Work Text:
Tucked in a nearby pocket of the universe, where cell phone reception is replaced by faraway satellite-like planets in the sky, a young woman leads a small group of children. They trail behind her, some laughing, others admiring the wonders unfolding around them.
They walk through the fields quietly. The Cave of Stories lies ahead, at the far end of the grassy plains.
As the teacher leads her pupils, she proudly admires the mixed bunch. Some are showing off their bright blue skin, or comparing horn sizes. A few of the girls are threading blossoms into each other’s hair, even if one has lilac or scaly skin.
The teacher smiles. Long ago, kids were taught separately, until the world - well, worlds - realised the importance of educating the solar systems together. Kids from far-off planets join together and learn, and cultures are shared.
“I like your flower, miss.”
The woman pauses, briefly looking down to smile at the kid, who’s appeared by her side with a sheepish look.
She smiles. “Thank you, dear.”
“Where’s it from?”
She lifts a hand to fiddle with the ever-present white flower pressing to her ear, the stem forever curling around it. A fond smile tugs at her lips. “That’s a tale for another day, hm?” she says.
They approach the entrance to the Caves, and the teacher makes sure to do another headcount before leading the group inside.
Awe-filled gasps fill the space of the caverns, which are beautiful. Even the teacher, who’s taken many kids and groups to see them, still gets overwhelmed by the remarkable view. All along the walls of the Caves are stories, stretching from the corners of every universe that exists. Somewhere, your story is told. Somewhere, the truth is decorating the walls with immortal color.
“So,” The woman turns to her group. “Who wants to choose today?”
A small volunteer, a boy with sharp, wolf-like eyes and a smile like an angel, stands. He hovers awkwardly, until the teacher nods. He walks up to the wall, surveying it. He runs a small hand over the bumps and ridges, and the teacher finds herself waiting, just as eagerly, as the rest of the class.
“This.”
The boy taps an image of a bright, blue box, and two men standing outside, entwined, their foreheads intimately pressed together.
The teacher turns away quickly. Gathering up her courage, she turns back around after a few seconds. “Good choice," she says, quietly. It’s hard to be sad, especially when there are stories to share, and lives to live, but the woman holds back a tear or two.
She gestures for the children to sit, or find somewhere comfortable to listen. They do, all eagerly looking up and waiting. A few of the kids look bored, but even the two boys with horns are done squabbling. They pay attention as the teacher chooses a nearby rock to sit beside.
Settling her skirt over the rock, the woman smiles. She’s ready to begin.
“Once upon a time, or so the legends say, an immortal being loved a mortal.”
She turns to look at the cave’s painting, at the two men, the two travellers.
“The man was a legend even before then, a lonely traveller who possessed the gift of travelling through time and space. With the blood of the angels, and the devil, in his veins, he was something different, someone with great power. But he was cursed in a way, destined forever to wander. And then, one day, everything changed for the man...”
A little girl in the front row squints up at her. “What happened, miss?”
“He fell in love.”
~
Present day: New York.
Really, he shouldn’t even be here. On Earth, of all places.
Pesky humans aside – really, why couldn’t they elect decent politicians like the other universes? - Magnus can easily find enjoyment in the crazy, chaotic planet now greeting him. Having been a regular visitor, and home owner, for many years now, New York is an oddly pleasant sight to see for a demi-god. There’s something about the busyness and the sense of anticipation. It buries itself in hot dog stands and the thrum of laughter and promises weaving between taxis and flashing lights.
The letter in his pocket is hardly crumpled at all.
Magnus taps his pocket, checking it. It grounds him for some reason, the knowledge that someone like him is also here. He’s not alone. Not entirely so. Still, there’s a heavy ache in his chest as he strolls along the path, making his way to the place he’ll find a grumpy, yet delightful friend waiting.
He recalls his friend’s invitation, or, as Magnus sees it as, a not-so-optional request:
My dear, Magnus,
We need your help.
Demons on Earth. And I don’t mean you. Ha.
You still owe me for what happened at Bowie’s party.
- Ragnor.
Magnus didn’t appreciate the humour – if Ragnor’s dryness can even be called that – but he picks up on the urgency, buried beneath the snark as it might be. Also, he decides, what happened at Bowie’s party was a joint fault. Or effort. He decides that erasing that event from human history was a good idea after all. He doubts the world was ready then for an open relationship between a bisexual rock god and a bisexual, alien god.
He gives himself a brief moment to feel a pang of sadness. He’ll miss that guy. He was a good human, a rare addition to a peculiar race determined to hate and burn each other into nothingness.
Having seen many planets and species’ do just this, Magnus looks around and feels a twinge of anger, and regret. It’s precisely why he’s here, after all: to ensure that at least one foolish planet remains at least foolishly alive.
As he opens the door to the tea parlour Ragnor chose, a tiny, pretty place near Chinatown, he sees his friend immediately. Holding a tea cup like it’s the key to the world, Ragnor perks up as Magnus walks in. A smile flashes across his face – the horns no doubt glamoured for the Earth visit.
“Hello,” Magnus greets conversationally. He leans in to hug him, and Ragnor reciprocates warmly.
“So,” Magnus says, rubbing his hands together. He looks down at the cup of steaming tea that Ragnor has taken the good grace to order in advance. He lifts the handle, and looks up. “How can I save the world this time?”
~
Ten minutes later, the tea is cold, and Magnus’ heart is filling with concern. Adrenaline is already working its way through his veins.
“When you say demons…”
“I mean ugly, scuttling buggers.” Ragnor scrunches his nose up in disgust. “Apparently they’re fond of chaos, so…” Ragnor gestures around, and it takes a fool not to understand what he’s getting at. Earth is, in a word, complicated. Magnus knows it well, he’d like to think. He knows the quiet places and the mad ones, has experienced the quiet joy of watching fireworks, and the dealt with the eruption of wars and loss. He’s seen it all.
Well, most. Surely?
He strongly doubts, at this point, that anything, or anyone, could surprise him.
“How many?” Magnus sighs. “And what can we do?” He glances around, suddenly aware that everyone around them is going about their business, completely unaware to the threats growing in their world.
With a sad, but not surprised look, Ragnor explains that a race of lesser demons have been targeting Earth. Magnus is already leaning in, asking for details.
“For now, they’re just lesser ones, but they’ve been killing mundanes.”
“They’re called humans,” Magnus reminds him.
“Well, they don’t act very humane,” Ragnor says indignantly.
Magnus remains silent. He can’t argue much with that.
“A group of us are attacking the nest tomorrow night. It's in the basement of some tech company. We could use all of the numbers. Are you in?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Always, my friend,” Ragnor says, a sudden, rare look of vulnerability on his face. He holds Magnus’ gaze, a small smile appearing. “It would mean the world to me.”
Magnus raises an eyebrow. “Which one?”
Ragnor scoffs a laugh. “I’ll take you to Apalapucia if we survive. They’re re-opening.”
Magnus perks up. “Really? Oh, wonderful.” He’s actually bouncing in his chair now. The idyllic, paradise planet was closed for almost a thousand years, diseases rendering in closed for business.
Ragnor raises his teacup. “So, you’re in?”
Magnus nods. “Of course. Wouldn’t miss out on an adventure, would I?”
“Who knows?” Ragnor smirks slowly. “Maybe we’ll find you a new beau.”
Magnus tries not to tense, or show any hopefulness either. “Indeed," he says dryly. “Fighting demons is just a world-class first date idea. Now I know where I’ve been going wrong.”
“You never know.”
Again, Magnus doesn’t argue, because really, you never do know.
And, as he’s about to find out, surprises really are around every – occasionally demon-filled – corner…
~
“Are you sure you’re good to close up late?" Isabelle asks again. "I can reschedule, Alec. Really.” She's chewing her lip doubtfully as she leans over the desk.
“Iz, seriously…”
Alec trails off, looking up and finding the worried eyes of his sister, Isabelle, refusing to accept his decision. For the twelfth time. Maybe thirteenth. He’s lost count by now.
Pushing aside the frustration, Alec sighs. He places his pen slowly down.
“You deserve a night off, Iz,” Alec says. “I’m staying behind at work to close up so you can go on a date, not committing a crime for you.” He smiles. “Go. Have fun. But not too much fun or whatever.” He scrunches up his nose, waving a hand to dismiss that idea, and Isabelle’s growing, sly grin.
All around them, the office is relatively quiet for a Friday afternoon. The phones are infrequent, but no doubt important. Every phone call at LightwoodTech is important. Alec and Isabelle have been very firmly drilled to know this, and know all the ins and outs of the family business, being one of the most elitist tech companies in America.
Isabelle’s surrendering sighs pulls Alec back to the conversation. She smiles. “You’re really the most amazing big brother.”
But although Alec doesn’t jump with joy at staying late, it’s pretty hard not to smile when Isabelle comes around to hug him, throwing her arms around him. The warmth of her kindness, and joy, finally relaxes him. Alec returns the hug, thankful, for the countless time, that Isabelle is someone in his life.
“Yeah, I know," he says. “I’m the best brother, the best partner in crime, la di da.”
“Slight over-exaggeration,” Isabelle teases, but her smile is too wide to make it a cruel one.
She places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing. “Thank you, Alec," Izzy says again, before heading out of the office with a spring in her step.
Once again, Alec is reminded by the presence of the dull interior of the room. Did he notice it so frequently before? The work is good. He likes the work, the familiarity of it, the focus and the….rightness of it. It doesn’t leave room for new thoughts, or for deep ones. The work makes him feel strong, and valuable. He’s a leader in here, for the company. He's worthy of the family he cares deeply for.
Why does it sound like you’re convincing yourself of something?
He pushes that thought away. He sorts out another shipping order, and refocuses.
As the afternoon becomes evening, more and more lights blink out. One by one, co-workers leave. Offices turn to dark, abandoned rooms, and Alec feels restless, rather than tired. His work is done, but there’s always half-done files in piles somewhere. He does some more work, fetches coffee, re-heats it, and then furrows around for biscuits.
It’s midnight by the time he’s ready to leave, done with pretending he has a life. Everyone else is gone.
Alec switches off his computer, and walks around the top floor in a methodical, horribly robotic sense. He checks every room twice, and then the kitchen, making sure all the plugs are off. He heads over to the final office, reaching for the handle-
Click.
Darkness falls. Alec’s stomach gives a painful dip of fear.
The lights go out so suddenly that Alec doesn’t even supress his cry. He shouts, loudly, and then curses when he realises there’s no one to fumble around in the dark with. Isabelle isn’t there to make half-hearted jokes with. Jace isn’t there to wind up, or even get teased by. Really, Alec’ll take anything at this point.
The dark isn’t frightening, but Alec feels his heartbeat start to race as he keeps a hand against the wall, and walks, one step at a time, towards the staircase. Trying to take the lift is a waste of time. If it’s a blackout, the power will be off completely. No lift access.
Alec gets out his phone then, annoyed by his lack of quick thinking. He clicks the home button and dim light spreads out ahead of him. He finds the door easily then, straightening and lifting his chin with pride. He’s a Lightwood. What’s a little power cut? To make himself feel better, he pretends that it’s a fun story to tell Izzy later.
Turns out, it’s not a little power cut.
It’s a raid.
As Alec climbs down the staircase – lit up a bit by the fire exit signs – he descends to the basement, knowing there’s a long halfway that leads to a quick exit. There, he can call someone, or find the janitor, if one’s still even hanging about.
If the cleaning staff have more of a life than he does, Alec thinks he might as well just smother himself in self-pity.
And then, he hears them.
People.
And; something else.
Not people, his brain helpfully supplies.
They sound like animals. Crying, pained creatures whose sounds reach Alec’s ears from behind the door. There’s a small, circular window of glass, and Alec peers into it before he can convince himself not to.
What he sees changes his entire world. And many more that come after.
Alec sees men, and women, fighting. He sees pulses of light, cool blues and scorching reds, darting about, with lives of their own as they lash out at tiny, but aggressive, black animals. They scurry along the floor of the long hallway, rushing about the people. Well, Alec notes that some of them have odd markings; unusual coloured skin, or cat eyes, or –
Are those horns?
Alec finds himself pressing closer, the danger of the situation mixing in with the surrealism of it. Part of him doesn’t register the reality, only wants to see. He remembers strange things happening over the recent years, recalls the dismissive reports in the media, and the careful secrecy amongst people.
But this, Alec can’t deny. He can’t deny that something is happening, and right before his eyes.
Having seen at least a few horror movies, Alec grabs for an appropriate makeshift weapon – a metal pole – and clutches it tightly, still peering in through the glass-
And then, one of the creatures gets thrown against the door, splattering black goo right across the window.
When it slides down, blurring his view, Alec hesitates. He should go. He should turn and run back upstairs and wait for the lights to turn on. But he’s rocking back and forth on his heels, and for some reason, fighting against the urge to act. It could be the adrenaline, or the anxiety turning itself into a useful tool, but all Alec wants to do is try and help. He’s a good fighter. Ish. Years at the gym and judo fighting with Jace have taught him a few things, as well as many nights at the nearest archery range, on the many sleepless nights where his brain just won’t shut up.
The black liquid falls completely away, revealing the fight again. It’s quieter now, but there are still some of those beasts remaining, darting out to attack.
There’s a man standing in front of the door, Alec realises, when his view gets blocked again. He’s surrounded, this strange man with slightly spiked hair and wearing a long, black overcoat. Trenchcoat? Alec doesn’t know what it’s called, doesn’t care really, except to note how the collar glitters with small, jewelled stones. The shoulder chains criss-crossing over the shoulders give the guy a dangerous appeal.
The man raises a hand, and Alec almost flinches back. The crisp, blue magic – and he’s starting to call it that, because what else looks so vibrantly alive? – consumes the man’s palm. He throws it in the direction of the hall, but it doesn’t work. The man steps back. He obviously didn’t realise he was backing up against the door, because when he hits it, Alec senses his shock, even from behind it.
There’s a smaller creature darting around, and when Alec sees it start to wriggle, and settle onto his hind legs, ready to spring, Alec decides to do something very stupid, or brave. Both, likely.
When the creature launches itself into the air, Alec grabs the door handle and flings the door wide open. The man in the hallway falls back, right into his chest, and just like he planned – sort of – the creature goes sailing over the both of them. It lands with an ugly splattering sound against the wall behind.
Alec himself ducks in time, and the man in the overcoat falls, half landing on Alec, but already rolling to the side. He’s clearly used to sudden attacks, or maybe just used to the unexpected, because he’s graceful even as he falls. He climbs to his feet just as quickly as Alec does, leaping back, blue sparks swirling in both hands.
The fallen creature hisses, and without thinking, Alec darts forwards and stabs the pole right into its shell, and the man beside him actually freezes then, before blasting it, blue light dancing about. It fades, but Alec still feels the strength of its power resonating against his skin like an embrace. It’s intimate, consuming, and Alec swallows. The prickling sensation fades, but the man before him is still there, and Alec doesn’t know if he can trust him, or ought to fear him.
“Uh, well done,” Alec hears himself say, not knowing what else to do. He gestures to the deceased, beetle-like animal on the floor. He’s trying to face the truth, the logical side of his brain determined to stay on track. There are…creatures, and they are attacking, and the man, and his friends, seem to be on the good side. Simplifying it helps him to speak, so Alec tells himself just that: there’s good, and there’s bad, and he needs to work out who’s which.
“More like medium-rare," the man says, breaking the silence. He looks at Alec, lips still half-parted in surprise. “I’m Magnus. What’s your name, my dear?”
“Alec," he replies slowly, numbness still coating his tongue.
“Alec-?”
“Lightwood.”
Does the guy not recognise him? Or, at least, the company? Pride sours the moment, and Alec clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
And then the man smiles, and all hell breaks loose inside Alec’s tightly-wound heart.
“Light,” Magnus repeats. “How ironic.” He laughs, lightning fast and beautifully warm. “Is it short for Alexander?”
“Yes,” Alec says carefully, not sure how to read him. “Uh..."
The guy is flirtatious, without shame, and Alec doesn’t know whether to accept it, or ignore it. Should this make him feel pleased, or is it just the pride of being finally noticed?
But Jesus Christ, the guy is gorgeous. Alec doesn’t know what to do. Magnus' coat reaches his ankles, made of something that looks like a cross between velvet and rockstar. It’s gorgeous, and beneath it, Magnus is wearing simple black pants and a low-cut, black satin shirt that’s covered by a few necklaces.
He points to the hallway outside. “We should...uh-right…”
Uh, demons. Remember?
As if sensing his sudden reminder, Magnus nods. "Yes. Great to meet you, darling. Now--" he grins-- "run for your life!" He holds out his hand.
Alec just stares. The noise has died down, but he’s sure the attack is still going on. He glances down, the ringed fingers catching the light, that’s now returning, dim, but visible. It makes Alec realise how insanely beautiful the man before him really is. Unnaturally so. Angelic, with a devilish grin. The necklaces that peek out rest against his Adam’s apple, and Alec follows the bob of the movement as he swallows.
If Magnus notices his obvious staring, he doesn’t comment. His smile turns solemn. “Alexander Lightwood, I need you to save the world.”
“W-what?”
Alec grips the pole a little tighter. The guy is still holding out his hand, and Alec has no clue what to do.
“But first things first, take my hand.” Magnus wiggles his fingers, and before he can stop himself, or question it, Alec just slips his hand into the man’s, not even asking why.
“I do love a good start to a story, don’t you?” Magnus says, and then his eyes widen. “Let’s reschedule flirting. Got it.” An explosion sounds, and then they’re running.
Alec doesn’t think, or panic. He listens - for the first time ever - to his heart.
He takes Magnus’ hand and runs.
~
God, he’s pretty, Magnus thinks, humming a little under his breath. Well, humming as much as the device between his teeth lets him.
He’s currently scaling the antenna of a very tall building to send out the wave of frequency that ought to send the demons scurrying back to the hellhole they came from. Alec is standing below, on the roof of the building, with his back to Magnus, as he aims his new, enchanted bow towards the entrance. Magnus had been uncertain in letting him cover for him while he does this, but after seeing Alec in action, it’s clear that the guy can handle a fight, even a demonic one.
Magnus remembers pointing to the metal pole as they climbed to the top of the building and asking, “Care for an upgrade, my dear?” he asks.
Alec frowns. “Uh…sure.”
“Do you care for anything in particular? Sword? Bomb?” Magnus scans his brain, trying to remember the current appropriate weapon of this century. “Ah, gun?”
“Can I have a bow?” Alec asks, surprising him, but Magnus just smiles, and clicks his fingers, summoning an elegant, long bow that’ll suit Alec’s long fingers wonderfully. They grip the weapon, curving beautifully, and Magnus gives himself one – long – moment to appreciate the sight, beaming across at the guy.
“Well, then, I’ll be back.”
“You’re going to climb that?” Alec raises an eyebrow.
Is he smirking?
Magnus kind of wants to kiss him right then.
He settles for an equally pointed look instead and gestures to the scaffolding. “Do you see anyone else volunteering to save the planet?”
“Uh, no. I…I’ll keep watch. Go. I’ve got your back.”
The calm way he says it, with absolutely no hesitation, makes Magnus incredibly pleased. And surprised. What surprises him even more is the sudden confidence that washes over him. He climbs up the antenna with ease and uses his trusty sonic device to connect to the metal, sending it throughout the building, the wires all connected to this roof.
The screeching becomes almost unbearable then, but then, suddenly, just like that, silence greets them.
Magnus hopes that his friends, the volunteers for the mission, are alright, downstairs still fighting while he and Alec ran to the rooftop.
Carefully, but swiftly, Magnus climbs back down. As soon as his feet touch the ground, he turns to Alec.
Whatever worry Magnus feels is gone when the guy grins. Alec’s hair is a dishevelled, wind-swept mess, there’s a little cut on his cheek – probably from a demon’s claw – but he looks vividly alive with raw energy. Whether it’s the adrenaline, or the victory, Magnus isn’t sure, but he looks at Alec Lightwood in surprise.
Hello, there.
Magnus reaches out, and gently brushes a finger against Alec’s cheek. The guy visibly jumps, but he doesn’t move. He pupils are likely just as dilated as Magnus’.
“There,” Magnus says, using a little magic to heal the cut. “Perfect.” Reluctantly, he lowers his hand. “Thank you for your help.”
Alec opens his mouth to say something else, but the sonic device in Magnus’ hands chooses that moment to start bleeping manically.
It’s probably another distress call, but Magnus grumbles. He's most annoyed that he can’t catch a break. Or spend more time with a hazel-eyed human who looks as compelling as a lazy summer afternoon.
“I have to go,” Magnus admits. He rushes over to the door, trying to silence the blasted device. He needs to find Ragnor, Cat and the group and take them all back to wherever they want to go. Having the last time machine in the universe means always being the designated driver.
Unable to help himself, Magnus hovers by the door, swaying in the open space. He smiles at Alec, who is standing there, on the roof. He's lit up by the backdrop of the early morning New York skyline like a damn celestial being.
“Keep the bow,” Magnus says happily. “My treat.”
He only has a moment to see Alec open his mouth, close it, and then his lips pull into a small, genuine smile. The gratitude in it warms Magnus’ heart.
“Who are you?” Alec asks, bewilderment and awe colouring his question in wonder.
Magnus surveys the young man slowly, drinking him in, and pausing. For effect, yes, but also to give Alec a few seconds to back out of it if he wants to.
When the tension gets too much, Magnus says, “I’m a time lord.”
The last, he thinks. With demon blood and-
He cuts his thoughts off, and keeps his explanation simple. For now.
“I can travel throughout space, across the stars, and across the universe. I can land wherever I choose, and tonight,” Magnus steps forwards. “I’m very glad that I found myself here.”
“And those…people? Downstairs?”
“Warlocks,” he says. “Half-demon, half-human.” As much as he’d like to sit and discuss bloodlines with Alec, Magnus is redirected to the frantically beeping sonic object in his hands. He sighs. “I’ll explain soon.”
Alec steps forward. “So…you’ll come back?” he asks.
A slow smile spreads across Magnus’ face. He nods. “Oh, Alexander, I am most definitely coming back.”
For you, he wants to add. But there’s a fragility to this moment, to whatever is blossoming between them. A careful friendship, or something more. Either way, Magnus likes it enough to be careful.
He closes the door slowly, unable to stop the grin unfurling.
Days like these are a miracle: when the sun comes back out at the most unexpected times. When a stumble becomes a step in the right direction. When a thought becomes a dream, and then a prayer.
For the first time in a long while, Magnus is grateful to have this power.
Would he have met the strange and beautiful Alec Lightwood otherwise?
~
The next few days are a blur. Alec can’t focus. His restlessness reaches new levels, ones that he knows can’t be solved by throwing himself into work. Not anymore. Not when he knows there are worlds out there. There are planets and stars and creatures, and somewhere, there’s a man with amber in his eyes and magic in his blood.
Somewhere out there is Magnus Bane.
Where is he?
Alec taps his pen against the desk, agitated. It’s been a week now, and still no sign of the mysterious man who changed Alec’s world in one night.
After he left, Alec recalls how he made his way back inside, answered the questions of the fire department and the police, refused to answer any of the reporters’ questions. When his family arrive, seeing the electrical pulse on the news, his phone is flooded with calls, and he heads over to the family home, surprised when even his mom throws her arms around him and hugs him tightly.
Alec embraces them, and then, tries to explain. For a moment, he thinks about keeping it a secret, about refusing to admit what he saw, who he met.
But the evidence is already there, for the entire world to see.
And so, he tells.
His mom refuses to face the truth, of course. She’s adamant that there are other explanations, and when he briefly mentions Magnus, her eyes narrow and her lip curls in disdain.
“That…man,” she hisses, “could have gotten you killed.” She grips his arm tightly. “If you see him again, you are to call us. He needs to be…brought in.”
Alec frowns. Do they seriously want to arrest the very same man who saved the world?
“Mom, I…”
What can he say? Relaying the events is one thing. Admitting to deeper truths is another.
He wants to say, 'mom, I was amazing. I helped too. I felt…alive. I felt strong and capable and for the first time in my life, I liked who I was.'
He keeps it inside and lets them fuss.
When they’re convinced enough that he’s not in danger, or harmed at all, Alec lets Isabelle pull him aside, quietly leading him into the kitchen. She hands him a mug of coffee, and he takes it gratefully.
“So?” she demands, leaning forwards.
Ah, another interrogation. Although, judging by Izzy’s smirk, and excitement, this is one he might not hate so much.
“When are you seeing him again?” she asks, voice dropping to an eager whisper.
A jolt of concern hits him. Alec presses his palm into the mug. It burns, but the pain helps him focus, reminds him not to get carried away. “That’s your first question?” Alec asks, incredulous. “Not the…aliens, or the magic, or the sci-fi movie crap I’m landed in?”
Isabelle shrugs. “Weird shit happens all the time,” she says. “You’d have to be an idiot not to notice. The world is changing, or…revealing itself more. That’s okay. We should be ready.” She raises an eyebrow. “Was he cute?”
Alec snorts, and waves her away.
His mind chooses that moment to send him another image, a reminder of the man he’s been thinking about.
Yes, Alec wants to say. He was beautiful.
~
Another week passes, and Alec still is waiting. He hates the energy darting around in his chest. He has nowhere to direct it, no danger to explore.
Not that he wants to. At all.
He tells himself that it was a one-off, a chance encounter, and bad timing. Or good timing. Alec still hasn’t decided how to view that evening just yet, but he knows that he feels sad, and yes, even pissed off, that Magnus might’ve been lying to him. On the rooftop, he seemed genuine. Otherworldly, and dangerous, and mysterious, but charming and kind. Patient.
Although he’s a stranger, Alec thinks, well, thought, that Magnus is someone who wouldn’t abandon a promise. Wouldn’t just take off and leave Alec with a dozen questions and no answers.
Frustration springs up. It coats the usually level-headed energy of Alec’s body with a sort of readiness.
He wants something. For the first time in a long while, he craves this for himself.
But what is it Alec wants? The adventure, or the man?
Or both?
He leaves to go and refill his mug, and when he closes the office door again, Alec is instantly alert. Everything within him awakens.
On the desk, written on in vibrant blue, is a post-it note.
Alec tugs it free, and reads:
Rooftop. Half an hour. – Magnus xo
P.s. Lovely office, dear, but it could do with some color, no?
All he has time for is to grab his jacket from off the back of the chair. He throws it on, resisting the urge to run down the hall. Instead, he remains calm. On the outside, at least.
Magnus is here.
But for how long?
~
The last time he stood on the roof, Alec was fighting with demons, and helping a time lord save the planet. Now, he’s face to face with the man again, and also something that looks weirdly out of place.
“What the hell is that?”
Magnus gives him an indignant look. “It’s a police phone box.”
“Uh, right. What is this, 1963?” Alec snorts.
Magnus laughs then. “How specific your sass is, Alexander. The poor thing’s camouflage setting is broken, that’s all,” he remarks. “It’s a ship, actually, but it shields, so to speak. Well, it used to.”
When Alec just stares blankly, Magnus continues on. “It takes the appearance of something no one will think much of, the ultimate camouflage that hides right before your eyes,” Magnus explains. "She's amazing." He runs a finger down the side, a fond expression on his face. “She’s never let me down before. Have you, girl?”
“Do you need alone time?” Alec laughs, trying to keep up with the new information. Magnus is a time lord, with magic, and has a ship that he travels around in.
Maybe you’re going insane.
The guy standing before him, alien or otherwise, is far too real for Alec to make up. As ancient as Magnus' eyes seem, they also sparkle with life, and joy. There’s no way Alec’s imagination could create such a unique creature.
“Maybe later," Magnus says, accepting the tease with a good-natured shrug. He makes his way over then.
Alec forces himself to remain very still. He doesn’t step back, or advance either. There’s a tension in the air that could easily break, or grow, and Alec isn’t sure yet what to make of it. Or what to do with it.
“So.”
“So," Alec repeats.
After a moment's silence, they both start to grin, almost at the same time.
They end up sitting on the roof ledge, dangling their legs over and watching the busy city below. They’re so far up that hopefully no one will glance up and cause a panic. If anyone did, Alec wonders what they’d see. Two people sitting together, watching and waiting for the other to move first.
“I wasn’t sure I’d see you again,” Alec admits, after a few minutes have built up enough of a silence for him to grow uncertain. The honesty of his own words surprises him.
It seems to startle Magnus too. He stills, feet resting against the wall below, and his hands grip the edge.
“I wouldn’t leave without a goodbye,” Magnus says. The fierceness of the promise makes Alec’s chest stutter. He senses that there’s more to this vow, a promise to never make the same mistake again. He wants to ask, wants to know more about the beautiful man sitting by his side. But Alec has the firmest feeling that Magnus isn’t someone whose life stories are shared without intimacy. And Alec isn’t sure if he’s ready for that. Not yet.
It’s the time lord’s turn to admit something then.
“I’ve never sat over a roof ledge like this before,” Magnus contemplates out loud, back to swinging his legs again. "It seemed so mundane, but...I like it."
Alec watches him, follows the movement of his gentle fingers tapping. The sharp profile of his jawline, and cheekbones, reminds him that the man he’s sitting so comfortably with is an alien, a god of magic and time.
Why doesn’t this frighten Alec? Or make him feel small in comparison either?
He’s spent only a little time with Magnus now, but Alec is convinced that whatever Magnus is made of – blood, magic, light, or even the cosmos itself – his humanity is a beacon that refuses to stop shining.
“You’re not serious,” Alec says, raising a brow in disbelief.
Magnus confirms this with a nod. Awe appears in his eyes - ancient eyes that hold secrets and stars that Alec didn’t even know existed – and it softens Alec’s defences.
Magnus laughs. “Really. I’m serious. Who would’ve thought?” Magnus muses quietly, now staring off into the distance. “There’s still things even I haven’t done."
“Really?” Alec asks, quieter this time. Less on edge. He feels relaxed. Well, as relaxed as one can be sitting on the roof with an immortal time traveller.
Oh yes. That’s another thing that Magnus briefly explains. He’s immortal, thanks to the demonic blood running through his veins. Part time-lord, part-demon.
“Yes.”
Alec takes this in. A feeling plucks at his mind, but he can’t place it. He’s…pleased. For some reason, the fact that he’s given Magnus a new experience makes him feel warm. Proud.
Magnus seems to decide that the moment has come to an end. He climbs up to his feet, and steps away from the edge. “Anyway,” he says, the honey-smooth tone back in place, “thank you for saving the world with me.”
Alec waves a hand in dismissal. “You didn’t need me. Not really.” He’s not saying it to self-pity, but it’s true. It was the right timing. Nothing else.
But Magnus apparently disagrees. He shakes his head, rather adamantly, and comes back over. He kneels, fixing his eyes firmly on Alec. “I did,” he says. “You’re smart, compassionate, and a quick-thinker. The world needs more people like you, Alexander,” he finishes with a soft smile.
Alec tells himself that it’s just Magnus being kind. It doesn’t mean anything.
Still, while Magnus stands up again and turns to go, he doesn’t catch Alec’s light blush, and grin. Alec makes sure to hide in by turning away. The city below is busy, as usual, and Alec finds himself wondering if anyone else feels like he does right then: visible, important, worthwhile.
His attention is captured when the man behind him clears his throat.
Alec carefully turns around, standing up from the ledge with caution. He steps closer to the waiting time lord, who is now leaning against his ship. Box. Whatever.
Magnus studies him in quiet thought, and then says, slowly, “I don’t suppose…”
“What?”
Delicately fiddling with his ear cuff, Magnus hesitates. Whatever is bothering him must disappear, because he suddenly stands up straighter. His lazy grin makes him appear even more charming. Somehow.
“Alec, I don’t suppose you’d be interested in coming with me?”
“With you? In there?” Alec gestures vaguely, although there’s absolutely nothing vague about the offer. “Why?” He hates the defensive edge in his voice, returning out of the blue. It’s easy to doubt that someone like Magnus could see even a hint of a future with someone like Alec. Someone human, and inexperienced, and-
Stop talking yourself out of this.
The surprising strength in the thought shocks Alec. He listens to it, trying to stay grounded.
When Magnus speaks again, his voice is quieter. He’s leaning casually against the box still, but his hands are shoved into his pockets, making his coat fan out. “It gets…boring, doing this alone. Travelling, I mean. And you, well, you’re enticing,” Magnus says it with a pleasant smile, but Alec feels the danger in his honesty. This is someone who isn’t afraid to say how they feel. In comparison, expressing himself has never entirely been Alec’s forte.
Would their differences be too great?
But the way the time lord is smiling, and the spark in Alec’s gut that tells him yes, urges him to think it over. Alec doesn’t feel threatened by this new feeling. Exposed, perhaps, but not in a bad way.
“Uh, but…my job," Alec mumbles. The words are a feeble excuse in comparison to what Magnus is offering him. The distance between them feels like miles, and Alec feels the overwhelming urge to race and race until all there is awaiting him is Magnus, and a future lost in the stars above.
Amusement dances across Magnus’ expression. He doesn’t even try to hide it. “You heard me say ‘time’, yes? As in, I can take you back to this very second. No one will ever know, Alec.”
“Right.”
Magnus repeats it with a smirk, “Right.”
It’s the secrecy, the hiddenness of being whisked away on an adventure, which suddenly tugs at Alec’s heart. How often has he prayed for this? In the safety of a lonely night or a boring meeting, how often has he wondered if someone was listening?
Magnus isn’t just offering him a vacation. He’s offering a lifeline, and he doesn’t even realise it.
Or does he?
Alec narrows his eyes, scrutinising the time lord carefully, still not giving an answer. If Izzy were here, she could help, but that’s just it. This is Alec’s decision, and there are things to be considered first.
No. Stop thinking. Just go.
Magnus extends a hand. It’s just like before, when they were in the hallway a couple of weeks ago. It’s just as inviting as it was the first time.
“How about it, pretty boy? Name a star. Any one will do. Or a date,” Magnus says. The double meaning is evident when he winks. He pauses then, and his expression shifts, growing solemn.
A clear shift in his demeanour happens. Magnus turns from playful to sincere in the blink of an eye. Although, there was also a serious tone to it. Magnus looks at him, and understanding eyes meet Alec’s hesitant ones. “Alexander, you seem like a man in need of a break, and I am very much a man in need of a friend. Adventures are always a quick way in figuring out what you want. What do you say?”
What does he say?
He says yes.
Of course Alec does. Because if there’s a choice between chasing happiness and missing an opportunity, Alec knows now that the latter is hard to take back.
He nods, and then nods again, just because he’s not sure what to say. A ‘thank you’ feels too mundane. Magnus seems to get it, and claps his hands together, pleased. He brings out a key from his pocket and turns away, his back to Alec as he unlocks the ship’s door.
“Oh!” Alec remember something so quickly that he forgets to keep it quiet. Magnus turns around, startled.
Alec continues quickly. “I don’t have any bags packed," he explains, an awkward laughter leaving his lips. He looks up at Magnus and says, quietly, “I…didn’t plan on you.”
There’s a depth to that statement. One that he didn’t mean to reveal. But he looks at Magnus and sees a truth that he never thought possible, an answer to a question that his heart had long since buried.
Pushing the door open with one hand, Magnus holds his gaze. As the seconds tick by, heat starts to burn into Alec’s cheeks.
Magnus’ smile is beautiful and warm as he replies, “I didn’t plan on you either.”
There's a lot of unspoken emotion in the following silence.
Alec blinks. “Uh, one sec," he says, holding up a finger. Before the other man can question it, Alec rushes back to the fire exit and races down.
He leaves a note on the desk. That’s it. He doesn’t say anything to anyone.
Reckless.
Alec climbs back up the stairs, two at a time.
Stupid.
He flings open the door, eyes immediately going to the half-open door of the box; Magnus is waiting inside, staring in bemusement.
Foolish. Insane. Bad, bad, bad…
Alec pauses, breathless from the racing, and just stares.
He meets Magnus’ eyes, sees the hint of something more waiting for him.
Alec smiles.
Impossible.
He races into the box and doesn’t look back.
~
At first, having a companion again is surreal. Having someone with eager eyes – and dear heavens, what beautiful eyes indeed – and a desire to see, and learn, on-board his ship fills Magnus with a sense of delight, fear and hope at the same time.
At first, he keeps their trips together as simple as possible.
If by simple, it means only getting involved in a handful of wars, life-or-death situations, and assisting the kingdom of Tollund in recovering their rightful heir. The stolen prince is most pleased with Magnus and Alec’s assistance. They leave the kingdom with newly bestowed knighthoods. Magnus wears his crown for so long afterwards that Alec hides it somewhere on-board.
Magnus is still searching for it a few weeks later because the ship keeps refusing to reveal its location on the internal scanner.
Which brings Magnus to another realisation. The ship likes Alec.
It having been Magnus’ home for as long as he can remember, the approval means everything to him. When Alec comes along on travels, the ship hums in approval. Every time. Magnus can’t help but feel taken aback, in the best way. The ship is alive and thrumming with a power that even Magnus gets overwhelmed by. It’s born from the very same soil as him, but still, the machine has a life of its own. If it trusts Alec, then surely Magnus’ gut instinct about the guy is proving to be correct.
Only, Alec keeps surprising him. Constantly. Sometimes he’ll be quiet, spending time on the ship by exploring whatever rooms Magnus lets him – most of them, save for the few, private rooms he keeps for special artefacts. But when they’re racing across the surface of a desert planet, or jumping over monsters, or scanning for signs of life in the strangest of places, Alec comes to life. He becomes a leader. He’s a man finally comfortable in his skin.
He has no qualms with aliens, either.
One day, on their third or fourth week together, Magnus decides that it’s time. He explains to Alec, carefully, just who exactly he’s travelling with. He explains how his immortality comes from the demon blood sparking the magic into his veins, but the time lord part of Magnus – thanks to his late mother – means that he’s an alien in more than one way. He has knowledge of systems that no one else does. He can use the ship to control time in a way that no one else can.
When Magnus explains that his father is a demon, a prince of Hell no less, he looks up, waiting for the disgust, or the fear, to flicker across Alec’s handsome face. He waits for the lovely hazel eyes he’s grown to rather admire to cloud with anger, or worry.
Alec nods, slowly.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Okay,” Alec repeats, the tease blatantly obvious now. A smirk tugs at his full lips. Only then does Magnus realise: he doesn’t care. Alec doesn’t mind in the slightest who, or what, Magnus is. He apparently only minds why he’s not letting him choose their next location.
Magnus stands back, offering the screens to Alec, who leans in with a furrowed brow. He concentrates fiercely as he swipes through the options.
“Magnus?”
“Mm, yes?”
“What…what happened to your planet? Where are you from?”
Not wanting to linger in the pain, Magnus gets the next part over as quickly as possible. “It’s gone, Alec. It burned a long time ago.”
When Alec’s face falls, Magnus quickly adds, “It’s quite alright," he says smoothly. “It happened centuries ago. Literally.”
“It was your world,” Alec says. His hand is resting on the railing. He lifts it, and for a second, Magnus thinks he might reach out and touch him. But then he pulls back. “You’re allowed to miss it,” Alec says then. “Do you?”
“Sometimes. And then I remember.”
“What?”
“I have friends, and loved ones. I’m not alone. I have you,” Magnus says. It’s a bit of a risk, but when Alec’s smile reappears, and a flush rises in his cheeks, Magnus feels that flicker of a flame.
“Yeah, you do,” Alec quietly says. From anyone else, it would sound abrasive, rude even. But from Alec’s lips, it’s a simple truth. It’s gruff honesty in the form of a small smile and eyes that refuse to look away. The second time around, a timid hand reaches out to cover Magnus’, over the metal bar.
Magnus doesn’t know this until later, but in this moment, part of him falls completely over the edge. This second, this long, exchanged glance, is when Magnus offers up his heart again, and knows, in the back of his mind, that Alec wants to do the same.
~
A month.
Alec stares at the makeshift calendar in shock.
Never before has an entire month gone by so quickly.
In the time he’s been travelling with Magnus, Alec feels like he’s read a lifetime’s worth of books, and seen things he couldn’t imagine.
Alec also accepts that if he doesn’t leave soon, he’ll never want to. Which is becoming a bit of a problem.
Forcing himself to quit staring at the calendar, Alec collapses onto his bed with a sigh. His bed. As soon as he arrived, Magnus let him choose a room. Alec went for a modest, but nice one; spacious, and painted in cool colors, but with a splash of something more. There are tapestries of swirling colours hanging from the walls. There’s also a ceiling decorated with an unknown constellation that Alec keeps forgetting to ask about.
It’s as though the ship meets Alec’s own needs without asking.
Even Magnus’ cats approve of his being there.
Oh, the cats.
Magnus’ alien feline pets are introduced to Alec early one morning. He’s not given much of a choice, in fact. He awakens one day to find two creatures peering at him with inquisitive eyes. Inquisitive, alien eyes.
Chairman Meow is an ebony black, with strange patterns coating his thick fur, and Church is lean, slimmer and lilac. After a moment, Chairman blinks slowly. He squints in a bored, disinterested manner and turns, swishing his tail right into Alec’s face as he saunters away.
Both cats occupy the ship with free rein, but Magnus later tells him that it’s only because not even the strongest of wards could keep the cats out.
“They’d find a way. My little devils,” Magnus says, proudly.
They’re mischievous and lazy and Magnus adores them beyond words. Alec can tell. As soon as he sees them approaching- or if they’re curling up on Magnus’ lap as they sit together in one of the shared, rare, quiet evenings – Magnus’ face lights up. The cats are much nicer to their owner.
Sometimes, however, they actually sit willingly on Alec’s lap. He realises the magnitude of this when Chairman Meow purrs, and Magnus almost has a heart attack from surprise.
When the cats aren’t stealing Magnus’ attention – Alec doesn’t mind, not at all – they go out to explore whatever world they find themselves landing on. Sometimes, Magnus and Alec themselves choose where to go. Magnus takes him to Ancient Egypt, where they climb up pyramids and peer up into the sky from the inside, gazing up through the cut-outs in the ceiling. They journey across the stars to cities made of water, lush forests, and barren wastelands too, although those are answers to distress calls, not holiday endeavours.
Alec quickly realises how important Magnus is; valued across the universes, not just Earth. Space and time would likely crumble without their favourite glittery time lord dashing about and saving them. Alec is only happy to assist. He likes it. It’s hard work, and dangerous, and oh so enjoyable.
He gets to see the world - no, multiple worlds - and with someone like Magnus Bane, no less.
One time, Magnus takes them to travel back to the Renaissance period. Alec will never forget the way time stands still as he steps into the Globe Theatre. It’s inspiring and loud and smells awful, but god, it’s incredible. Seeing a momentous movement growing before his eyes makes Alec want to cry. He does, but later, in the quiet, safety of the box.
Magnus just smiles and says, “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
The trip to the theatre goes wonderfully. That is, until witches try and curse a new play. The travellers are – yet again – forced to save the world. Magnus gets three offers of marriage before their trip is over. Alec, meanwhile, almost gets kidnapped by artists who marvel at his cheekbones in such an intense way that Magnus almost falls over from laughing so hard.
When they get back to the box, Magnus suddenly stops, and traces a fingertip over Alec’s cheek. “They were right, though. You’re beautiful."
Alec swats his hand away, ducking his head under Magnus’ arm as he enters the box. “Shut up," he mutters. “Uh, and thanks.”
“Any time.”
He’s not grinning.
Not at all.
~
They come to the decision that Alec needs to go back home.
It’s been two months. Two lovely, long, adventure-soaked months.
Magnus really doesn’t want to say goodbye, and so he doesn’t.
One morning, he simply asks, “Want to visit your family today? I have a few errands to do that’ll bore you, I promise. How about it?”
If Alec is surprised, or relieved, he doesn’t show it. His hair is still half-damp from the shower he just took. The only sign that he hears is that his hand stops, halfway through brushing through the dishevelled locks.
Magnus looks away, turning his attention to the console. It’s one thing to admire Alec, it’s another to brazenly want him. When Alec walks around with an adorable, sleepy look in his eyes, and his shirt half-buttoned and his hair unkempt, Magnus begins to suspect his self-control is, in a nutshell, totally fucked.
Falling is easy. Magnus knows this. Love isn’t something to be feared, or locked away either. But Alec Lightwood is different. What they share is different; intimate and trusting. Screwing with that before either of them is properly ready is an unbearable thought.
Being a time lord has its perks, but when it comes to love, Magnus is a slave to fear as much as anyone else.
“Is something wrong?”
Magnus almost jumps. Alec is suddenly right there, standing across from him and watching him with a distressed look in his eyes.
“Not at all, Alec.” Magnus conceals his concern behind a bright smile. “How about we make a quick trip to Eplyria before we go? Stroll around the Aeliv City market? Well, it’s technically a bazaar, but you get my point.”
The change of subject does its job as a distraction wonderfully. Alec’s expression clears of worry, and a smile appears. He nods.
“That sounds great, Magnus.”
Alec rests his hands on the railing, already silently anticipating the shudders.
For some reason, this only makes Magnus’ chest ache. The pressure tightens.
If Alec gets used to this, gets used to him, how the hell is Magnus going to be able to walk away?
Does he really even want to?
~
It’s a warm day. Magnus is dressed appropriately in dark pants and a rolled-up, black and red chequered shirt. His long overcoats are left behind, but he throws on some kohl liner, and a handful of necklaces. When Alec watches him stroll back out of his room, Magnus swears that the look in his eyes is almost…yearning. Hungry in a way that Magnus hasn’t let himself see it as before.
Light shimmers and bounces off the glass buildings of Eplyria. When they arrive, the market is in full swing. Venders and stalls selling all kinds of knickknacks line up in rows and rows of small booths. The city is loud but tranquil. The glass trains and trams that fly overhead barely make a sound over the market cheer.
Once again, Magnus is glad for the distraction of the bazaar. He can point out gifts to Alec; helping him choose things to bring back for Isabelle, Jace, and little Max, Alec’s younger brother. He even persuades him to buy a tiny weather-divinator gift for Maryse. The small object turns cold when it’s going to rain, and hot when there’s a sunny day ahead.
“Practical and pretty,” Magnus informs him, rather pleased with the find. “Your mom will have to love it," he says, triumphantly. He’s not met the infamous Maryse Lightwood yet, but he’s heard enough to form an impression. When Alec nods, thanking the stall owner as they walk off with it, he places it carefully inside his pocket.
“What was it made out of again?”
“Bazoolium.” Magnus tuts. “I’ve told you three times now.”
“I know.” A sly smirk break out across Alec’s face. “I just wanted to hear you say it again.”
Before Magnus can think of a good retort, he tries to ignore the clenching ache his stomach gives at the sight of a confident, smirking Alec Lightwood watching him so openly. He settles for pointing in a random direction. “I have to go and see a dog about a man. Meet back here in five?”
“Uh, isn’t the expression, ‘see a man about a dog’?”
“Not when the dog ran off with the man’s wife. A rather big scandal, it seems. The president wants me to try and step in. Smooth things over, so to speak.”
At that, Alec just stares blankly.
Magnus holds up a finger. “Yes, this is normal for me. No, you may not come along. Go.” Magnus shoos him away with a smile, laughing at Alec’s protesting sigh. He shoves him away until he gets the picture, and cheekily waves over his shoulder, praying that Alec is watching.
He solves the awkward affair in a matter of minutes – as it turns out, the affair isn’t an affair after all, just an unusual arrangement that Magnus doesn’t find any harm in supporting. He lets the happy couple – couples? – discover their own happiness, and leaves to meet up again with Alec.
He takes his time, appreciating the blends of cultures that greet him with pride. There are aliens and humans from many planets and star systems gathering here today. Magnus lets his true eyes reveal themselves, enjoying the occasional stare, or the slight bow of the head when they acknowledge his power, his magic.
Magnus finds Alec leaning up against a nearby wooden beam. He’s tall, but even Alec looks short compared to some of the aliens here, with their long necks, legs, or torsos. Alec doesn’t hunch over. He looks rather at peace with the unusual surroundings. He even smiles warmly at one of the Ood guests that pass.
“Hello, you,” Magnus greets him, coming up to stand beside him. They observe for another minute, with Magnus letting Alec take it all in.
When he’s ready, Alec turns to him, shifting slightly to the left, as though hiding the right side of his body. Magnus is about to frown, or check for injuries, when Alec starts to smile.
“I, uh, I got you something.”
“Me?”
“For you,” Alec confirms. He brings his right hand out from behind his back, revealing a small bag. He pushes it into Magnus’ hand rather quickly, his smile easy. “Go on. Open it.” His eagerness is endearing.
“Oh.” Magnus discards the bag carelessly as he carefully tears into the delicate, soft paper covering his gift. He’s recovered from the surprise now, but there is a second emotion rising. A stronger one. One that’s less easy to dismiss.
When he’s holding the small object in his hands, Alec leans in, pressing a finger into Magnus’ palm. “It’s a charm.” He touches it lightly. “For your necklace. I know, uh, they must be special, but I wanted to give you something. A present, I mean. Chantho said it’s supposed to bring you good luck.”
“Chantho?”
“The stall runner,” Alec explains, exhaling as though he’s glad to have a diversion. “She was nice. Strange syntax though.” Alec’s brow knits itself together as he remembers. “Kept repeating her name. Is that custom?”
“Hm. Did she have blue-green skin? Sweet-tempered? Insect appearance?”
Alec nods.
Magnus nods in realisation. “She belongs to a race called the Malmooth," he says. “Their social custom requires them to split their name in two. It irritates customers, but it’s their people’s custom. It should be accepted.” Magnus frowns a little, trying not to lose the warmth he feels because of society’s ignorance.
“She was really helpful,” Alec says. The simple statement reminds Magnus that he’s standing here, having just been given a thoughtful gift, and he hasn’t even said thank you.
“Oh, Alec, thank you,” Magnus says, gingerly running his thumb over the trinket. Its rough surfaces is cool and pleasant, the raised patterns rising almost as gently as Magnus’ heartbeat is. “You continue to surprise me.”
“In good ways, I hope?”
“Yes.” Magnus says, breathing a lot more than honesty into the word. He glances away, surprised to find himself almost overcome with emotion. “I can’t remember the last time someone…” He trails off, and carefully tucks the gift into his pocket. He pats it. “Safe and sound. I’ll add it to my collection right away," he promises.
He turns, gesturing to where they left the box. “Shall we? I expect you’re dying to see your family, hm?”
Alec smiles. “Yeah.”
~
As soon as they return - arriving at the exact spot they left - Magnus opens the door and gestures to the rooftop.
“Your home awaits,” he says, ignoring the tightness in his throat.
Alec steps back out, onto the roof. As soon as he does, Magnus hates how badly he wants him to come back inside. He hasn’t asked Alec if he wants to keep travelling with him, can’t bear to deal with an answer that isn’t what he desires.
Instead, Magnus just says, “I have some errands to run, but if at any point you need to escape again, here’s my number.”
Before he can ruin the moment with a joke, Magnus whips out a pen and scrawls his number onto Alec’s hand. The irony isn’t missed on him. There are so many ways he could do this. He could snap his fingers and create a business card or something more professional. But writing his digits on Alec’s hand gives Magnus multiple opportunities. It gives him time to test the waters. For one, he gets to hold Alec’s hand, as briefly as that might be. His palm is soft and warm and presses almost instinctively into Magnus’ hand. Magnus wraps a hand around Alec’s wrist as he writes, keeping it still. His lip gets caught between his teeth in concentration, and he hears Alec suck in a breath.
Not that those two events are connected. Surely.
The second thing this allows Magnus to do is note Alec’s reactions. The guy is often admirably controlled, and focused, but right now, his stillness is frustrating to Magnus. He wants him to speak, to move, or show a sign that he’s wanting to stay, or spend more time together.
Reluctantly, Magnus lowers Alec’s wrist, gently dropping his hand. He steps back. What he sees when he seeks out Alec’s expression - the hooded look, and slightly widened eyes - simply confuses Magnus even further.
What do you want, Alexander?
“I’ll call you,” Alec blurts out.
“Good thing I have a phone box then,” Magnus says dryly, unable to help himself. He’s not hurt, just…unsure. It makes him want to throw up his walls and push Alec away, and if he’s honest, he can sense that Alec wants to do something similar.
I know you feel what I feel.
“Alec, wait.”
Before he can stop himself, Magnus comes to a decision. He convinces himself that it can be a friendly gesture, even though he’s sure it’s going to come back and bite him in the ass. If Alec rejects this, Magnus might actually get to experience the sound of a heart breaking. His own.
Clicking his finger together, Magnus holds out his palm. In it, rests a small, golden key. It glistens, shadowed only when Alec leans forwards to stare at it. He does it so blatantly that Magnus thinks he might be so surprised that he doesn’t realise he’s doing it.
“That’s….a key.”
“Yes.” Magnus hides his smile. He takes the metal between his fingers, holding it up. “It’s my gift for you," he says. He extends his hand, offering the key to the bewildered Alec, who still has yet to close his mouth.
Adorable.
“You’re giving me a key? Why?”
“I want to. Don’t overthink it,” Magnus pleads. The desperate crack in his own voice makes him freeze. He’s suddenly taken aback; aware of how close he’s standing to Alec still. He tries to make his expression neutral, a mask of calm. Anything other than how he feels inside.
“Never given anyone a key before. Hm.”
Stop saying things, Magnus warns himself. You’ll scare him away.
But another, stronger part of Magnus knows that Alec can handle it, and wants it too, but he needs to be sure. His gut instructs him to keep going, despite the fear in his heart begging him to hold back, to play it safe.
“Thank you,” Alec says. Without another word, he takes off the silver chain around his neck and slips the key onto it, before placing it back. He’s still holding the key in his hand, clutching it tightly. “Thank you,” Alec repeats, smiling, albeit nervously.
Magnus knows then that he understands the significance of it. It’s not just a key to a box. It’s a key to Magnus’ home; into a life he wants very much for Alec to be a part of.
Surprisingly, Alec reaches for him, slowly running a hand down Magnus’ arm. He starts at his forearm before lowering, tracing Magnus' skin until he reaches his hand, where he holds it for a long moment.
There are no words to describe how grounded, and restless, Magnus feels in that second. He actually follows the movement, head bowing. The rooftop is hard and firm, but the sky is open and free, and they’re caught between the two, suspended in time.
“See you soon then?”
Alec nods.
But as Alec turns, and disappears behind the door leading him back down to his perfectly normal world, Magnus wonders if he’ll see him again.
The only reason he manages to get back into the ship is because Magnus lies to himself.
This isn’t goodbye. This isn’t goodbye…
~
“Big brother!”
“Hey, Iz,” Alec mumbles into his sister’s shoulder, already attacked before he even made it to the office. True to his word, Magnus takes him back to the same day.
A couple of hours off, however, because Isabelle is holding up the lame post-it note with one hand, the other firmly planted on her hip.
“Well?” she demands.
Alec winces. She sounds pissed, and really, he doesn’t blame her. He did just take off in the middle of a work shift, to go on wonderful, insane adventures with an alien.
A really beautiful alien.
“So?”
“Look, I’m sorry,” Alec says. He plants his feet firmly into the carpet and looks up. “Not for going, but for how I left. I should’ve spoken to you in person. I’m really sorry, Isabelle.” It comes out in a bit of a rush, but there, it’s done; the truth.
Isabelle looks stunned. Her hand falls from her hip. And then, a brilliant smile overthrows her previous, stormy look.
“Oh my god, Alec,” she exclaims. “You actually did it!” She’s suddenly launching herself at him again, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him. She rocks back before he can embrace her, eyes narrowing. “How long were you gone? Wait, let me guess. A year? No, you don’t look older. A few months? Weeks? Tell me," she insists, pulling him over to the sofa, and tugging him down.
“You’re not…mad?”
“How could I be? I’ve always wanted this for you, Alec.”
“For me to befriend an alien and travel across time and space?” Alec jokes. He stares down at his hands, suddenly remembering the black ink swirled onto the back of one. The writing is neat, but with enough elegant, long strokes for it to feel so very Magnus. It’s pretty, spontaneous and Alec can’t look away. Sounds about right. The key around his neck is a pleasant weight.
“No,” Isabelle says, her voice quieter. She rests a hand against his shoulder, drawing his attention back to her. A soft pride is in her eyes. “I have always wanted you to be happy. This is making you happy, so I’m happy. Even if I’m a tad jealous,” she admits, letting out a laugh. She reaches for her coffee, taking a gulp.
“I can ask Magnus to take you somewhere,” Alec offers. “I’m sure he’d love to have your company.” As he says this, Alec realises how true it is. The pair will get along splendidly, all good humour and charm and a desire for danger.
“Hm. I see you’re comfortable enough in your relationship to speak for him,” Isabelle teases, wiggling an eyebrow suggestively. “How long have you been together then? I thought there was something going on. He must be hot if he talked you into leaving this behind.”
“What? No. No.” Alec coughs in surprise. He turns his hand over, hiding the number against the leg of his pants. “We’re, uh, we are not dating. Or together. We travel together. That’s it.”
“Really?”
When he gathers up the courage to face her, Isabelle’s tone of surprise matches her expression. She’s frowning again, hesitant to go on.
She slowly asks, “You’re…not interested in him then? In that sense, I mean?”
Alec remains silent, holding her gaze long enough to hope that it says the answer he can’t afford to admit.
“Then what’s stopping you?”
“I don’t know. Let me think.” He stands up then, starting to pace up and down the office. “Mom. Dad. The company," Alec begins, getting quicker and quicker as the entire situation catches up with him. “This life they want for me. The life I want for me. Did want. Do want-“
He breaks off, shaking off the overwhelming urge to yell. His hands curl into fists. “I don’t know, Iz, I just…” Alec comes to a sudden stop. He faces his sister, still seated, with an open look. “I just don’t know anymore," he admits. Defeat hunches his shoulders.
Isabelle doesn’t rush to silence his concerns. She listens carefully, eyes widening, but other than that, she reacts calmly. When he’s done, Izzy reaches for him, and tugs him back down onto the sofa. Only when he’s sitting does she lean forwards.
“I think,” Isabelle begins, gently cupping his cheek, "that you are being too hard on yourself. As always.”
His sister’s hand is warm, and Alec can’t help but lean into the touch. “Take a deep breath. Let it out. There’s time, and we’ll work it out.” She’s offering comfort, and he takes it with a timid heart. It’s what he needs right now: his family.
They sit in each other’s company for another minute. All the while, Isabelle strokes his cheek, and then settles for simply holding his hand. Alec lets her, and after another thirty seconds, holds onto it just as comfortingly.
“How have you been?” Alec asks, hoping that it’s a bridge between his selfish, sole focus on his own life. He hasn’t even asked about Isabelle’s well-being.
Izzy smiles knowingly. “It’s been less than a day for me. I’m good, Alec. You know that. Stop deflecting, big brother.”
She says it fondly, but Alec doesn’t miss the warning. He won’t try to derail again.
“What do I do?” he asks. The time for beating around the bush is gone, it seems. He waits.
“Forget about the company,” Isabelle begins. She cocks her head, thinking. “Well, not completely, but…tuck it away. For a while.” Her expression is earnest as she asks, “What do you want, Alec? Right now, in this very second, what is your gut telling you to do?”
“I want to see Magnus," he says, plainly. He admits it quietly, but at least it’s said.
“Then get your ass out of here.” Isabelle grins. She slaps his chest playfully, and Alec mock-winces. “I’m serious.” She points to the door with vigour. “Go," she demands, but not unkindly.
“But-“
“I’ve got you covered. Go, and see what happens. When all your dreams come true, just remember that it was I, the great Isabelle Lightwood, who guided your dumb ass unto the heavens.”
“I don’t know what to say," Alec says. Instead of fighting to find the right words, he pulls her into a hug, making the first move this time. It catches her by surprise. She hugs him back happily, patting his back.
“I love you, Iz," Alec says quietly.
“Love you too. Now, please, for the love of Jon Snow, would you please go?”
Alec is starting to leave, really, he is, but then he frowns, narrowing his eyes. “Uh, Iz, who’s Jon Snow, and do I need to pay him a brotherly visit?”
“What? Oh, god, no. Uh, he’s a character from one of Si-never mind!” Isabelle breaks off abruptly, a broad smile replacing her fumble. She’s hiding something, but Alec trusts that she’s not doing anything foolish. Not without him, at least.
“I’ll be back soon," Alec promises.
“I’ve got your back,” Izzy repeats from earlier. She winks. “Have fun.”
As he rounds the corner, Alec is already reaching into his pocket for his phone.
The key around his neck is a gentle weight, and promise, of more to come.
Hopefully.
~
Magnus can’t remember the last time he was given a gift.
So the fact that Alec Lightwood arrives in his life is the first of many that come after their travels together.
Adventuring alone for so long has made Magnus forget this; forget how laughter feels, how caring feels. Friendship and sex are one thing; this, companionship, is another altogether.
He joins his warlock best friends, Cat and Ragnor, for a drink at a favorite bars of theirs, tucked away in the Tuncana galaxy. Even then, he finds himself fiddling carefully with Alec's charm gift. The elegant curves and dark colors are just his style, and Magnus wonders how long Alec spent trying to find the perfect one.
“Someone special?” Cat asks, her curiosity winning out before Ragnor’s does. It’s his own fault. Magnus hasn’t stopped touching the charm since they arrived.
Magnus nods. “I think so, yes.”
To his left, Ragnor sighs, the low light from above catching his horns. They would make him look dangerous if he wasn’t currently cradling a teacup and cooing at the ‘spiffing china’.
“Oh, is this the chum you’ve been dashing about with?” Ragnor asks slyly. He smiles into his teacup. Completely inconspicuous. “We must meet him soon. Friend approval and all.”
“There’s nothing to approve,” Magnus denies. Or lies. Does it count as a lie if you’re trying to believe it?
“Oh, are we celebrating with dishonesty?” Cat chimes in. “Great. Because that one hasn’t been done before.”
When Magnus doesn’t retaliate – too busy admiring the gift again – his two friends sense the change in his mood. He’s done trying to conceal it anyway. If there are two people he wants to help him, and lower his guard around, it’s Catarina and Ragnor, his fellow immortal friends. The ones who understand loss in powerful ways, like he can. Ones who understand heartache, and bittersweet love.
They’re not time lords, however. They can’t see how it feels to see the beginning, the middle and the different ends that could come.
“Dear, he clearly cares for you,” Catarina offers gently. The hand that reaches out to cover his doesn’t come from pity, but understanding. Her blue skin looks beautifully warm under the light.
“And he has excellent taste. That charm is expensive.”
“It is?” Magnus asks.
“Oh, yes. Don’t you recognise the stone? It comes from those Midnight merchants. Probably one of the rare diamonds that are collected from the diamond falls.”
Magnus blinks in astonishment. The now-abandoned planet of Midnight once held regular diamond fall festivals. There, the stones that fell from the skies held healing properties, or were blessed by the gods. The planet is long since abandoned, a toxic poison rendering it inhabitable. Which means that Alec having purchased one means it was damn expensive.
“He didn’t have that much money. Surely.” Magnus starts to worry now. “Oh, bugger, I hope he didn’t make a sketchy deal, or give up his virginity to appease the buyer.” He dismisses the awful habit he has of picking up on Ragnor’s idioms and sighs.
His dramatics are rewarded with a laugh from Catarina. “I doubt it," she says, patting his hand again before reaching out towards the barmaid to gesture for a refill. Catarina then gives Magnus a playful look. “So, he’s a virgin then?”
“I have no idea. Does that matter?” Magnus quickly defends. “Inexperience doesn’t equal ignorance, Cat. I thought you’d know better.”
“Oi,” Ragnor says, a degree of caution in his voice. “Lashing out isn’t going to solve anyone’s problems, my friend.”
Magnus feels his shoulder slump. “You’re right. Of course.” He meets Cat’s eyes, guilt mixing in with the ache in his stomach. “I’m sorry," he says, sincerely.
Cat nods. “It’s fine. Just remember, dear, we’re your friends. Always. Come to us whenever you need to. Most humans do.”
“Especially that bloomin’ woman on Bannermen Road,” Ragnor mutters. “I adore her, but she’s always up to her bees knees in trouble. Gets me into all sorts of problems.”
Magnus smiles, but doesn’t say anything. He knows that he isn’t the only one fond of Earth, and its occupants. Ragnor’s Earth friend often investigates alien activity, and she occasionally asks for backup. Ragnor is always reporting back about her team of kids. He’s ranting about a copper dog or something when Magnus tunes back into the conversation.
“Humans. Troublesome nitwits. The lot of them.”
“You sound so old,” Cat teases, throwing back her head as she laughs. It’s such a happy sound that just for a moment, Magnus pulls himself out of his self-pitying slumber.
“We are old,” Ragnor reminds them. A flicker of unreadable emotion darkens his expression. It’s a haunted look, one that they’re all familiar with. It’s soon gone, but they remain quiet for a few moments, drinking silently.
“I gave him a key,” Magnus admits.
“You’ve never done that before, have you?”
Magnus shakes his head.
His friends must sense that he doesn’t want to speak further, because Catarina turns to Ragnor and says, “And you, don’t deny that you love the adventures," she finishes off her drink before grinning, surveying them both with a mischievous look. “Now, about that letter from the Prince of Jupiter…”
With that, the subject smoothly changes, which leaves Magnus to ponder over his gift once again. He thinks about watching Alec leave, and about the first time he saw it too. He imagines it like a story unfolding, and he doesn’t skip to the end, doesn’t want to know.
For the first time in a long while, Magnus lets himself be honest. In the centre of his heart lies the unyielding truth. He just wants to be loved without someone holding back from him.
Alec’s gift means the world to him, but if it didn’t mean to have that intention, then Magnus can’t afford to let himself dream.
“There’s only one way to know. You see that, yes?”
As if reading his thoughts, Catarina’s voice makes Magnus start. He looks up, refusing to play the defensive again. He simply nods. “I do.”
Ragnor offers him a half-decent pat on the back. “You’ve got this.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Stop faffing about. Go and get your man.”
“He’s not my man,” Magnus mumbles as he throws on his coat.
He’s moving to head out of the door when Cat calls out, “Not with that attitude!”
~
He won’t be there.
Why would he?
There are thousands and thousands of planets, and stars, and adventures ready to welcome Magnus with open arms. Why would he be waiting for one man to come back?
All the compelling arguments in the world couldn’t stop Alec from racing up the staircase. As he runs upstairs, a few days after they parted, the key around his neck bounces against his chest. When the final staircase comes into view, Alec reaches up and clutches the necklace in his hand. He grips it tightly, silently praying.
Please be there.
He could just call, but for whatever reason, Alec feels the need to check the roof first.
Closer and closer, and then, he’s there, and flinging open the door, and-
Oh.
Those familiar, old fears can go screw themselves, because there’s a recognisable blue box in almost the exact same spot Alec last saw it. On the roof. Now. It’s there.
Alec leans back against the brick wall, gathering up his breath, and the nerve, to knock.
You don’t have to knock, remember?
With each step that brings him closer to the ship, closer to Magnus, Alec begins to take off the necklace. He’s face to face with the box. He slowly, and carefully, inches the key into the lock. It slots in perfectly. Of course it will. Magnus wouldn’t trick him so cruelly.
The interior of the box is exactly the same. The cats are mewing from somewhere, and there’s that familiar hum of the machine echoing.
The only thing that’s changed is Magnus’ outfit, as always. This morning, he’s dressed in a long, navy overcoat, with a beautifully tailored suit beneath. He looks soft, despite the formal attire, with his hair less spiky, and his eyes lined with only a thin line of black, and a hint of silvery shimmer powder.
“Magnus,” Alec greets.
“Alexander.” The way his name rolls off Magnus’ tongue makes Alec shiver with delight. It’s sweet and enchanting and he can’t look away from Magnus’ heated gaze. “You came back then.” Magnus seems to muse this without meaning to.
“I, uh, brought some luggage this time.” He slumps the duffle bag down onto the floor. It lands with a thud, making him wince. “Uh, I hope that’s alright?”
Now that he’s thinking about it, it feels all kinds of inconsiderate. He’s just come barging in, assuming that Magnus wants to take him travelling again.
Thankfully, Magnus nods, beaming. “Of course. Make yourself at home.”
He says it lightly, yet the hint of a deeper emotion is evident in Magnus' eyes. There are flickers of the true, magical color, as if he’s losing control. Or simply not wanting to hide anymore. Either way, Alec likes it; likes that he can see all of Magnus.
As Alec steps further into the space, the machine whistles and sings in quiet approval. Even the cats make an appearance. Alec glances down and sees Chairman Meow rubbing contently against his leg, the thick tail coiling in the air. The cat gives a dignified meow, and then looks up, as if expecting an equally graceful greeting.
Alec isn’t sure what to do, other than lower himself to his knees. He offers up an awkward pat.
“Hi, Chairman,” He greets with a grin. “You look…dangerous?”
The cat purrs, accepting Alec’s words with a lazy stretch. He starts to walk away, the soft, padding sounds of the paws against the floor a pleasant sound.
“So, any decisions?”
Not giving his brain the chance to silence his desires, Alec replies instantly, “I want to stay.”
He quickly adds, “If you’ll have me?”
There’s a spot of sand on the floor – probably from Magnus’ last trip. Alec stares at it, cheeks suddenly somewhat warm.
From the run, of course.
A quiet chuckle comes from Magnus’ direction. Alec hears the time lord’s smile in his next words. “I meant our next destination, but it’s good to hear that you’re in this for the long haul,” Magnus teases.
“I am. I mean, I want to be,” Alec clarifies. He picks up the bag and starts to toy with the strap, at a single thread fraying from the edge.
Magnus looks at the screen, and then smiles. “Then, how about a celebration?”
“Where to?” Alec asks, already eager to embrace the next chapter in their whirlwind of a tale.
“I promised once to take you to Barcelona. You still want to go?”
Alec nods happily. “Yes, please.”
He eases back into the leather chair beside the console.
It sounds like a relaxing way to ease back into the travels…
~
“I SAID SPAIN. THIS IS NOT SPAIN, MAGNUS.”
“You said ‘Barcelona’. Alexander, this IS Barcelona! Fourth planet, closest to the Red Sun…wait- there’s another Barcelona?”
“What the fu-“
As they run full speed away from the giant animals chasing them, Alec cries out, “This is not Barcelona. I meant Spain, not…not this.” He gestures wildly to the deserted plane they landed on a few minutes ago. And are now fleeing, running for their lives from wild dogs.
Wild, angry, alien dogs, Alec’s brain helpfully provides.
Magnus turns, running backwards to croon, “Who’s a good boy? Yes, you are.” He’s rewarded with a growl, but it only makes him smile more. The fur-covered, hellish creatures are running full speed towards them still.
“We’ll come back with treats," Magnus muses. “They’ll like us then.” He's practically skipping as they run away, not at all bothered by the near-death experience.
“We are NOT coming back here. No way.”
“But…dogs,” Magnus protests.
They slam the door of the time machine shut behind them so quickly that it violently shudders. The dogs throw themselves at it, teeth snapping uselessly against the impenetrable glass. Magnus half turns, to peer through the tinted glass, and makes kissy sounds at the fearsome beasts outside.
“Alec,” Magnus says solemnly. “I want one.”
“Seriously? No. Just…no.”
To drive the point home, Alec leans back against the door and glares at him. A few moments later, Magnus’ shoulders slumps in defeat, and he turns back around, mirroring Alec’s posture and settling against the door.
When Magnus tilts his chin to the right, meeting Alec’s gaze, he’s pouting like a lost kid in a toy store.
The unexpected sight makes Alec’s stomach lurch. The previous anxiety fades away, and the growls from the animals outside disappear. Something as warm as sunlight embraces his heart.
Suddenly, he feels his shoulders start to shake. Soon enough, laughter starts to spill out of his body. Alec can’t help it. The relief, the awful miscommunication, and the joy, lights Alec up from the inside. He’s laughing loudly now. It feels surprisingly good. Really goddamn good.
Thank god Magnus is laughing now too, because Alec is unable to control it. His stomach is going to hurt soon, but oh well. He’s slowing down now, but the happiness remains. He turns his head, his chin brushing Magnus’ shoulder, and lets himself push closer. He buries his head in the crook of Magnus’ neck, half embraced by the coat’s collar, and half feeling the warm skin of Magnus’ collar bone. The vibrations of laughter tickle Alec’s nose, but he doesn’t move away.
He stays like that, nose pressed into Magnus’ collar.
The time lord lifts a hand, and Alec feels it come up to cup the back of his neck, as though Magnus wants to keep him as close as possible.
Alec smiles into Magnus’ collar, his lips still above Magnus’ shoulder.
When they eventually stop laughing, Alec is caught off-guard. It seemed perfectly natural to embrace Magnus like this. The quiet, comfortable intimacy dances a spark into Alec’s chest. He realises how close they are and pulls back, slowly, not feeling the need to make an excuse. Judging by Magnus’ soft smile, Alec knows he doesn’t want an explanation either. Doesn’t need to hear Alec say it, because he’s feeling it too. Alec stares at the thin line of sweat resting above Magnus' upper lip. Absently, Alec swipes his tongue across his own lips.
Magnus actually looks away first. His thumb strokes against the back of Alec’s neck, and then it’s gone, the touch immediately feeling like an unwanted ghost. Alec resists the urge to grab his hand, and keep it in place.
“Come on, then, Alexander,” Magnus says cheerfully. Too cheerfully. He skips up to the central console system, and starts doing the usual routine: chaotic button-pressing and - apparently totally necessary - spins and turns. He pauses, smiling across to where Alec still stands by the door. “Let’s get some sun in those pale cheeks.”
Alec squints. The moment is gone, but he still feels off-balance. And it’s not the machine starting to take off either. He watches Magnus at work, about to offer a hand, but then he just watches, really watches. It’s amazing, how well he does this; spins as he presses buttons, talks half to himself and half to Alec, and his eyes light up when the screen does. He’s alive, and that energy, that unstoppable force of power that is Magnus Bane, makes Alec speechless.
After another few seconds go by, Magnus smirks and asks, “Why are you just standing there? Go and get dressed. You know where everything is.”
And Alec realises that he does, actually, know the ship almost inside-out. He makes his way down to the numerous closets that Magnus has on-board. The ship is familiar to him now, and Alec smiles at this, relaxed in the home that he never saw coming.
Is it the ship though, part of Alec wonders, or the wonderful man he can still hear humming from above?
~
He came back.
He knows exactly who, and what I am, but he came back anyway.
Over the years, Magnus finds himself growing used to the unexpected. An adventure is anticipated, and heartache is too. It becomes ironically mundane. His norm becomes the random. So when Alec Lightwood comes hurtling back into his home, arriving with a rather large bag, Magnus finds that there’s at least one planet, and man, who can still render him speechless.
Taking a chance, and firmly believing that Alec won’t walk away, won’t be another scar on Magnus’ desperate heart, the time lord takes him somewhere special. Very special indeed.
Once a year, the leisure planet of Ablorix holds a memorial for Magnus’ fallen home planet, the long-lost, Gallifrey. It was destroyed in one of the ancient time wars. Being the closest to the once-great planet, Ablorix celebrates the lives of those who are alive today because of the time lord, as well as mourning the loss of the culture and people.
When the ship lands with a relatively smooth tap – Alec snorts and calls it a ‘collision’ but Magnus politely ignores this – Magnus hesitates at the door. Normally, he’s ready and willing to throw himself into whatever awaits. Alec, also.
But it’s hard to deny that this trip is different. There’s a charged energy in the air, crackling between the two of them.
“Magnus? Is…everything alright? Is it safe to go outside?”
Alec’s questions pull Magnus back to the present. Well, a present. There are lots of them, in fact-
“Yes,” Magnus says, interrupting his own thoughts. He offers Alec a quick smile, hoping it comes across as soothing, or perhaps an apology for the secrecy. “Are you ready?” he asks.
Outside, it’s evening, but far from dark. The sky before them is vibrant with countless colors. Soft blues and lilacs and sunset oranges dance overhead. It’s a beautiful planet, Ablorix. The open sky over their heads presents a canopy of bright, white stars and colorful, enchanting streaks, as though a painter has splashed their heart onto a midnight canvas.
The grassy area – a slightly raised hill - that opens out before them is empty, save for being covered in tiny, white flowers. The long stems tickle their ankles. Magnus chooses it especially; a vacant place to watch the event. Just the two of them. The flowers are also meaningful to Magnus, being that they grow, and survive, for eternity. Just like him.
There’s a lake spread out a few feet away, curving into a large, circular bed of water. The water is dark and blue and when Magnus bends, gently slipping a hand beneath it, it’s warm. He lets it lap around his wrist before he smiles and climbs to his feet again.
“So…” Alec hedges, glancing around. There’s an unsure look in his eyes, but it’s questioning, rather than fearful. He waits patiently for Magnus to come back over from the lake. “What are we doing here?” he quietly asks.
“All in good time,” Magnus chides jokingly. He turns back to the lake. Closing his eyes, he imagines what he wants to see. He curves his hands into a series of brief, but elaborate movements. Soon enough, there’s a quiet splash, and Magnus knows that his magic did its work. When he opens his eyes, there’s a small, wooden boat swaying gently in the water, anchored with a long rope.
He pulls it over, and turns back to Alec, arching an eyebrow. “Coming, Alexander?”
To give him credit, Alec only frowns for a few seconds, before coming over. His back curves as he bends to help Magnus pull the boat closer to the edge.
Magnus steadies the boat with one hand. He offers the other to Alec in assistance. He helps the other man in, refusing to admit that once again, holding Alec’s hand makes Magnus’ heart race in the most unexpected, tender way. It only takes a simple brushing of fingers for Magnus to tumble faster, and harder.
As he climbs into the boat, careful to balance his weight with Alec’s, Magnus is glad that the planet’s temperature is relatively warm. The bright sky casts Alec in a rainbow of colors. For a long moment, Magnus forgets everything. He forgets that he’s sad, and lonely, and missing a home he can never return to. He just remembers this feeling. Falling.
He focuses on using the oars to row them out towards the middle, towards the small island that will make an excellent viewing platform. Yes, he could’ve just landed here, but where would the fun be in that? Besides, he has a story to tell, and by the curious look on Alec’s face, a very eager listener.
As he rows, Magnus begins to explain.
“So, as you know, my home planet fell to ruins many lifetimes ago, but where we are now, this planet aligns a very special event with the memorial service. My people are honoured by it. This world chooses to share its day with us. It happens only every one hundred years, but it reminds me that even after all these years, we are not alone. There are many planets and people and worlds that welcome even the loneliest of lost gods.” Magnus tries to fight the wistful longing in his voice, but it slips between his words.
Alec doesn’t say anything, but he smiles. Magnus finds it such a sweet, beautiful – achingly beautiful – thing to see. It’s the kind of smile that contains an almost physical embrace.
“Well,” Magnus continues. “Tonight is the night it happens. I thought…you might like to see it. It’s rather extraordinary.”
But so are you, Magnus fights against adding.
“Anyway, it’s a night where two gravitational fields sort of…cross over. They balance each other out, and…something happens.”
“What?” Alec asks, tentatively. He’s been careful ever since Magnus began speaking, and Magnus is moved by his careful consideration. He doesn’t have to explain to Alec that it’s a difficult, but special night. Alec just knows.
“Wait and see,” Magnus teases.
Alec rolls his eyes. There’s no real frustration in it, however. He settles back against the boat and looks out into the water, occasionally skimming a hand against the top of it. The gentle, lapping sounds are pleasant. In the quiet of the night, Magnus smiles. He’s never found this night so…relaxing. Bittersweet, but never so warm.
Magnus watches Alec, pushing the oars gently through the oars. The island is almost in sight now.
What does he see in the water, I wonder?
~
As he glances down at the water, his wobbly reflection staring right back, Alec almost smiles at it, at himself. It’s then that he realises how content he feels, how safe he feels to grin at the water. Alec rather likes himself like this. He feels proud, and unbreakable.
When Magnus gently guides the boat to a stop, Alec’s heart gives a small lurch. If Magnus’ words are anything to go by, tonight is special. Alec briefly worries that he could easily ruin the moment: can easily say the wrong thing, or make Magnus regret bringing him along.
You’re fine. It’s how it should be. You and Magnus. Together.
The thought settles, becoming an idea, and then a fact. Yes, he decides. It does sound right. Just perfect.
The island that they’re waiting on, a short ride away from the mainland, is pretty; surrounded by tall trees. No one inhabits the area. Despite this, it doesn’t seem threatening. Magnus is already snapping his fingers, spreading out a large picnic blanket, and stretching out across it like a cat.
Alec only hesitates for a second, before joining him on the grass. He throws his arms behind his head, using them as a pillow. He then lazily kicks his shoes off.
Above them, Alec can see the streaks of colors dancing like smoke through the air. He’s been off-world enough to accept this; accept the beauty of other places that are nothing like his home world. The colors are bright and fierce, and the stars are burning like they’re seconds from exploding, but Alec feels relaxed.
And then, a few minutes later, it happens.
First, Magnus turns his head, and prods a finger, gently, into Alec’s ribs. “You might want to get up, Alexander," he suggests. “You won’t want to be sitting for this.”
“Oh. Okay.”
The pair climb to their feet, with Alec offering a hand to help Magnus. When he’s pulled him up, Alec decides not to let go. He holds the time lord’s hand, and gazes, unashamed.
Magnus’ eyes flicker between the sky and Alec, his brow furrowing. He seems to realise that Alec is thinking about something else because he turns, cocking his head.
“Alexander?”
If there’s ever a right time to say this, to throw out his arms and be completely honest, Alec can’t think of a reason why now can’t be that time.
He clears his throat. “Magnus…”
“I know. Me too.”
Magnus says it so softly that Alec blinks, taken aback. He hears himself stutters out a weird sound, and shakes his head to ignore it.
Warmth coils in the pit of Alec's stomach. “Yeah?” he asks. His lips are threatening to break into an unbearably wide grin anytime soon.
There’s nothing to misunderstand. Magnus’ open, tender expression says it all. For once, Alec knows that he can’t misinterpret the beautiful honesty that Magnus wears so proudly.
The love written across Magnus’ face is, without a doubt, because of Alec. For Alec.
Magnus rubs his thumb across the back of Alec’s hand, angling his body even closer. He sighs. “Before we…you have to know.” He glances up, a sad look in his eyes. “I have to say this first. Forgive me, but …I’m old. Very old. And I’ll likely live a lot longer than you do. It’s a truth I can’t change. You will age. Without me. Imagine watching that happen to someone you-“ Magnus shakes his head, visibly shaken as he loses himself in that thought. Alec grips his hand tightly, trying to steady him, and anchor him.
An apologetic smile pulls at Magnus’ lips. “I’m sorry if I sound cruel. I’m not trying to be.”
Alec adamantly shakes his head, fully aware of what Magnus is trying to make him see. Alec reaches up with his free hand and cups Magnus’ face, tentative and slow. His fingertip brushes the man’s high cheekbones.
Alec smiles. “Magnus, I’ve known what you are since we met. I want this. I want you, Magnus.”
The tension leaves the time lord’s shoulders. He leans into Alec’s palm, eyes shining with all the emotion he’s likely kept bottled up. When Magnus speaks, Alec has never heard him sound so firm before. He’s seen the confidence in Magnus, the enraged passion, the fear and the sorrow too, but never this focused, certain edge.
Magnus smiles. “You know, I’ve seen many gods in my years. I’ve met and battled with half-gods, and pretend gods, but Alec, if there’s one thing I believe in, it’s this.” Magnus’ hands are gripping Alec’s forearms now. “Us.”
Overwhelmed and desperate to close the remaining distance, Alec says, “I’m…going to kiss you now.”
Before he can, Magnus holds up a single finger, the tip touching Alec’s lower lip. “One second," he says, a tightness in his voice that tells Alec his self-control is seconds from cracking.
And then, a miracle happens.
The stars start to fall. Slowly, as though drifting down like snow, the burning lights above begin to fall. They don’t fall in a rush, and Alec watches, heart racing, and smile widening at the incredible view. When they reach close to the surface, they suddenly stop falling. Hovering in the air, the pulsing lights all around them are very still, and very bright.
Alec doesn’t move an inch. Awe-struck, he looks at Magnus. “Explain," he whispers.
“Alien gravity, timey-wimey stuff," Magnus whispers back. “I’ll bore you with the details. And…” He lifts his chin a fraction, and as if on cue, the stars start to ascend once again. As they’re slowly rising again, Alec focuses his gaze on the time lord.
He looks across at Magnus, sees his smile, and there’s a whole world hidden away inside him. Alec wants very much to explore every part, every state line, in Magnus’ heart. He wants to know the shape of his being as well as he knows the sky is above, and the ground is below.
Alec braves the first step again and wraps his hands in the folds of Magnus’ long velvet jacket, bringing him closer towards him. He curls his fingers into the lapels and swallows. Magnus does the same, his Adam’s apple bobbing delightfully.
“I want more adventure with you, Magnus,” Alec says, softly. “But I also want to be your adventure.”
Magnus watches him with a vulnerable look in his beautiful eyes. He leans in. “You have always been the adventure. A mortal love,” Magnus says, chuckling a little. “Who would’ve thought?” He runs a hand against Alec’s cheek, and then cups his jaw, tracing it gently with his thumb. The cool ring grazes Alec's stubble, and he holds in the gasp.
The stars reach their place in the skies, but Alec isn’t watching. He’s got a time lord to kiss, thank you very much.
Magnus curls his free hand around the back of Alec’s neck, nails scraping against the bare skin. Alec takes a deep breath, grips Magnus tightly, and tugs him all the way in. He dips his head a fraction, and then his lips find Magnus’. It’s soft at first. It’s a brushing of lips, a confirmation. When it deepens, and becomes an open-mouthed, desperate, heated embrace, Alec gasps. Magnus teases with his tongue, and hands, and Alec reciprocates.
When their legs weaken, Alec pulls Magnus down onto the blanket, and they kiss under the stars for what feels like a lifetime; hands, and lips exploring.
But that first kiss. That tentative, and then heated, first kiss. Alec knows he'll recall it vividly, for as long as he lives.
Alec also knows, with a warm, glowing feeling that it’ll be the first of many.
~
After they change from friends to, well, more, Magnus and Alec make another decision.
From now on, they decide to let time move along with them. No more returning to the same moment they left. Alec doesn’t want to miss anything on Earth, but he starts to feel guilty that he’s allowed to come and go as he pleases, and return slightly older, to a family already worrying over him.
They save the Earth again one foggy Christmas, and after that, Maryse doesn’t make too many snippy remarks. Alec knows she worries constantly, but showing it would be a weakness. She’s a mom, and a leader of a busy company. Alec understands. He still gets on-edge around her, and waits for her to throw some back-handed comments Magnus’ way.
Isabelle, Jace and Max are supportive, not like Alec expects any less. His parents don’t approve. Not fully. But at least they’re relatively civil now. Although Robert is often swamped in work, doing some work on forming a new branch. When he asks about it, Maryse smiles proudly, but says they can’t share much yet.
Having two homes, Alec thinks, is a blessing and a curse. He sometimes misses his family, but with them, he misses Magnus, who can’t always be around on Earth when there are billions of people seeking his help.
“It must be tough, dating an immortal time lord, huh?” Jace asks, but there’s a serious worry in his eyes.
“Yeah,” Alec admits. “I didn’t choose an easy one.” He thinks back, and then adds, “I wouldn’t change it. Any of it.”
“Then that’s all that matters,” Jace says, and hugs him tightly.
Life goes on. It’s a hard decision, but the right one. Alec tries to find a good balance, between Earth, Magnus, and everything in-between. Magnus also tries, learning to make time for their adventures, his own friends, and their future together.
And, oh, what a future it is.
Alec wonders if happiness can really feel so full.
“Raxacaarior-“
“No,” Magnus cuts him off, laughing. "Say it like this..." He says it again, slowly, for what now feels like the thousandth time. They’re in the ship, spending a quiet afternoon together – which later turns into a rescue mission on Saturn 5, in the year 4505 – and Alec is growling with frustration. He's tuning out Magnus’ unashamed cackling.
Alec mutters a curse as he paces around. He says it in his head, spelling it out, and then once more for good luck. He can do this. He can, and will, get this damn name right. Giving himself a distraction, Alec starts to approach the console. He’s learning how to do all of…this, now. Learning all the buttons, and where to aim the kicks when the machine is being disagreeable. And it’s not, like Magnus pipes up, as easy as driving.
“This one, yeah?” Alec asks.
Magnus shakes his head, guiding his hand away from the cursor. He grimaces when Alec’s palm hovers over a bright green button. “Not there either, Alec,” He warns.
Alec narrows his eyes, returning to the other task. “Raxa…rax-what-a?”
Magnus says it again, slowly, and by the time Alec gets it, he grins, and Magnus hugs him so tightly and enthusiastically that he actually pulls Alec off the ground. He yelps, and Magnus lowers him, but he’s still flushing.
Um, hey,” Alec says, grinning as Magnus lowers him.
Magnus doesn’t pull away, just keeps him pinned in place. “Gods, you’re the most addictive thing ever,” Magnus says, lowly. “I could lose myself in you. Or find myself," he corrects quietly, the warmth in Magnus' eyes making Alec weak at the knees. When they flash amber, Alec almost lets out a whimper.
“So, where to?” Alec jokes instead. He spins around, pretending to press all the buttons, and swinging the screen around.
His imitation of Magnus' quirks is interrupted when the time lord catches his wrist. Magnus stops him mid-spin. “Darling, that’s blasphemous behaviour.”
Alec smirks.“What are you going to do about it?” he teases, the pressure of Magnus' fingers around his wrist making him needy for more.
Magnus pushes him up against the console, and kisses Alec with something fierce. Something that tastes like blood and sweat and passion. Like magic.
They’re like this for a while, lost in the romance of it all. The days becomes weeks, and in-between regular visits to Earth, Alec finds a healthy balance between Magnus, and the different kinds of adventures trying to interlock within his life.
They visit the enchanting Hanging Gardens of Babylon – before getting kicked out for ‘inappropriate behaviour’. At least they spend the morning getting lost in the ascending gardens of color and birdsong. Magnus kisses him in one of the private pavilions on the top tier, and, well, the rest is literally history.
“Never knew that gods get banned for PDA.” Alec mutters, sheepishly watching the Gardens fade from view as they walk away. He’s sure Izzy and Jace will have a field day with this story.
“Stop being so kissable then.”
“Hmph.”
Alec is still grumbling about it when they leave, so Magnus promises to make amends.
This leads to Alec getting to see the grand architecture and chaotic competition of the Cosmos Ballroom’s annual dance-off. Aliens and creatures, men, women, and everything else, come together in the beautiful ballroom.
Alec and Magnus are just settling into their top balcony seats, glasses of wine in their hands, when a loud, echoing scream rings around the building.
The pair are already up on their feet, searching for the source of noise.
“Ready to go, darling?” Magnus asks.
Alec curses. “Can’t have a day off, can we?” he mutters, but is already following Magnus’ quick-thinking exit in the back.
And that’s how the pair get involved in Space War III. Apparently one of the judges on the dance-off panel was so biased that it quite literally caused a war to break out. They make friends, call on allies, and, as always, defeat the bad guys. They smooth over the disagreements and leave feeling simultaneously satisfied and beyond tired.
As Alec slips his hand into Magnus’, on the way out, he yawns.
“Can you, uh…put the adventures on sleep mode or something? I need a nap.”
Magnus looks tired too, only managing a half smile. “Sure," he says. “Not like it’s our job or anything.”
And it is. But ‘their’ isn’t ‘you’ or ‘me’ or ‘alone’. Alec likes this part, even with the exhaustion threatening to render him a walking-talking zombie.
Magnus fumbles with the key, snapping his fingers lazily to lock the door once they’re inside. A wisp of blue magic coils in the air, but it fades quickly when Magnus yawns again.
“Sleep?” Alec asks.
“Sleep,” Magnus confirms, leading Alec by the hand into the bedroom they now share.
They flop onto it, limbs tangling together, and blankets getting arranged. They're asleep before they can even peel of layers of clothes.
~
When they return to Earth next, Isabelle refuses to wait any longer.
“I’m coming this time. You have to take me. Please. I’m going to go crazy otherwise," Isabelle pleads. "I get it, big brother here wants me safe, but I have to sit here and worry about you. Can’t we both just act like worried idiots together?”
Alec holds up both hands in surrender, laughing. He’s been backed up against the door even before they make it into the kitchen. Jace is standing there too, apparently Izzy’s partner in crime. He nods, a smirk on his face, but doesn’t make an attempt to smooth it over.
“You too, huh?” Alec asks.
Jace doesn’t look very guilty when he says, “Sorry, buddy. I'm not sitting this one out.”
“Wonderful,” Magnus mutters. “Family bonding time. Does your delightful mother wish to come along too?”
“I’m fine, thank you,” A crisp voice from the hallway announces Maryse’s arrival. The mood changes in a second, but Magnus doesn’t look too shocked.
He shrugs. “Alright. Your loss, I’m an amazing tour guide.”
“Prove it,” Izzy challenges with a grin.
“It’s not fair,” Max mutters. He stabs a straw into his juice carton, glaring at them all from the kitchen table. “Why can’t I go with you? I’m almost eleven, you know. It’s rude.”
“You know what else is rude, dear, Max?” Magnus asks. “Death. Death is rude," he deadpans. His smile wipes away the tension. “When you’re older, of course you can come along." Magnus reaches out and tousles Max's messy hair. "Start planning ideas down, hm?”
Max already has his notebook out, making a mind-map that da Vinci himself would be proud of.
They head into the box together, but at the last moment, Maryse grabs Alec’s arm. She holds it gingerly, a rare, openly worried look in her eyes. “Alec, please…”
“She’ll be safe. I promise you that, mom. I’m going to keep an eye on her. It’s what the Lightwoods do.” Alec smiles. “We protect each other.”
She doesn’t say anything, and Alec feels a small stab of guilt at leaving her behind.
“Travel safe.” Maryse says, coolly, and already turns to leave before the box takes off.
~
Of all the times to experience their first loss - the first, and probably not final, tragedy - Alec happens to be travelling with a group that consists of his two siblings, his boyfriend, and Magnus’ two friends.
They all bundle happily into the box, blissfully unaware of what’s about to happen.
There’s Isabelle, grinning and ready. Even Jace is looking around the ship with wide eyes. Ragnor and Catarina are there too. Together, their group is bustling with energy and the promise of a new story to tell to their loved ones when they get home – wherever home may be.
Only one of the companions doesn’t return home.
The Library sees to that.
For a planet that consists of all the books ever written, across all the universes, Alec can’t stand that the only story he’ll forever associate with this place is an awful turn of events that makes up what happens next:
They lose Ragnor.
Magnus loses his best friend, and so does Catarina. Alec, and the others, are helpless to do anything about it.
They’ve always had to run for their lives, but when the Vashta Nerada attack The Library - claiming the shadows, and the darkest corners of the large library - the group are battling head-to-head with their fiercest of foes yet. The shadowy creatures kill a few of the visitors before Magnus notes what’s going on. Most people quickly flee, leaving the planet until the quarantine is lifted, but the group stay to help. It’s what they do.
Unlike others, this day doesn’t end in heroism. Not this time.
With the Vashta Nerada surviving in the shadows, it takes a profuse amount of magic to destroy them. It takes light, and an immense lot of it, to obliterate the darkness.
Ragnor burns out. He uses too much, gives too much to save his loved ones. When he starts to crumple, hands trembling, and energy fizzling out, The Library’s impressive data core latches onto his last remaining thread of life.
It saves him, but he’s no longer alive.
When it’s all over, and the ghostly form of Magnus’ friend appears to say goodbye, Alec can’t do anything but watch the tearful farewell.
It’s not a goodbye. Not forever. But Alec certainly won’t see the warlock again in his lifetime.
Ragnor is saved into The Library’s core data system, but he won’t be able to take a physical form again until years later. Getting themselves involved with crossing over timelines could be dangerous, so the group will have to wait for another to get there. Until then, he’ll live happily, but on his own, in the stand-still time inside the computer system.
Ragnor’s flickering profile leans in and kisses Magnus on the forehead. “Chin up, friend. I’ll be back soon," Ragnor promises gently. “Don’t let me be the reason you are sad.”
Catarina and Magnus watch their friend fade away, holding each other’s hand for comfort.
After that pivotal, painful loss, Alec spends many nights holding Magnus. He soothes - to the best that he can - his cries. He listens to Magnus’ heart breaking, again and again. Alec takes his family home and says he’ll come back when they’re ready. Because this is Magnus, and he’s hurting.
Alec knows then that he could never leave him. Not like this.
Curling up in bed beside him, Alec pulls the blankets up and buries his head into Magnus’ neck, holding him tightly. The cats curl up as well, at the end of the bed, and mewl in sad whimpers as their owner declines into a sad slump.
Chairman Meow approaches and nudges Magnus with his small nose. When he doesn’t get a pat in response, the cat settles, right there on the pillow, and Magnus doesn’t make to move him away.
“I’m here,” Alec says, quietly. It’s all he says, but Magnus hears him. In the end, that’s all that matters.
After another month of this goes by, Maryse confronts her son.
She’s angrily stabbing a finger in accusation. “So you’re choosing him?” she demands. “Over your own family?”
Alec doesn’t know what the hell has brought this on, but spending time away hasn’t exactly been his choice. He would’ve thought his mom at least respected his commitment, and loyalty.
Apparently not.
Alec sharply says, “He’s also my family. Wake up and accept that. Magnus isn’t going anywhere, mom.”
“No," she agrees coldly. “He’s clearly not.”
There's an ugly silence afterwards, pregnant with resentment.
A horrible shock goes through Alec when Maryse’s lip suddenly trembles. “But you are, Alec," she says. "You’re so far away…”
All train of thought disappears from Alec’s mind. Nausea bites at his chest. He clutches the kitchen table with his hand, staring at his mom, waiting for it all to just stop.
“Mom, I…”
There’s nothing else to be said. Alec isn’t going to leave Magnus, or choose between his family, and his heart either. Both hold equal parts of importance to him, and living without one or the other would be unbearable.
Alec makes a decision then. He crosses over to where Maryse stands by the sink and wraps his arms around her. He hugs his mother fiercely, hoping it conveys the loyalty that has, and always will be there.
“I love you," he says. That’s it, but it’s the best thing he can offer. A truth that not even the deadliest of foes could rip away.
Maryse sniffs. When she pulls back, most of the vulnerability has been shielded off again. The smile remains, even if it’s a slight one. “Come home soon, Alec.”
Alec squeezes her hand. “Will do," he promises quickly, trying to put on a brave face.
After all, is it really a lie if he believe he’ll make it home safe?
~
A third companion is the reason that the awful, never-ending haze of Magnus’ sadness ends.
One morning, Alec gets a text at work.
Magnus.
Although the text is simple, just telling him to come to the ship whenever he’s free, a thousand, terrible thoughts spin around inside Alec’s mind.
At lunch break, Alec rushes up to the roof – which has somehow become the ship’s designated parking spot - he stops, dead in his tracks. He stares at the small child perched on the chair.
Magnus hears the door open. He leans back, face appearing from behind the central column. The pillar is already gently moving up and down, ready for take-off.
“Alec, dear,” Magnus greets him. He still sounds tired, but there’s a smile on his face, and it actually looks real for a change. He points to the little girl. “This is Madzie. Say hi, sweet pea.”
Said girl is about eight, Alec estimates. She peers across at Alec, not saying a word. She stays silent as he walks over, slowly as not to freak her out. The dress she wears is the colour of hay, and a thin circlet of gold rests atop her dark hair.
“Hey,” Alec says. He starts to bend down, dropping to his knees so that he’s level with her. “Cool crown," he offers.
He’s rewarded with a hint of a smile. Madzie squints her eyes, peering at the weapon laying against his thigh. The seraph blade isn’t glowing, but the curving weapon no doubt looks strange. It’s been Alec’s favourite weapon, ever since they won it during a combat trial on Shan Shen. It was either that, or getting their fortunes told, and Alec didn’t feel like doing that.
Grinning at the girl, Alec cocks his head, following the direction of her stare. “Wanna see?” he asks.
Slowly, he withdraws the blade, making sure to keep it a safe distance away. He grips the handle. When it lights up, bit by bit, the glow warms Madzie’s sweet face. Her lips twitch into a tiny smile.
Climbing to his feet, Alec starts to slot the weapon back into his holster. “Is she, uh, someone we’re escorting?” he asks Magnus.
Finishing with whatever place he’s been trying to locate on the monitor, Magnus nods. And then shakes his head. His absent notions only confuse Alec more, and Magnus realises this. The time lord waits until Madzie is swinging her legs back and forth on the chair, and looking around, distracted, before revealing the truth.
“She’s the last surviving heir to her planet," Magnus explains quietly. It’s been a while since Alec heard him sound so focused. As he watches Madzie, Magnus’ expression softens, but a flicker of protective fire burns close to the surface. “Her planet sent out a distress call. They’re at war, and I volunteered to keep her safe until it’s come to an end.”
“And it will?”
Magnus shrugs, a haunted look in his ancient eyes. “It always does, Alexander. It’s just the outcome I’m afraid of. I’d hate for Madzie to go through that kind of loss. She’s…also immortal,” Magnus reveals.
This doesn’t surprise Alec in the slightest, especially in the way that Magnus seems already wanting to shield her from the burdens of their birthright curse.
“She won’t be alone. She’ll have us,” Alec says, and he reaches out to hold Magnus’ hand. Thankfully, he doesn’t make an excuse, or pull away. He lets Alec comfort him.
“So, darling,” Magnus claps his hands together. He swings the monitor around, showing Madzie the screen. There’s half a dozen images on the screen, and Alec knows enough to see that they’re all holiday, or leisure planets. “Where to, hm?”
With a wary look, Madzie hops down from her seat. She approaches the console and chews her lip while she scans through the photos. When she sees one of the holiday park planet, AdventureScope305, she hesitantly lifts a finger.
“That one?”
Madzie nods. She’s already hopping back onto the seats, the leather squeaking while she settles in.
On instinct, Alec reaches out and clicks the seatbelt into place around her waist – and yes, they have seatbelts now, ever since a make out session almost ended in death when the box started violently travelling through the sky one evening.
Madzie lets him, although she eyes Alec up as he does, despite the smile he offers.
It does take her a while to warm up to them. She’s gentle and thoughtful, but also nervous. The loneliness she must feel eats away at Madzie. Alec sees it occasionally. As a kid, she’s hard to read, except for moments like this, when her eyes widen, and her lip trembles. Alec knows that she’s worried. They take her on trips to theme parks, and beaches, and that one star that allows children to walk across the clouds – with a harness, of course. Alec and Magnus fuss over it for so long that Madzie has to push them away. She’s laughing, though, so it’s a victory for both sides.
The days are long, and kind to the three of them. Somewhere between long walks in tropical parks, and picnics, they become a strange unit. A family. Magnus smiles and laughs again, in that joyful, easy way of his. Alec watches it all unfold with a tender heart, enjoying the days as they come.
Unfortunately, it turns out that even the kindest of species are capable of destruction.
The news comes on a horribly sunny Saturday.
Madzie’s home planet is destroyed.
They explain to her, as carefully, but honestly, as they can, that she has nowhere to return to. Madzie cries, rocking back and forth in their arms. She nods, and they know she understands, but for a while she doesn’t speak again.
Until the day they take her to the Fire River up in the Northern Mountains of Zatriuq. There, a tiny species of faeries dance across bonfires and decorate the sky with fireflies. Madzie waits in quiet solitude until one the creatures approaches. It darts closer and kisses her cheek, and then skirts away.
Madzie touches her cheek. Finally, a smile crosses her features. “Can we come back here?” she later asks. “Please?”
They nod, and Magnus kneels beside her. “Sure.” He touches her cheek, and Madzie swallows, before hesitantly stepping into Magnus' embrace.
When she steps away again, towards the faeries, Alec squeezes Magnus hand. He thinks it over for a long moment before asking, “Magnus, are we…is she…?”
The unspoken question lingers.
Are they really a family? Does it need to be said?
Magnus glances away, but he leans closer, resting his head against Alec's shoulder. “I don’t know," Magnus eventually replies. They're watching Madzie playing with the lights now, and her smile makes them both smile in return. "I still haven’t heard back from the council," Magnus says. "I’ve been trying. Catarina says it’s best to keep her in my charge. I am a rather powerful protector, you know.”
Alec smiles. “I know.” Sadness cuts into his chest then. “There’s no way we can go back…and save her planet? Save her family?”
Sadly, Magnus shakes his head, the silver cuff around his ear catching the firelight. “No. We were directly involved with her events. If we change something, disaster could ensure. I would. In a heartbeat.”
Alec nods, understanding. It’s like how it was with Ragnor.
When Madzie comes back over, they sit together until the last of the faeries disappear, and then they return to the box, and to the stars that await them.
~
The darkest of days greets them when they’re called back to Earth, sometime in the winter of 2024.
Alec remembers it distinctly because he’s out with his family and friends - celebrating his 30th birthday in fact - when the cracks between worlds almost destroy the planet.
They start to appear when he’s walking with Madzie and Magnus down the street. The little girl is using both their arms to swing with. Magnus is staring near the spot where it appears, his shoulders tensing. It’s small, like a sliver cut down through the air. Through it, Alec sees the blurry images of two figures, a man and a woman. He can’t see much, but he sees blonde hair and a curious look.
They look…ordinary enough, and Alec doesn’t think this in a bad way. It’s just an unusual sight. No aliens, or monsters. Just…people.
Magnus, however, reacts with such a loud cry that Alec tenses. He watches the time lord dart forwards, and seal the slit with his sonic device, as well as using magic to finish the seam. When it’s ‘fixed’, Alec looks at him with wide eyes, waiting for an explanation. He has a hand on Madzie’s shoulder, ready to pick her up and run if necessary.
“Damn us all," Magnus mutters, still not looking at either of them. He’s not often like this, chaotic in his explanations. He then notices Alec’s staring and looks up, but his expression doesn’t sooth Alec in the slightest.
Magnus looks terrified.
Alec’s heart skips a beat. If something’s happening to make a time lord frightened, what could it mean for the rest of them?
“Alec," Magnus says, faintly. "We're all in danger."
~
They drop Madzie off in the safest place they can think of. Catarina is more than happy to protect the child off-world, but reluctant to leave whatever fight is approaching.
Magnus doesn’t bother with hiding the severity of the situation. He just turns to her and pleads, “I can’t bear to lose another friend, Cat. Please, for me…stay out of this one.”
The desperation in his voice is what makes Catarina nod. She gently takes the child’s hand, taking her into the rocking treehouse village high in Skylands, a small, far-off planet filled with a peace-loving species.
When they turn to leave, Alec finds himself memorising the child's face, trying not to let the tears fall.
You’ll see her again.
Won’t he?
~
The cracks appear more frequently. They appear, and let ghost-like figures through. Magnus scans them immediately, but can find no identification for the apparently harmless creatures.
“Are they aliens?” Alec suggests. “Ghosts? Images? Glamouring themselves?”
“I don’t know.” Magnus sighs in frustration as they swipe through options in the ship. Magnus is wearing his thick-rimmed glasses, and despite the tension, Alec smiles. He’ll sometimes catch himself doing this, admiring Magnus at work. With a passionate soul, Magnus can’t help but throw himself into helping whoever asks. Despite his dry remarks, Alec knows that his boyfriend is a kind-hearted creature, with a golden heart beneath the stubborn exterior.
It’s why he loves him.
“Alec? What’s wrong? You look, and pardon the irony, like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Uh, nothing. Sorry.” Alec rubs at the back of his neck, glancing away before his flushed cheeks give him away.
Why haven’t I said that before?
Have I? I must’ve done.
Of course Alec loves him. He’s loved Magnus for a long while now. Who couldn’t? But as they rush to trace the signal of a warehouse facility that’s apparently causing the apparitions to appear, Alec is suddenly taken hold of by this crushing fear that he hasn’t ever said the words. He’s given them to Magnus in action, and kisses, and comfortable silences, but not in three, small words.
His head tells him that it doesn’t matter.
After all, Magnus knows. Alec knows. What else is there to say?
~
Magnus should’ve said something.
All these years, and still as foolish as the day he was born.
That’s what he’s thinking when disaster strikes.
When they trace the origin of the rifts to a large facility, they're shocked to find Robert Lightwood proudly announcing that the Lightwood Institute is officially up and running: a private, government-run operation that’s been going on right under their noses. For years.
It explains his father’s absences. The truth starts to fill in the gaps in memory
Alec doesn’t have time to ask all the questions, and Magnus can sense how many he has for his father. How long has the Institute been recording alien activity? How long have they been investigating and making records of whatever data they can get their hands on?
The pride in Robert’s voice makes Magnus sick. And sad, on Alec’s behalf. His father’s intentions were clear: to bring honour to their family’s name, as well as keep their planet safe. However, their arrogance is about to cost them, because the rifts that appeared were caused by someone else. Something else, as they later find out. But the Institute decides to rip at the cracks. Making them wider in an attempt to harness their energy.
"Power, Alec," Robert proudly explains, his wife by his side. "Limitless energy. Imagine it."
Thank god that Isabelle, Jace and Max weren’t involved, because Magnus doesn’t know if Alec would be able to accept that secrecy. Although he doubts that the now grumpy-teen Max would care for any of this crap.
As they stand, side by side, confronting the Lightwood Institute’s foolish actions, Magnus fears that this is the final adventure. There’s an inevitability of misfortune in the air.
The blank page awaits them. Somehow Magnus knows, there’s death ahead.
“Systems online. Breach: opened.”
“What?” Maryse demands sharply, hands on her hips. “We didn’t schedule a shift for another few days. Robert…” Maryse’s face suddenly whitens. She gasps. “It’s a full shift. Robert…the breach is fully opening.”
Magnus is already at the computers, trying to fix it, and close the breach. Nothing works. Whatever is controlling the systems wants the ghostly apparitions to fully emerge. He uses his magic to try and cut the signal, but even then, the breach continues to shine, and open. Ghostly flickers start to appear. This time, they grow stronger, solidifying. Their shapes become rounder, shrinking.
Only they’re not people.
Oh, gods.
“Magnus, what are they?”
“Stop this at once!” Robert demands, but although none of the operators are situated behind the desk, the systems still work.
A robotic voice cuts through the silence.
“EXTERMINATE.”
“What the hell are those?” Maryse demands, pushing Alec behind her, and already hitting the emergency lockdown button.
Magnus holds up a shaking hand to silence her, his brain spinning from the shock.
“Those," he says faintly, horror no doubt turning his expression into one of panic, "are daleks."
Having encountered them once before, on a warring world torn apart by the cyborg monsters, Alec is already rushing back, also trying to find a way around the systems. Magnus knows better. If anyone can hack into a company, and take control of a dangerous breach to cross worlds, it’s the daleks, cunning creatures of dangerous power, and absolutely no humanity.
Men and women, armed with guns and other useless weapons, storm in. On command, they start to fire, but Magnus has other ideas, knows that the only way to stop a complete dalek invasion is to reverse the void breach. Which means opening it up, and sending them back through.
“I can trap them in the space between worlds,” Magnus explains, as they rush up the stairs onto the next level, with Alec’s family following quickly. “The Void, that’s what it’s called. I can open it, but…I’ll have to stay. Someone has to open it.” He’s talking quickly in the hope that everyone will be too focused on listening. He hopes, and prays, that Alec will be too focused on his family to realise what Magnus is saying.
It doesn’t go quite as smoothly as he plans.
Magnus is summoning his ship, using a great deal of magic to transport it into the room, and then ushers Alec’s family swiftly inside, explaining that they’ll be safe in there. Once they’re inside, he can click his fingers and send it to a safe spot, maybe in the country.
England, his brain unhelpfully supplies.
“In we go, Alexander,” Magnus starts to say, tapping Alec’s shoulder to nudge him inside. The banging and screaming echoing all around them – from inside and outside – tells Magnus that he needs to hurry. He can’t say goodbye, and certainly won’t act like there’s a chance he might not make it back.
“No.”
Alec isn’t budging. He watches Magnus with a determined look. He’s still as a statue, chin lifting proudly as he repeats, “No. I’m not leaving you. Not when there’s a chance you could be alone at the end.”
“Alec…your family…”
“They are a huge part of my life, and my heart, yes,” Alec says, leaning in to cup Magnus' face in his hands. “But you are my future, and I’m not leaving you behind. I’m staying and that’s final. Send them away," he finishes quietly, a single tear rolling down his cheek. He doesn’t watch as the box fades away, and Magnus respects him too much to ask him to change his mind. He snaps his fingers, and the box whines in protest, fading slowly.
There’s only the two of them then.
A pair against an invasion of merciless daleks.
Magnus hands Alec the magnetic clamp. “I don’t care what happens," he says. "You hold on to that, Alec, do you hear me?”
Alec is standing by the right-hand lever, as instructed. If Magnus were alone, he would definitely have been sucked into the Void. He’d have made it to the second leaver, but been pulled in by the suction before he could make it to the wall. Using magic would only crack open the Void even more. With Alec here, they can push the levers at the same time, and then grasp onto the clamps as tightly as possible. And then, hope.
The first row of daleks crash down the door. In the same second, Magnus looks to Alec. He holds his gaze for one, long moment, trying to smile, to think of something to say that promises that it’ll be okay.
But it isn’t.
They pull the levers at the same time.
“Systems online. Breach: reverse.”
As soon as the breach opens, the Void emits a god-awful screech, like something being torn in half. The suction is strong and overwhelming. Dalek after dalek fade into the breach, lost forever in the endless space. Magnus holds on so tightly to the clamp that he can’t feel his arm anymore. Alec is straining too, gritting his teeth and fighting against the breach’s pressure.
It’s working, Magnus thinks.
Like a curse, his thought is soon followed by five, brutal words. They strike Magnus’ heart, sucker-punching right through any hope he had left.
“Lever two: offline. Breach: closing.”
Magnus gasps. His eyes are already blurring from the wind, but as he sees Alec lunge forward, gripping the lever before it can slip, the tears start streaming. He watches, helplessly, as Alec resets the lever.
“Alexander, don’t―“
The breach comes back online, and the force makes Alec’s hand slip, and slip, and as strong as he is, even Alec can’t do a damn thing against the pressure.
He lasts a minute before the Void pulls him in.
Magnus lets out a bloodcurdling scream. It's a war cry against the one enemy he’s never been able to defeat: mortality.
“Alec!” Magnus screams.
Alec’s eyes are wide, and as he falls backwards, his mouth forms a shocked o.
For a split second, Magnus thinks he should let go. He should at least fall beside Alec. Should it be any other way?
But he doesn’t. Magnus holds on, agonised screams tearing from his throat. Letting go would only insult Alec’s sacrifice. Surviving, Magnus knows, is the only way to give back. Carrying the memory on is what will save Alec, save his soul at least.
As Alec reaches the Void, a third figure appears.
She’s dressed in a dark, military-like uniform, with a braid tying her blonde hair back. She appears just in time, eyes focused and narrowed as Alec falls right into her. She catches him, holding him tightly. Only then does Magnus see the yellow button hanging from the chain around her neck. He has a split second to look at Alec, and then he’s gone, disappearing with whoever the woman is.
The noise turns deafening. The last of the daleks fall in, and then, with a whooshing sound that sucks out most of the air around him, the breach closes, leaving Magnus truly alone now.
In the sudden silence, Magnus doesn’t move. He stands still for a very long time.
The space where Alec - and the woman - once stood is now empty.
Alec is gone.
Forever.
Wherever the woman took him, the way the air rippled around her – like it was very thinly pressing against their world - tells Magnus all he needs to know. A parallel world saved the love of his life.
And with the breach sealed up, there’s now no way for Magnus to reach Alec.
They’re separated.
As if walking in a dream, Magnus slowly steps forward. Each step feels like wading through thick snow. His feet are heavy, and so is his heart. He approaches the white wall. He rests a palm against it, and finally, as though the touch destroys the last of his resolve, Magnus crumples. Awful, choking sobs spill from his lips. He rests his head against the wall, scrunching his eyes up and searching for a sound that Alec can hear.
Wherever you are, please, hear me.
Please. Please. Please.
I’m so sorry.
He pressing right up close to the wall.
“Alexander," Magnus murmurs, tasting salt on his tongue as the tears fall.
He can’t bring himself to move, knowing that somewhere, in the parallel world, Alec is right there on the other side.
A thin wall, and a lifetime, separates them now.
~
Alec can’t hear a damn sound.
The only thing making noise is himself. He hits the wall. He beats and punches it until his fists ache, and his knuckles are bruised.
“Magnus," Alec chokes out. It’s a scream. In his mind, it’s a whisper that can slip through the cracks somehow, and reach the man he loves.
Alec slams an open palm on the wall. “Take me back! Take me back. Please…take me back…” His voice cracks, and an ugly, wounded sound breaks out of him. Faces flash through his mind. Izzy, Jace, Max, his parents and friends, and Magnus-
Biting his lip hard enough to draw blood, Alec turns. He channels the fury, and the heartbreak, into purpose. He storms towards the strangers, not giving a damn that they’ve saved his life.
“Who the hell are you?” he demands.
The blonde, with the long braid, gives him a pointed look. “Well, firstly, you’re welcome," she says. Alec's expression must really be something painful, because she bites her lip.
“Sorry," the blonde mutters. She takes off the yellow button, dangling from around her neck, and holds it up. “This is the reason you’re alive.”
“So?”
Alec can’t even be bothered to shrug. The emptiness spreads, numbing his entire body. Everything he feels get tossed aside. He’s left with a hollow of the happy man he had been so recently.
“Where am I?” he asks, a small part of his brain still working enough to address the situation.
It’s what Magnus would want.
He shuts himself up immediately. Just the simple thought of Magnus' name rubs salt into Alec’s raw wounds.
The blonde looks to her right, exchanging a quick look with the guy who is presumably her partner. The man sticks out a hand, his dark eyes narrowing in suspicion. Although there’s also a hint of awe in his eyes, like he’s just seen the impossible.
“I’m Raj," he introduces himself. "This-" he jerks his head in the blonde's direction- "is Lydia." He pauses. "We’re the Heads of the New York Lightwood Institute headquarters. We had a…message that you’d be here. This place, this time. We were to use this.” Raj taps the yellow button, which Lydia is still holding out to him, like he’s supposed to know what the hell it does.
“A message? What? I don’t…”
Alec grabs the teleportation device, turning it over in his hands. Ideas come to mind, but he dismisses them, unsure. If Magnus were here, he’d know what-
He’s not.
He’s gone.
No. This isn't right. Magnus isn't gone. Alec is.
Realisation shudders around Alec’s body. He grips the device tightly.
“Who gave you this? What did they look like?”
“Huh?”
“Tell me who gave you this," Alec demands. "What did the message say?”
Raj looked pissed for a long moment, and then sighs. “Alright. But first, you have to listen to something…”
~
“I knew you’d find me, Alexander.”
“Magnus.”
As soon as he sees him standing there – well, hologram Magnus is standing there, real Magnus is likely a billion lightyears away – Alec almost falls to his knees. They’re on a beach, in England of all places, but when he went back with Lydia and Raj all those weeks ago, Alec knew that Magnus had been the one to save him.
Only, he hasn't done it yet. The future version of him has.
This is confirmed when the Magnus standing before him frowns in confusion.
“I didn’t give you that, Alec," Magnus says. "I’m sorry, i…I’ve never seen that before in my life.”
He shakes his head, the strands longer now. In their time apart, he seems even older, somehow. Magnus’ eyes are hooded, and there’s only a sliver of eyeliner decorating them. He’s wearing darker clothes. They’re darker and bleak and Alec hates it, because Magnus isn’t just sad, he’s mourning.
“But you did,” Alec insists. “You’re going to, I mean.”
He waits for Magnus to catch up.
When he does, Magnus' lovely eyes widen, and they shine with a glimmer of hope.
“When?" Magnus asks. "When did I manage to send that here? To this world?” He gestures around. “I’m assuming it’s a parallel world then? Everything looks remarkably mundane, just like Earth.” His lips twitch, and god, how Alec would love to see a full, haughty grin of his again.
Alec swallows, and concentrates on making sure time doesn’t collapse in on itself. He needs to make sure this gets through, otherwise he could disappear at any moment.
“Do you remember when we were walking with Madzie, and the first breach appeared? Right there in the street?”
“No.” Magnus frowns, brow furrowing.
“Good. That’s because you haven’t done it yet. Go there as soon as….as soon as we’re done here. When you leave, go to this date, and this time, and make sure that you’re walking beside me. One last time.” Alec swallows down the lump in his throat. He continues after a pause. “Magnus, when the breach opens, you have to give this to Lydia and Raj. They’ll be waiting. Well, the past versions of them will.” He holds up the now-broken device, the yellow now a faded gold.
“What is that?”
“I don’t know. You made it.” Alec chuckles.
“You mean…I’m going to make it?” Magnus asks tentatively. It clicks into place. Alec watches it happen, and sees the exact moment that Magnus realises what he has to do. To ensure that Alec is saved from the Void, Magnus will have to travel back and make sure that Lydia, and the Lightwood Institute in this world, get it given to them in the first place.
Magnus nods.
Alec smiles. “Good.”
With that sorted, Alec is then hit with another wave of pain. It’s a harsh pressure against his ribcage. Anticipation. It fills Alec up to the brim with dread, because he knows now that he has to say goodbye to the love of his life.
“How…how long do we have?”
“Depends. Can I burn out the entire Medusa Cascade?”
“The Medu…” Alec trails off, his throat tightening with emotion. “Magnus, that’s your favourite place. Why would you burn it?”
“I have to get the energy to keep this final rift open, don’t I?” he says, lightly, and Alec knows he’s experiencing as much agony as Alec is.
Magnus’ face falls, the final mask of composure slipping. “A few minutes," he admits, quietly.
I can’t do this
I can’t do this
I can’t do this-
“Tell me about this world,” Magnus offers.
For once, Alec is heartbroken that he’s such a good conversationalist. He wants to scream, and cry. Both. He wants to be able to hold Magnus, and at least kiss him goodbye, but he can’t even touch him. He’s a hologram. A ghost.
A ghost that Alec is about to pour his heart out to.
“Who are they?” Magnus asks, still trying to delay the inevitable. He manages to raise an eyebrow. His playful smile is so convincing that for a moment, Alec believes this is just another adventure. He’ll be back soon, in the box, with Magnus.
“Oh, uh, that’s Lydia, and Raj.” He gestures to where his new companions stand, politely lingering a distance away, further along the beach. “They’re all part of the Lightwood Institute."
Magnus gives him a worried look.
"Oh, no, it’s not…” Alec pauses. “On this world, the company was founded years ago. Like, Victorian age. They use the intelligence service for good. They’ve got a good thing going on here. Maybe I can…” He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “Who knows?” He laughs, breathless and weak.
“By the way, I already checked. My parents are florists on this world. And….and we’re married,” Alec says this quickly, to get it out of the way. Still, he’s not prepared for the anguish that flickers across Magnus’ face.
“We are?”
“Yeah. Guess it worked out for us in one world at least.”
There's another pause.
“Magnus, my family…are they…?”
“They’re safe. Pissed as hell, and….” It’s Magnus’ turn to hesitate. His hands are trembling by his sides, and to not be able to hold them is driving Alec insane.
“Alec, they’re heartbroken. It’s my fault. I should’ve made you go-“
“And then you’d be here. Alone. It is what it is.”
Magnus stares at him for a painfully long moment. In the silence, Alec shakes his head, furious that they’re wasting precious seconds by debating over whose fault an unplanned situation was.
“One more thing,” Magnus says, quietly. He lifts a hand, and holds it by Alec’s cheek, and Alec remembers enough to mimic how it would feel; the warmth, the softness, the tenderness. “Alec, you can’t go and find us. The other us. I know I made contact, or, I’m going to in the future, but that was while the rifts were open. They’re closing now. You can’t go and hunt us down. You can’t….”
I can’t be with you in this world either.
The thought has crossed Alec’s mind, to knock out this world’s Alec and just have even a few more minutes with a version of Magnus. Even if it’s a mundane, ungodly guy in jeans and jumpers, Alec wants him. Any version, any world, and Alec is going to fall madly in love with Magnus Bane.
“I won’t,” Alec promises sadly. He closes his eyes, squeezing them shut. The pressure behind his lids is burning now, the tears starting to build.
“Alec, look at me. Alexander.”
He does. He opens his eyes and faces the blinding truth, that after this, he’ll never see Magnus again, or his family, or-
“Madzie,” Alec suddenly says, his voice barely more than whisper.
As if on cue, Magnus looks down, at something off-screen. He says something, too quietly for Alec to hear, and then bend down. When he stands again, Madzie is part of the hologram, waving at Alec as she wraps her arms around Magnus’ neck, watching.
Tears reach Alec’s chin as he watches the little girl. His girl.
He’s suddenly annoyed that they never made it an official thing, but really, what is a piece of paper when it comes to family? It isn’t blood, or promises, but a singular truth that links them all together. It’s love that bonds, not paper or law.
“Hey, you,” Alec says, swallowing down the tears. He’s trying to smile, but Madzie either senses what’s happening, or Magnus has told her, because the sadness in her eyes is agonising.
“You be a good girl,” Alec tells her. God, he wants to hug her one last time, and explain how special she is, and that no one should ever be allowed to hurt her again.
Madzie nods, chin trembling. When she speaks, her voice is surprisingly strong. “I’ll see you soon, daddy.”
If Alec’s heart was breaking before, now it’s completely crushed. He watches Madzie’s smile, and for a few seconds, uses it to fuel his hope, or what remains of it. There’s very little left, but somehow, he finds that spark.
He smiles back. “I’ll see you soon,” he repeats softly.
The hologram flickers and-
“No!”
Alec reaches a hand out, but he can’t stop it from flickering, fading a bit more.
When it strengthens again, Madzie is out of the frame, leaving just Magnus to stare sadly across at him. “It’s time, my love,” Magnus says.
The breeze teases at Alec’s hair, but it’s not as painful as the hot, streaming tears running down his cheeks. He sobs, lifting a hand to clutch at his neck. If he could hold them in, he would. He doesn’t want this to haunt Magnus when he’s gone. He won’t be another sad memory.
And so, Alec does the one thing he’s always wanted to be brave enough to say first.
He looks up. “I…I love you, ” Alec finally says, voice cracking. He’s about to break and tip over the edge completely, but he stands upright, desperate to have these last few seconds.
Magnus nods. “As you should.” He smiles, sadly. “You’ve always known how I feel, Alexander," he says softly, "but if it’s my last chance to tell you, then, Alec Lightwood, I lo-“
The hologram fades the second before he can finish.
~
After dropping Madzie off with the Lightwoods – Isabelle and Jace take her, along with Max, to Central Park for the day – Magnus decides to just bite the bullet and get it over with.
He travels back to the date that Alec gave him.
When he sees Alec and Madzie walking down the street, he searches for a sign of himself. After a minute, they get closer, and still no sign of the past Magnus.
Magnus suddenly remembers that of course, he must’ve altered Alec’s memory to think he was there the whole time.
Magnus takes a deep breath. He steps out from around the corner and jogs up to the pair, with as much of a casual smile as he can manage. Inside, he’s crying out to embrace them tightly, or whisper that he loves them both, and cherishes them as a family like no one else.
“Hey," he says, brightly. Just as the expected lines of confusion cross Alec’s features, Magnus wiggles his fingers, and Alec suddenly stops. He blinks, and refocuses, and so does Madzie.
“Uh, sorry, you were saying?”
It worked.
“Nothing, dear, just that…”
He makes casual conversation, volunteering an arm when Madzie wants to swing down the street with them. He bites his lip to hold back the sobs. He can cry later. For now, he has to save the man walking beside him. He has to make sure Alec gets to the parallel world, and can have a life, even if it’s without Magnus.
When the first rift appears, Magnus does a rather impressive job of acting shocked. He leaps forwards, making all kinds of distractions with his magic. He sends them off, in ribbons of blue and white, and thrusts the note, and the newly made button device, into the rift. It wasn’t an easy device to make, either. His unique blend of time travel technology and magic were pushed to new extremes. But he did it. One time only, but it’s done. He can save Alec.
When the rift closes, Magnus sighs in relief. And sorrow.
And so, he thinks, the circle is complete.
The past version of Alec gasps. “What was that?”
Magnus feels his smile turn sad, against his will.
I miss you. So much.
Instead, he keeps up the facade.
“Alec, we’re all in danger…”
He leaves quickly after sending the pair away, turning his head back to watch Alec and Madzie walking quickly together, talking to a Magnus that isn’t there at all, but instead, is watching them leave, tears silently falling in defeat.
It’s over now.
I love you.
~
Where loss is concerned, time doesn’t matter.
When Magnus loses Alec, it’s not just the universe that was almost ripped into pieces. Magnus feels pulled in countless directions. His heart wants to give up, and grieve forever, or until something comes along and ends his torment.
Isabelle tries to console him. Cat tries. His other friends try. Jace even brings him something that’s supposed to resemble a lasagna. He sheepishly admits that Izzy’s not the only one who can’t cook, and Magnus almost smiles. If he wasn’t feeling like the world just ran him over, he might’ve offered to spend more time with Alec’s brother.
But looking at Jace hurts too much. However, Jace is also one of the only people who also gets that. He’s not offended when Magnus just nods, and doesn’t say much else.
“He’s not dead, you know,” Jace says, bluntly. He sounds unaffected, but the pained look in his eyes says otherwise. “I loved….I love Alec, and I always will, but he’s alive. He’d want you to be happy, in even the smallest way.”
Magnus nods.
He focuses all of his energy on caring for Madzie. She’s a little quieter for a while, but she has a hope that Magnus can’t pierce through. Destroying her innocence isn’t what he wants, but Magnus can’t bear to see her look up every time the door opens, or talk about Alec like he’s gone for a walk, not stuck on another world.
He makes the guardianship official, because he knows that’s what Alec would want. Magnus wants it too. In fact, signing his name across the adoption sheet is the only moment that brings him joy for a long while. He savours it, and smiles at Madzie when she refuses to let anyone else touch it. She’s talking about framing it over their bed when she suddenly freezes.
“Why isn’t daddy’s name on it too?”
“Because he’s gone, darling.”
“But he’s coming back?”
“Madzie…”
She’s almost eleven, and although her immortality will mean she won’t age much past her twenties, appearance-wise, she looks mournfully young.
Denial makes children of us all, Magnus thinks.
He decides not to say anything, but he does reach out and take her hand, whether or not it’s a silent prayer, or apology, he doesn’t know.
Madzie digs her fingers into his hand.
She knows.
~
Maryse wants to hold a funeral.
This, of all things, is what sets Magnus off the most.
He walks into the Lightwood’s house, for the first time in months, and when he sees them sitting around the table, cold coffee abandoned in mugs, he somehow knows what they’re going to say. To their credit, Izzy and Jace don’t look pleased about it either. Maryse and Robert think it’s good for them, and for the company, to have closure of sorts.
“He is not dead,” Magnus snaps coldly, rising from his seat next to Jace. “What part of that don’t you understand? You would rather him have died a hero, than lived an ordinary, human life. I will not let Alec become your fallen warrior. He was more than that. Is,” Magnus corrects himself. “You don’t need a funeral. You just need to accept the facts.”
He pushes the chair back all the way, surveying the parents of the boy he fell madly in love with. He sees their heartache like an open wound, no matter how hard they convince themselves that it’s healing.
Magnus says the next words with a vindictive anger that he’ll regret later. “You didn’t love him like I did. You chose what parts to love, and turned away at the others. I don’t think you get to decide on how Alec is remembered when you can’t even remember how he lived.”
Ignoring the stab of guilt, and the shocked, pained gasp that comes from Maryse, he looks away before he can see the disapproval of the others. He knows it’s wrong. God, Alec would be glaring at him if he were here.
He’s not.
Magnus is halfway out of the house, and storming down the front garden path, when Izzy catches up to him. She wraps a gentle hand around his wrist, tugging him around to face her.
There’s no anger in her stormy eyes, only shared pain. “I know, Magnus," she says quietly. “I feel it too. All of it. He’s alive, but not here, with us. He’s alive, but we can’t be there for him. It’s like watching a black and white movie when before you saw it with a thousand colors.”
She’s hit the nail on the head and Magnus hates it. He wants to be able to push everyone away.
Instead, he sighs, and nods. “Exactly," Magnus whispers.
“They’re doing their best too, you know,” Isabelle says, nodding towards the house. She holds his hand in hers, and just for a second, it feels like her brother’s.
Magnus tugs it, gently, free. “I know," he admits, and then turns away. Not looking back, he says, over his shoulder, “Please tell your parents that there’s an apologetic time lord who’s mourning their son just as much as they are.”
“Of course.” Izzy’s reply is soft, and kind; everything that Magnus longs to surround himself in, but is not quite ready to.
He walks away.
~
Bit by bit, day by day, the colors resurface. Like Izzy says, they don’t fully emerge again. Magnus suspects they never will, but what does he know? For an immortal time lord, he’s still never quite figured out if there’s a purpose to all this, to suffering and loss.
He accepts that Alec isn’t coming back.
He really has lost Alec. Forever.
And not the kind of fairy-tale forever that can be solved with magic. Magnus tries. In private. He explores spell books that he’s kept hidden away. He even asks Chairman Meow and Church for options, but their dignified purrs of response are far from helpful. Adorable, but inadequate.
Messing with time travel is not an option, and even Magnus isn’t too far gone to consider screwing up timelines. He could erase himself, or the people Alec loves, for good.
In trying to stop the bad, he could undo all the good.
So, he stops.
He just…stops.
And just like it always does, life waits until the soft balance of the boat is gently rocking you to sleep before it capsizes you.
But sometimes the overhead storm brings rain and spring, not thunder.
~
“Madzie, darling, I have told you how unhygienic that is, hm?”
“Aunty Izzy says if I have a pretty face I can do whatever I want.”
“Is that so?” Magnus narrows his eyes, watching his daughter eat her candy in a strange, overly complex manner, something about rolling up the caramel on her finger, and nibbling it in a way that makes the crumbs go everywhere on the blanket covering the grass.
“I think Aunty Isabelle and I must have words," Magnus says. He tickles Madzie’s chin with a finger, but she swipes a hand away.
“Papa, no,” she mutters, but a sweet flush makes its way happily over her cheeks.
It’s been a year since they…lost Alec. They’ve decided to make some sort of day out of it at least, even if it’s not in the traditional sense. In the morning, they visit Central Park with Isabelle and her charmingly dorky boyfriend, Simon, along with Jace, Max and Maryse and Robert. They mainly stroll, spending time together, like Alec would like to see. They stop by the ponds, spreading out on the grass and catching up. The Lightwood Institute on this Earth is still running, only they seem to have learnt from that fatal last time, and are working with Magnus and his resources to help create a place that could help save other planets, not just their own.
In the afternoon, it’s just Magnus and Madzie and a quiet time watching the stars. He has an idea then, as they watch the stars in quiet reflection.
“Madzie, would you like to see where Alec and I…shared a special day?”
She turns to look at him, regarding him with a curious look. She nods.
“Come on then.”
When the ship touches down on Ablorix, Magnus is already feeling an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. This is where he and Alec officially began their relationship, and although he’s come here often enough beforehand, it’s different with Madzie beside him.
It means more.
He doesn’t row them out to the island, but just takes Madzie over to the top of the hill, to watch the colours in the sky overhead. They’re calm tonight, all soft pinks and kind yellows. She settles down comfortably amongst the white flower-filled meadows.
Magnus closes his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the evening unfolding around them. The calm is arriving, finally. Madzie’s cheek brushes against his arm when she turns her head, burying into his side while she drifts off. It’s expected. There’s an element of mist in the air, the kind that makes it alright to cry and smile in the same breath.
Magic crackles beneath Magnus’ hands. He holds one up, tracing blue swirls through the air. He’s halfway through creating the image of a cat that resembles Church – but with three heads and no sass – when a loud snapping sound echoes.
Magnus’ senses are immediately alert. Startled, Madzie quickly wakes.
They both turn, following the sound of the crack.
“It worked. Oh, god, I didn’t think it…”
Madzie is up like a shot, running towards the figure who’s appeared at the far side of the meadow. Even from the short distance away, Magnus can feel Alec’s hazel eyes burning into his.
Magnus slowly climbs to his feet. He watches Madzie as she runs, and Alec meets her halfway, scooping her up into a hug. She’s taller now, but Alec spins her around with ease, a wide, happy grin on his face.
This isn’t real.
If it’s an enchantment, or a dream, then Magnus really doesn’t want to wake up. He’s lost in the moment, quietly making his way over. As soon as he sees Alec standing there, Magnus abandons all thought of logic and science. There’s only the beauty of the stars, and the soft flowers brushing against his hands.
He reaches Alec, eyes drinking in the stubbled jaw, the black, military-like attire he’s wearing. There’s a sharp, focused concentration in his eyes, and Magnus can feel him watching like he might disappear if he blinks.
Madzie is looking incredibly pleased with herself. “Papa, look, he came back," she says, filling the tense silence with happy laughter. "I promised you he would."
She looks up at Alec, almost at his chest height now. “He didn’t believe me," Madzie mutters, pointing a finger at Magnus. “He thought you’d gone forever, but I knew. I knew. In here.” Madzie reaches upwards and taps Alec’s chest, and then pats her own, her smile as wide as Magnus has ever seen it.
Before he’s aware of what he’s doing, Magnus extends a hand so slowly that he’s not even sure he’s moving.
And then he touches Alec’s cheek, and it’s soft, and he’s alive, and oh-
“You’re here.”
“Yeah. I’m here. Oh, god, Magnus, I-“ Alec chokes. He doesn’t try and speak again. Like Magnus, he probably can’t.
They fumble forwards at the same time, reaching. Alec’s hands are around Magnus’ neck and then he’s kissing him; hotly, and messily. The desperation burns into Magnus like stardust. He can taste the realness, the blood and sweat and magic that pulses from him, but also from Alec, whose humanity only strengthens the very fabric of what makes him enchanting.
Alec is alive, and here, with him.
After a few seconds, Madzie lets out a quiet cough, and then they break away, laughing.
Oh, god, Magnus realises he hasn’t laughed properly in over a year. Not really. Not like this.
Magnus grips Alec’s jacket, mouth still hovering close to his. He can hear Alec’s breathing, erratic and pained.
“How?” Magnus asks, barely a whisper. “I don’t care, but how?” He’s trying to fight the forming tears, but when he sees Alec’s answering grin, Magnus lets them fall. He’s seen that smile in his dreams for a year now, and it’s finally back.
Alec untangles one of his hands out from Magnus’ hair. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a familiar object. The faded yellow of the large button is scrubbed, and brighter once again. It’s also been modified. It has strange wisps covering it, moving. It reminds Magnus…of himself, of the magic that has been his constant companion all these years.
How…?
Alec lifts his chin proudly and says, “I reversed it.”
“You did what?”
“It was your idea actually.”
When Magnus raises an eyebrow in startled confusion, Alec quickly shakes his head, laughing.
“Oh, no, uh, not another future-Magnus. Thank god.” Alec laughs. “It wasn’t going to work again, because you designed it for one trip between worlds. You were powerful enough to create something that created a bridge between two worlds, but only a one-way trip. But…with a little help from Raj, Lydia, and the others at Lightwood Institutes in their world….I got it working. At least, I hoped I had. I was gonna try it and see.” Alec shakes his head, and softly finishes, “It worked. Brought me home.”
Home.
Unable to help himself, Magnus gasps out, “You hadn’t tested it?” He tries not to fret, especially when he’s here, and they’re together again, but really?
“We couldn’t," Alec argues. He holds onto Madzie’s hand, his other wrapping around Magnus’ waist, keeping them close together. “It was only designed for one stable trip. We used that up, but we harnessed enough of the reverse power, the leftover energy. Your magic, Magnus.” Alec’s lips curve into a fond, tender smile. “Your magic created this. We took your essence and magnified it. It was beautiful.”
Alec leans in, nuzzling his nose against the time lord’s, making Magnus smile even wider. “When I travelled here, it was like I could feel the very heart of you. God, you’re beautiful, Magnus. I’ve missed you, I love you, and…I don’t know what else to say.”
Alec laughs again. This time, Magnus pulls him down for another bruising kiss, hard enough to clash teeth and leave marks for tomorrow morning.
But they’ll have a tomorrow morning to wake to.
When they pull back again, Alec ducks his head sheepishly. “I mean, I created a tiny hole. A little one.” Alec holds up his thumb and forefinger, measuring with a guilty grin. “But, uh, no major damage. One tiny hole in the fabric of space. Is that alright?” Alec murmurs, fingers tangling in Magnus’ hair.
Magnus pretends to look cross, but then his happiness wipes it away. “No," Magnus says. “It’s a miracle.” He’s crying again, but what does it matter, because Alec is here, is home. “You came back to me.”
“I came home.”
They hug, and on top of the hill, surrounded by a kaleidoscope of colours, there really does seem to be someone watching over them. It’s the three of them against a world set to throw every surprise their way. It doesn’t frighten Alec. They’ll always find a way, always use their strengths to win.
“Come on. We ought to go and surprise your family. They’ll want to see you.”
Alec nods, and starts to walk alongside Magnus, with Madzie contently skimming her hands across the meadow flowers while they cross over to the box.
Just before they head inside, Magnus lowers, and carefully plucks one of the long flowers. He beckons Madzie over, smiling and offering it to her.
When she frowns questioningly, Magnus explains, “They’re called sweetbriars. Any plant, or flower, that grows on the hill will never die. The stars shared their light, you see.” The small, rose-like buds, are white, and when Madzie threads it through her hair, Magnus smiles.
“Forever flowers," Madzie summarises, and he hears Alec give a hum of approval when he notices her small smirk.
Magnus meets Alec’s gaze, and holds it for a long moment. “Yes," Magnus quietly agrees. “Eternal love.”
She fiddles with it, curving the stem over her ear.
“I’ll always wear it, papa," she vows, and there’s a smile on Madzie's face as she turns around and walks inside.
Alec lingers in the meadow, waiting for him. He curves a hand over Magnus’ hips, pulling him close once more.
“I just wanted to say,” Alec begins. “What you said to Madzie just then…I know that I might go before you, or you might surprise us all and die first just to be stubborn,” Alec mumbles, the humour an attempt to sooth the tense subject. He looks up, and Magnus knows that he’s been yearning to say this for the year they’ve been apart, maybe more.
“But…whatever waits for us, in the future, we’ll be together,” Alec vows. “Whether that means crossing the universe as an atom, or re-birthing myself as a star so I can watch over you, I’ll find a way. We’ll be together, no matter what. Or...we go together."
Magnus nods in agreement. He takes Alec’s hands in his and leans in, kissing him slowly, and lazily, because now he can.
“For now, let’s enjoy this life together.” He opens the door. “Onto the next adventure, Alexander?”
He kisses him, and nods.
“Lead the way.”