactly as expected, Alec was there, pretending to grunt under the weight of the children he had hanging off each arm.
The activated strength rune was likely helping since Magnus was relatively sure Alec was faking how heavy each of the kids were. He was eyeing the next one dubiously before he turned around and in a stunning display of strength that had Magnus' mouth going dry, he turned around (which allowed Magnus to see he had three kids hanging from each arm), to show his back.
Inda, the warlock waiting impatiently for her turn, quickly scrambled onto his back, and Magnus watched as Alec turned to the last one, grinning.
"All right, ready?" he asked. "You're going to need to jump."
Magnus' breath caught as the young warlock he didn't recognize took a running jump and crashed against Alec's chest, clinging to his shoulders. Alec didn't stumble, but Magnus could hear the small grunt that escaped him as he stood upright.
All of the kids started to cheer and Magnus watched as Alec let each of them down carefully, grinning at them, a wide and happy smile on his face as they all stared at him, wide-eyed with excitement.
He turned to Alannia when she stepped closer and smiled at her. "Isn't he just ridiculous?"
She snorted and nodded. "He's been playing with them for hours now. Told them stories during lunch, and even napped with them." Alannia rolled her eyes at the smitten expression on Magnus Bane's face. "I don't know where you found this particular Shadowhunter, Magnus, but I am happy that these children have at least had the experience of being around one who doesn't think they are monsters."
"Alec, it's Magnus!"
Magnus turned to the kids as they all started to wave to him, his eyes going to Alexander who was grinning at him. Alec had likely known that he was close, but his heart would likely never stop skipping a beat every time Alec looked at him like that.
"I see that," Alec said to Katherine, smiling as he stood up. "Let me go say hello and I'll be right back," he promised her. He stepped closer to Magnus and drew him into a soft kiss hello.
Magnus leaned into the kiss, relaxing against Alec. He loved that Alec had slowly dropped his guard the more time he spent in the Shadow Market, and now most of the vendors treated him like one of the regulars for how often he was here. "Hello, darling. What's this I hear about you spending the day here?"
"Well, Katherine informed me that it had been forever since I visited, Magnus, so I simply had to stay and play with them today," Alec said, throwing her a wink over his shoulder, before turning back to Magnus. "I did tell them that I am taking you to dinner this evening, so I won't be around for too much longer, but I thought we could play for a few minutes longer?"
“Of course we-”
“Magnus.”
Magnus straightened up and looked to Elanor as she stepped through a portal. He could see Alec moving to attention at the sight of her as well. "Elanor," he nodded. "Is everything all right?"
Elanor shook her head and she turned to look at Alec Lightwood-Bane. "I have need of your husband's help."
Alec blinked in surprise when she turned to him. "Me?" He shook himself and cleared his throat. "Apologies. Of course, I'll do whatever you need."
Elanor took a deep breath. "A warlock baby was left on the steps of the Institute in Belgium."
Alec stiffened and turned to her properly, all of his attention on her. His stomach sank. The Belgium Institute was one of the few holdouts that still wanted to follow the old ways. They'd resisted forming a Downworld Council, repeatedly, and their relationship with the local Downworld was one of the worst that Alec knew of.
"The Institute has refused to let in any warlock to see if the baby is all right and healthy, claiming that they can handle it." Her expression turned stormy. "They called him an It, as though he were not human."
Alec stepped away from the children, anger pulsing through him. "How long has he been there?"
Magnus' eyes darted to Alexander the dark expression that he could see on his face. He could feel the rage pulsing through the bond from Alec and reached out to touch him, but Alec kept all of his attention on Elanor.
"At least a few hours," Elanor said, lifting her chin. "We're worried about the health of the child, but the Institute has refused all attempts at communication and has ignored both of the local High Warlocks."
Alec turned to Magnus. "Magnus, could you please summon my work tablet?" He pulled out his phone and flipped it open in a second, holding out his hand for the tablet, glad when it appeared in his hand a second later. He began to write on it quickly.
"Jace, I need you to contact your Grandmother immediately and have a report of negligence submitted for the Belgium Institute. Dereliction of duty. They're keeping a local warlock baby hostage," Alec snapped, flipping through another screen on his tablet with a growl, sending off an email. "I expect a full investigation, and if she needs me to put my weight behind it, she has it."
Magnus' mouth went dry as he watched Alec step back into his Head of the Institute mode. A quick glance around showed surprise at the way Alec had changed and he could see the surprised respect flitting across many faces around them, including on Elanor.
"Of course I'm going," Alec said, snorting. "No, I need you and Izzy to hold down the fort, because you can bet that the Head is going to try to stop me. Not that I plan on letting him." Another swipe of his fingers. "There, I've just let the Head of the Institute know I'll be arriving momentarily as a liaison to the local Downworld investigating a report of abuse against a warlock child."
Magnus stared as Alec paused, listening to whatever Jace was saying.
"Jace," Alec's voice softened. "They have a child. A baby. Who is probably not being taken care of, who has just been abandoned by their parent and is probably terrified. Of course I am going to charge in there like this. You have your things you rush into headfirst and I have mine."
Magnus swallowed hard and looked away from Alec to take a shaky breath. He could feel the cold, calculating certainty in Alec. Alec was going to do whatever it took to take care of this warlock child that he had never met.
"I'll be careful," Alec promised. "It's not like they can arrest me." He grinned and chuckled. "I'll like to try to see them stop Magnus and I from charging in there. We'd just steamroll them."
This time Magnus heard the laugh over the phone, and while he didn't hear whatever tease Jace shot back, it was enough to make the tips of Alec's ears pink.
"No promises. Now shut up and do your job," he grumbled, hanging up the phone, putting it back into his pocket in a slow motion. "Magnus," Alec asked without looking up from the tablet. "Can you portal us to the steps of the Institute?"
Magnus gave a bemused nod. "Of course I can."
"Good," Alec said with a nod. He turned to Elanor and gave her a nod. "Could you please alert the local High Warlocks that Magnus and I are about to arrive to take care of the issue?" When she nodded, he gave another irritated flick on his tablet, growling under his breath.
"They're denying they have a warlock child," Alec breathed, staring at the response email. Panic shot through him and Alec lifted his eyes to Magnus. "Magnus, Magnus we have to go now."
Magnus already had the portal half spun up, and was stepping through it, disappearing Alec's tablet in a wave of sparks, summoning Alec's seraph blade and holster to him a moment later. He looked up at the old church and felt the wards ripple under the weight of the power and anger he was giving off. "You know that we can't just storm in there, right?" he said, looking to Alec.
Alec closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Watch me," he snarled.
The absolute certainty that shot through the bond was enough to have Magnus straightening. Whatever Alexander was planning, there was no doubt in his mind about it. "I do love it when you get all authoritative."
Alec's lips quirked. "Save the baby first, then flirt." His eyes turned serious. "You're going to have to be the one to find the baby. Will you be able to find them once we're inside?"
Magnus looked to the wards and followed Alec as he started up the steps. "I'll make sure I can, even if I have to tear down their wards to do it."
"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that, since I don’t really want to explain that one to the Consul and Inquisitor," Alec said, holding Magnus' hand as they stepped through the wards, listening to the alarms blare as he shoved the doors open, stepping inside. “Stay behind me,” he ordered.
Magnus snorted and rolled his eyes at the order, letting Alec move down the hallway, shutting doors on Shadowhunters who were trying to rush to stop them in the hallway. "You know I don't like listening to orders unless you ask nicely," he drawled.
Alec shot Magnus a look as Magnus kept the path clear for him into the middle of Operations. Multiple shadowhunters were staring at him in shock, so he lifted his chin and cleared his throat pointedly.
Magnus knew his cue when he saw one. He closed his eyes and sent out threads of power through the Institute, biting down a growl when the wards kept trying to deflect him. He did it again, and again, even as more people poured into Operations, staring at the two of them.
Alec crossed his arms over his chest, unimpressed. "My name is Alec Lightwood-Bane, and I'd like to speak to your Head of Institute, now."
Magnus fought down the urge to laugh at the demand. Alec sounded calm and collected like they hadn't just stormed down an Institute to be standing here in the middle of Operations. He twisted more magic around his fingertips and knocked away a throwing knife that came his way, shooting the shadowhunter an unimpressed look before he kept reaching out.
"What the hell is-"
"Ah, Clayburn," Alec said, turning to address him, keeping his back to Magnus to keep him as much out of sight as possible. "I assume that you received the notification of my visit. I'd like to see the warlock child, please."
Clayburn scowled. "We don't have a warlock child, I don't know where you heard that. You don't have any right to barge in here and-"
"Actually," Alec said, cutting him off with a bland smile. "This is a social visit, unless you deem it otherwise. I am here as a Downworld liasion, after all. And your Downworld does appear to be up in arms. I don't plan to have anything to do with the day to day Operations of the place."
"We do not," Clayburn snarled. "Have a warlock child. We would have turned it over to them if we did."
Alec's eyes sharpened. "It? May I remind you that it is a child. Not a thing. It's a living, breathing-"
"Half-demon!" Clayburn said, narrowing his eyes.
Alec's voice dropped, losing all illusion of camaraderie. "So you do have the baby here." He stepped forward, away from Magnus. "I suggest you tell me where the baby is, and turn them over, Clayburn."
"Or what?" Clayburn asked, laughing. "You're standing in the middle of my Institute, Lightwood. I don't know what you-"
"Lightwood-Bane," Alec said, interrupting him again with a smile. "I did get married, after all."
"We don't have a child here!" Clayburn snarled. "Now get the hell out and I hope that you enjoy the investigation into your conduct by the Inquisitor, because this has been-"
"The only one getting a visit from the Inquisitor and possibly the Consul would be you, Clayburn. If you cooperate, it might not even be a career-ending one. Now I'll ask again, where is the baby?" Alec kept his arms crossed over his chest, staring him down.
"We don't have-"
A cacophonous boom echoed across the Institute.
Alec turned to look back at Magnus, raising an eyebrow. He could feel the anger coalescing Magnus and could even start to see it as he stood a few feet behind him. "Magnus?"
Magnus took a slow, deep breath and slammed his palms together, breathing in deep. "They glamoured him. I can't feel him. I can only feel where he isn't."
Alec spun on his heel back to Clayburn, who looked afraid for the first time. He tilted his head and took a step closer. "I will make this easy for you, Clayburn. Bring that baby to Magnus and I now, or I go through you to get to him."
Alec watched impassively as Clayburn's face turned red as he glared and sputtered. He waited, but he didn't move, and when a noise came from over his shoulder from Magnus, and a golden spark shot over his shoulder down the hallway. He raised an eyebrow at Clayburn, who didn’t move.
"Through you it is," Alec said conversationally. "Magnus, shall we?"
He didn't bother to wait for an answer, only started to stride straight at Clayburn. Alec rolled his eyes when the man didn't bother to stand in his way, moving aside for him. Once they were past the line of shadowhunters in Operations, Alec focused on the golden spark, following it deeper into the Institute.
Behind him, he was aware of Magnus slamming doors on various shadowhunters, shutting them in their face, leaving them alone in the hallway. "He's okay?" Alec asked, turning another corner. This had to be an unused portion of the Institute. There was a fine film of dust everywhere and his heart ached. The baby had been taken back here?
"Tired, and hungry, and upset, I think," Magnus said, keeping his voice low. "But he's okay."
Some of the tension curled in his shoulders evaporated and Alec lengthened his strides. He turned another corner and watched the golden spark shoot through a door.
"If I may," Magnus said, stepping forward to grab the door with magic, ripping it off its hinges, and putting it behind them.
A quiet plaintive cry had them both rushing forward.
Alec stopped at the side of the table where a cardboard box had been placed and nearly sagged in relief at the sight of a small blanket curled around the baby in it. He picked him up and brought him to his chest, shushing him quietly. He looked up to Magnus, relieved when he could already see Magnus' magic running over his body.
"He's okay," Magnus said softly. "But he needs food, new clothes, somewhere warm, and sleep."
Alec nodded and held the baby carefully against his chest. "He's beautiful," he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to the blue hair. "Don't worry, sweetheart," Alec said to the baby, rocking him slowly. "We're going to take such good care of you and keep you safe."
Magnus' mouth went dry as he watched all of Alec's anger melt off of him as he held the baby, keeping him close. "Come on," he ushered quietly. "We need to get out of here."
Alec looked up at Magnus and nodded. "Yeah," he agreed. He took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders, cooing quietly to the baby when he started to fuss again. "Loft?" he asked.
"Yes," Magnus agreed. "And I'll fire message everyone to know he's safe. You just keep being the baby whisperer."
Alec grinned briefly and kissed the blue strands of hair again. "That I can do." When Magnus started to lead the way out of the Institute, but not back towards Operations, he raised an eyebrow. "We taking a secret passage out?"
"Something like that," Magnus said, turning to look at the wards. "They haven't been maintaining their wards. So it should be relatively easy to..." he grunted and twisted his hand counterclockwise twice and summoned a portal, punching through the wards. "There we go."
"All right, sweetheart, let's get you out of here," Alec whispered to the baby, stepping through the portal and into the loft with relief once Magnus was behind him and the portal was shut. "Magnus, we need-"
"Already ahead of you," Magnus said, taking a deep breath as he spun his fingers, baby supplies falling onto the coffee table. "Maybe a warm bath for him first, and then new clothes?"
Alec nodded and brought the baby over to the sink, smiling at the sleepy blue eyes that blinked at him. "Don't worry," he soothed. "We're going to get you nice and warm and cozy and then you can sleep."
Magnus stared after Alexander as he walked into the kitchen and started filling it carefully as he talked to the baby, kissing and rocking him as he did. His heart clenched and longing shot through the bond before he could stop it. When Alec paused and looked at him over his shoulder, Magnus tensed.
But then the same longing, followed swiftly by delight and love was coming through the bond and Magnus let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He smiled and summoned parchment to his hands, sending off message after message quickly to let everyone know that the issue had been resolved, at least for now.
When Elanor requested to see him and to see the baby for herself, Magnus didn't hesitate to summon a portal for her, even though he was starting to feel the strain of how much magic he'd used. He smiled at her and took a deep breath, watching as Alec stepped out of the kitchen, the baby cradled carefully in his arms, fresh clothes on him, and the baby sucking on a bottle.
Elanor raised both her eyebrows and then smiled, looking between the two of them. "Thank you both," she said. "I have no doubt that your quick action prevented a lot of sorrow and frustration on both ends."
Alec sighed and tucked the baby closer against his chest. "I wish it hadn't had to be necessary at all. I'm glad that I was able to help, and we were able to get him out safe."
"As are we all," Elanor agreed. "There is, of course, the matter of what to do with him now. He could be given to the Silent Brothers, or to one of our orphanages."
Alec swallowed hard and looked to Magnus, before down to the baby. "I understand that we need to figure out where the baby will have a permanent home, but perhaps he could stay here for a few days while we figure out what that is? He's undernourished and exhausted."
Elanor watched as the bottle was pulled away from the sleepy baby and then Alec Lightwood-Bane was looking at her imploringly as he continued to rock and gently burp the baby. She hid a smile. If this was any indication, the baby was never going to leave this home now that he was here.
"I think that is a more than fine option," she agreed. "Especially since you appear to be very well equipped." Her eyes turned to the table. "Magnus, I know you're probably tired after all of the excitement of the day. I'll send someone-"
"Actually," Alec bit down on his lip, flushing when she turned to him. "I, uh. If it's all right, I have someone I can call. Who, who'd be willing to help us pick up what we might need."
Elanor nodded. "Very well. I'll be in touch with you both."
Alec nodded to her again and watched her leave before he turned his attention back to the baby. He sighed and looked up at Magnus. "Magnus?" he asked, his voice soft.
"I know," Magnus said, stepping in close, reaching out to comb his fingers through the blue hair on the baby's head, his cheeks rosy on top of the blue shade of his skin. "I know, Alexander."
Alec let out a shaky breath and wrapped an arm around Magnus, pressing their foreheads together. "It's, it's okay if you don't want it, Magnus." He swallowed and smiled at him. "We haven't exactly had the 'when do we want kids' part of the conversation."
Magnus looked down at the baby cuddled in Alec's arms and looked up at his shadowhunter, stealing a soft kiss. "Do you actually think you could give him up?" he teased.
"No," Alec admitted, looking down at the baby again. "I don't want to. He feels right. Like, like you did, when I met you."
Magnus swallowed around the enormity of that comparison and blew out a hard breath, laughing. "Oh god, we're gonna have to baby proof the loft."
"We are," Alec agreed, unable to keep from smiling, blinking hard as he stared at Magnus. "And I'm going to have to take some time off, so we can get him acclimated, and-"
"Alexander," Magnus whispered, pressing in closer, letting himself revel in the unexpected happiness of their bond, the baby between them. "He needs a name."
Alec's breath caught. "Oh," he whispered. "Do, do you have any names that you like?"
Magnus hummed. "I never thought I'd have a family. Thinking about it was too painful, so I fear that I have very little to offer in that regard."
"Shadowhunters..." Alec started, trailing off. "We're always named for family members. Would, would you object to Max?"
A laugh escaped Magnus before he could stop it. "Your brother will lord that over Jace and Isabelle for decades."
"Maybe," Alec agreed. He pressed his forehead against Magnus' and breathed out. "Max Lightwood-Bane?"
"Oh," Magnus whispered. The name rang in the quiet between them and he watched the baby start to squirm, big blue eyes blinking open at them both. "What do you think?" he asked. "Do you like Max?"
A large yawn was the only answer before the baby nestled against Alec again.
"I think that's the most agreement we're going to get out of a newborn," Magnus said, laughing quietly. "Max Lightwood-Bane it is, Alexander."
Alec stared down at the baby between them, closing his eyes and shakily losing himself to the love and comfort bleeding through the bond. Magnus was just as overwhelmed as he was, but the happiness roiling between both of them was overpowering in the best way.
Magnus smiled faintly. "One thing, though, Alexander?"
"Hm?" Alec asked quietly, blinking his eyes at Magnus.
"I'm going to go tell Catarina, and have her come to look at Max and make sure he's all right," Magnus said, smiling. "You need to call your mother, and let her know she just became a grandparent."
Alec could already picture his mother arriving at the door with multiple bags in hand and couldn't help grinning. "I can do that," he agreed. He tightened his arm around Max and breathed out slowly. "Magnus?" he asked, pulling his gaze away, blinking as he refocused on his husband.
Magnus turned on his heel and smiled at the sight of Alec holding the baby, his heart melting all over again. "Yes, Alexander?"
Alec strode across the loft, leaning down to kiss Magnus again, his lips lingering against Magnus'. "I love you. So much."
Magnus reached up and gently tugged Alec into another kiss. "I love you too. Both of you," he added. "Now go sit on the couch with him and I'll join you shortly," he ordered.
Alec nodded and moved over to the couch, cooing softly to Max when he started to fuss again. "None of that now, Max. You're tired and you're safe here now. Rest. We'll take care of you."
Magnus swallowed, watching the two of them as he strode into his apothecary. He pressed his hand to his chest and took a deep breath, hitting Catarina's number on his phone, unable to keep the grin from growing on his face.
"Catarina?" Magnus said, knowing she could likely hear the grin in his voice over the phone. "I have the best news."
~!~
Two weeks later, Alec stared at the brick wall in front of them, glancing towards Magnus. "They're not going to think it's weird?" he asked again, adjusting Max's swaddle slightly.
Magnus smiled at Alexander and took his hand. "They're not going to think it's weird. Besides. You're the one who wants to introduce Max to the kids."
"Right," Alec said, taking a deep breath. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of Max's head. "All right, watch your ayah, now. His magic is always the prettiest."
Magnus opened the portal to the Shadow Market and held it open for Alec. He could feel the stares of everyone watching him as Alec stepped through.
A shout of Alec's name came from further in the market and Magnus watched Alec grin, striding past the openly grinning adults in the Shadow Market as he headed for the kids. Magnus followed behind him, standing beside Alannia as he watched Alec introduce Max to each of them, encouraging them to be careful and gentle as he did.
He brushed away a tear before it could fall.
Whatever he had done in his life to earn this, he would spend the rest of his eternity with Alexander doing his best to be worthy of it.