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Alec’s phone buzzed and he smiled when he saw who it was from.
MB: Want to come over for dinner? Round 7ish?
They’d been together for quite a while now and while maintaining a relationship in the mess that had become their lives wasn’t quite easy, Alec thinks they’ve been doing a pretty good job of it. Magnus’s Brooklyn apartment was where they spent pretty much all of their time in. It got them away from everyone else – especially Alec’s parents – and it gave them a space to decompress and just be them.
Alec texted his boyfriend – he still got butterflies at that word – back his affirmative that he’d see him later and let Izzy know he wouldn’t be home for dinner. She just gave him a knowing look with a suggestive “have fun.”
Alright, whatever. So the other benefit of Magnus having a huge loft where they could be alone was that they could make out on Magnus’s couch all night long, and Izzy knew that. Because she never failed to mention the hickies when Alec got home.
He was happy. Sue him.
Alec had texted Magnus to see if he wanted Alec to bring anything, but Magnus had said no – “Just bring your cute self, that’s all I need.” – so Alec showed up to Magnus’s empty handed – other than the stele and seraph blade he kept on him at all times. He also had an old bow and arrow set at Magnus’s just in case, too. That was honestly their lives at this point but still – he’d rather be ready to fight at a moment’s notice than be caught unaware.
The warlock was nowhere to be found in the apartment, but there was a note on the kitchen island. Ever since the first disastrous night where Magnus had Alec over for dinner and attempted cooking for the both of them – it didn’t end well for the food but they both laughed about it – they’d just stuck to takeout. Alec had considered that Magnus was off picking up the takeout, but that didn’t add up as normally Magnus just snapped and it was in the loft. Maybe he’d gotten a call from a client? But he would’ve called or texted had that been the case.
Alec felt a sense of foreboding as he picked up the note.
We have your boyfriend. Better come and get him before midnight.
There was an address listed at the bottom, and they were close by, but Alec knew he couldn’t just rush over there alone. As much as he wanted to. So he did the only thing he could think of – he called Jace.
“I need your help,” Alec said, desperately as soon as he heard Jace pick up.
“Alec, what’s wrong? I thought you were at Magnus’s?”
“I am…I, uh someone took him…kidnapped him? I don’t know Jace but we have to help him. There’s an address and I know I’m not thinking clearly enough to go alone and – ”
“Hey, Alec, don’t worry about it,” Jace said gently. “I’m with Izzy, Clary, and Luke at the Jade Wolf. We’ll be there as soon as we can. We’ll figure it out.”
The time between hanging up the phone and his friends actually getting there was brutal. Alec paced Magnus’s apartment all while looking for a clue for what they could be up against. Was it other warlocks? Vampires? Demons? There was nothing, no clues left behind other than the note. Alec was buzzing under his skin he hated being here, idle while Magnus was off somewhere – probably hurt or something.
He heard Izzy’s heels clicking against the hardwood floor before he saw them all come in. Isabelle immediately ran to hug him.
“It’s gonna be okay,” She whispered to him. “We’ll figure it out.”
Jace was behind her, flanked by Clary and Luke.
“I don’t want you to get mixed up in this if it’s a Downworlder,” Alec said to Luke. “I don’t want to put your pack at risk.”
Luke nodded, “I appreciate that. I’m here to do all I can behind the scenes, though. Let me see the note.”
Alec handed it over and Luke inspected it before taking a whiff. Werewolf senses. He could probably pinpoint who’d taken Magnus. Luke winced at the smell.
“This is a scent I haven’t caught in a long time,” Luke said, sounding grave.
“What is it?” Alec asked nervously.
“Unseelie,” Luke replied seriously. Alec felt his heart plummet and heard the collective gasp from his siblings and Clary. Seelie Court faeries were one thing. They were tricky and untrustworthy. But the Unseelies…the Unseelies were cruel and dark in every way imaginable. And they had Magnus.
Jace gripped his shoulder. “We need a plan, and we need one fast.”
They sat on Magnus’s couches while Jace and Isabelle went through everything they knew about Unseelies and the best way to approach this with minimal damage to everyone involved.
Alec’s mind reeled. Part of him was angry at himself for being so easily distracted, the other part knew it was completely rational to be upset over this. Because after everything they’d been through, Alec couldn’t lose Magnus, not like this.
Because…because Alec loved Magnus. The realization hit him hard, and he had to take a deep breath. Alec couldn’t lose Magnus because he didn’t want to live in a world without him. Because Alec loved Magnus.
The plan was vague at best. Go in, incapacitate the Unseelies as soon as possible, get Magnus and get the hell out. The faeries had Magnus at an abandoned warehouse – which, in Alec’s opinion was a little cliché – on the Brooklyn side of the East River. It really wasn’t too far from Magnus’s loft so sooner rather than later they were outside the building.
“How come the bad guys are never in somewhere that isn’t, I don’t know, not a health hazard,” Clary muttered. On another other mission Alec would’ve at least cracked a smile, but he was too distressed by the fact that Magnus’s life was on the line.
Sensing his distress, his sister rubbed his shoulder gently. “Don’t worry, big brother. We’ll get your boo back.”
In no time they were busting through the doors in all their dramatic flair. Arrows nocked, whips out, and seraph blades drawn and at the ready. The warehouse was fairly small, and when Alec saw Magnus about twenty feet away, he saw red. His boyfriend was in a metal chair, bound, it seemed, by some sort of dark faerie magic, an Unseelie on each side of him. He struggled when he saw Alec but couldn’t move. There was blood on him, that much Alec could tell even from his distance. He hoped for those faeries’ sakes that it wasn’t Magnus’s.
His bow was aimed at the larger one’s head. They were beautiful, like the Seelies, but a darker kind of beautiful. Darker, sallower. More demon than angel.
“I didn’t know this was a clave issue,” The smaller one drawled, taking in Alec’s companions.
“You made it one when you left me that note,” Alec spat.
“I didn’t know you were under the protection of the Nephilim, Bane.” The larger Unseelie sneered at Magnus.
“I’m not. I just happen to be dating one. I can’ be held responsible for his actions, especially if you use me to lure him here. Truly there must’ve been better ways to go about this other than inconveniencing me,” Magnus said. His voice was weak, but if he was openly sassing a faerie that meant that he was at least mostly okay.
“I won’t lie,” the Unseelie continued, ignoring Magnus. “We took your little boyfriend here to lure you out.”
“Little,” Magnus muttered.
The Unseelie continued to ignore him. “We lost people to Valentine when the Seelies did too. We want revenge. It’s all your faults that Valentine turned on us. So I’m looking for a fight.”
Well, Alec thought, they’d get one.
The fight was quick and dirty.
Since there were only two of them, so they were really no match for four Shadowhunters, especially when one of those Shadowhunters was fighting for the man he loved.
As soon as the faeries were injured and down whatever magic they were using to keep Magnus immobilized was broken and the warlock was out of the chair in a moment and turning towards the two Unseelies.
Alec had his arrow trained on the larger, more vicious one again. Seeing as there were no mundanes or Shadowhunters involved, it was against the Accords to kill either of them. But if they made a move to hurt Magnus again, Alec just may have to break them.
“If you ever, so much as step foot in this city again I will not hesitate to take you down,” Magnus’s cat eyes flashed. “You will not catch me by surprise next time and I will not be merciful. I advise you leave now before I feel better and I find the urge to hunt you down.”
The faeries were gone in a flash, but Alec didn’t lower his bow until he saw Magnus physically sag and move to sit back down in the chair. It seemed Magnus had been holding it together for as long as possible. His face was pale and strained now.
“Magnus,” Alec said., rushing over and kneeling beside the warlock. There was blood on his ornate tunic – Magnus’s own blood. Angel those faeries were lucky they were long gone. “I…are you okay? You’re bleeding and you’re hurt and I can’t use an Iratze on you. I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what to do.”
“Catarina,” Magnus said weakly. “Call Catarina. She can heal me. My phone’s in my pocket.”
Alec took the phone from his pocket and tossed it to Jace who searched through Magnus’s contacts then began calling. He distantly heard Jace talking softly on the phone while Alec encouraged Magnus to stand and use Alec to lean against.
“Do you need me to carry you?” Alec asked, trying to be respectful. Magnus was hundreds of years old and powerful, Alec didn’t want to treat him like an invalid.
“As nice as that sounds, let me leave here with a trace of my dignitity intact,” Magnus said, standing but leaning heavily on Alec. He snapped his fingers and a portal appeared. Alec huffed in exasperation.
“You’re hurt, you need to save your strength,” Alec chided, but Magnus waved him off.
“I’ve been through worse,” Magnus said. “To be honest, it’ll probably take more energy for me to walk through the portal than it did for me to conjure it. Healing myself would be a whole other thing right now. Don’t worry, Alexander. I know my limits.”
Alec just nodded, trusting that Magnus knew what was best for himself.
He helped his boyfriend limp through the portal, the others following after. Luke was gone from the apartment when they appeared on the other side.
“Couch or bed?” Alec asked.
“I’m going to go to my happy place and pretend you’re asking me that question in an entirely different context,” Magnus sighed. Alec fought back a blush. “Ah, couch. We both know it’s a little easier to get blood out, huh?”
Once Alec had Magnus laid out on his coach he turned to Jace.
“Catarina will be here as soon as possible,” Jace said, handing Alec back Magnus’s phone. “We’ll, uh, we’ll leave you two to it. Let us know if there’s anything else you need tonight.”
“You’ve done more than enough, thank you,” Alec said. Then looked at Izzy and Clary too. “Thank all of you. Clary, pass on my thanks to Luke too, okay? Magnus and I…we owe you all.”
“Magnus has saved all our asses enough times,” Clary said.
“This is true,” Magnus piped up from the couch.
Clary smiled at Magnus then back at Alec and shrugged. “It was the least we could do.”
The three of them left and not long after, a portal appeared, Catarina coming through it.
“Oh Magnus, never a social call. Always ‘heal this, heal that. Catarina, I’m dying help me.’” She grinned at him though, and the words were light and teasing. Her skin was beautiful, the color of a blue summer sky on a cloudless day. Added to her stark white hair, Catarina Loss was nothing short of breathtaking.
“I call you socially,” Magnus protested.
“I know. This is the boyfriend then?,” She looked at Alec.
“Yeah, I um, I’m Alec. Lightwood,” He said, extending a hand for her to shake. She took it, shaking it daintily.
“Lovely to finally meet you, Alec,” Catarina said, throwing a look over her shoulder a Magnus who only rolled his eyes at her. “While I’m sure you’re a great comfort to my friend, would you mind giving me some space to heal him? I’ll come find you when I’m done.”
Alec looked at Magnus who nodded. He left, going to Magnus’s room and closing the door. He could hear the rise and fall of voices on the other side of the wall but couldn’t make out any words. It was fine though. He really didn’t want to pry and Magnus deserved some time with his old friend.
It didn’t take too long – even though it felt like forever – for Catarina to knock on the door to let Alec know she was done and that Magnus would be more than fine.
“Unseelie magic can be nasty and sometimes very difficult to heal,” She explained as they made their way back to Magnus’s living area. “Sorry to kick you out like that. Someone should probably keep an eye on him for the next few hours though,” Catarina continued. “Like I said, nasty magic, it’s fairly unpredictable. I’m more than willing to stay here if you need to go home but –”
“I can stay,” Alec said, a little too quickly.
Catarina simply raised an eyebrow but nodded. “Let me just go say goodbye to him and I’ll be on my way. Let me know if he needs anything, okay?”
Alec nodded and stayed a polite distance back as Catarina said her goodbyes, and Magnus his thanks.
Once Catarina had portalled away, Alec came around to the couch. Magnus was in a new shirt and soft-looking sleep pants and all the blood was gone. Alec breathed a sigh of relief. He gently moved Magnus so that Alec was sitting on the couch and Magnus’s head was in Alec’s lap. Alec stroked through Magnus’s hair as they sat in silence for a while.
“Alexander Lightwood, swooping in like a Disney prince to save me. I’m swooning,” Magnus eventually murmured, grinning up at Alec. Alec shook his head, laughing.
“I see you’re feeling better,” Alec said.
Magnus nodded. “Catarina is the most gifted healer I know. I feel nearly good as new. Doesn’t mean I’m not going to bank it for all it’s worth so that my hot boyfriend will continue to lavish attention on me.”
Alec laughed again, but couldn’t help but grow serious.
“I was so scared,” He whispered. “I couldn’t think. Could barely breathe. And I…” Alec trailed off. Magnus stroked Alec’s arm where it rested across Magnus’s stomach, silently encouraging him to go on.
“I was afraid I’d lose you,” Alec said. “And I realized how much I cannot handle losing you because…because I love you, Magnus.”
Magnus sat up quickly, then groaned.
“You okay?” Alec asked, reaching out to steady him.
“Yeah,” Magnus grunted. “I’m feeling better, but I think I overestimated how much better. Catarina’s magic’s wearing off and I’m definitely feeing what they did to me.” He moved again, slower this time, shifting so that he was facing Alec. He gently trailed the back of his hand down Alec’s cheek. Alec’s eyes fluttered closed at the feeling.
“You must know, Alexander, that I love you too,” Magnus said quietly.
Alec felt his heart clench and he opened his eyes to see Magnus looking at him in that way of his. Like Alec was everything, the center of his universe.
Alec cupped Magnus’s cheek and kissed him gently, restraining from kissing him the way he wanted to, as he wasn’t sure Magnus was quite healed enough for that yet. They kissed slowly and tenderly and Alec’s heart had never been so full in his life.
“I think I’d like to take up your earlier offer of you carrying me,” Magnus whispered against his lips when they parted.
Alec huffed, “And where would you like me to carry you, your majesty.”
“To bed,” Magnus said. “And not even for fun reasons. If you don’t I’m afraid I’ll pass out right here and now.”
Alec obliged, gently picking his boyfriend up and carrying him to the bedroom. Magnus’s bed is luxurious and still terrifies Alec a little bit every time he looks at it. It makes him think of the things he wants, the things yet to come. They’d have time enough for that, though.
He placed Magnus down gently into a sitting position on the bed. Magnus climbed under the covers himself but Alec fussed at him until he knew he was comfortable.
Alec toes his boots off, and goes around to the other side of the bed to lay down on top of the covers. Magnus hums happily, but quickly falls asleep.
Alec watches him, taking in the lines of Magnus’s face when it’s slack and sleep soft. He promises himself at some point in the night he’ll move on to the couch or something. Magnus hadn’t quite invited him to sleep in the bed with him, and Alec didn’t want to cross any lines. He’d move to the couch. Eventually.
Magnus woke slowly, groaning at his sore muscles. It had been a while since he, arguably the most powerful warlock currently in the United States, had been sore. Even the good kinds of sore. He wondered where Alec had gone off to the night before, remembering that his boyfriend had carried him to bed and basically tucked him in.
He got his answer when he rolled over to see Alec fast asleep on his stomach – still in his black clothes from the night before – on top of Magnus’s sheets. His mouth is parted and he’s snoring slightly and Magnus has never been more in love. He sidles a little closer to Alec in the bed and goes back to sleep, not even trying to fight a smile.