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“Promise me you’ll come back,” Magnus says, holding Alec’s face between his palms. “I need you to promise me.”
Alec rolls his eyes, a tiny smile playing on his lips. “Of course, Magnus. I do this job everyday.”
Magnus sighs because this isn’t the first time he’s heard this. He nods, giving Alec one last kiss against his lips before pulling back and watching Alec leave the loft.
~~~
Alec swings his blade to his left, cutting the demon down with ease. What started as a simple patrol with Jace has become a full on battle with a hoard of Ravener demons. The demon at the end of his blade disintegrates as he pulls it away, only to plunge it beneath his left armpit where another demon was coming behind him.
“Fuck,” Jace gasps as they continue to fight, their movements like a well practiced dance. “Where are they coming from?”
Sweat drips down Alec’s forehead as he turns sharply, his blade running through another demon on his right. His breathing is coming out in pants, adrenaline running through his veins. A demon in front of him clasps his wrist, keeping his blade from killing it. Alec grits his teeth, readying himself to counterattack the hold when something grabs him from behind.
Suddenly, there’s a sharp sting in his neck. His eyes widen as the pain slowly radiates from the point of the sting until it’s surging through his throat. He drops his blade as the demons all begin to back away from them.
“Tell my son I say you’re welcome,” a voice whispers into his ear darkly before he’s shoved onto the ground.
Alec’s hand comes up to his neck, touching the point where he was pricked. His breathing speeds up as pain lances through his neck down to his chest now. His heart speeds up, banging against his ribs. Something’s wrong. Something’s really wrong. He tries to move but realizes he’s on his knees in the dirt. He looks around and finds the demons all gone, the world around him slowly turning murky and muddled.
“Alec!” Jace gasps, on his knees in front of Alec. His face looks worried and it makes Alec’s stomach sink further. The pain is getting worse. Whatever he was injected with is turning his insides to fire.
“Jace. Fuck!” Alec gets out through gritted teeth.
Dark spots begin to play around his vision and he clenches his eyes shut, trying to focus on anything that’s not the all consuming pain taking over his body.
“We gotta get you to Magnus and Izzy,” Jace says, putting his arm around Alec’s back, trying to help him up.
“Jace, I can’t. It’s too much.”
He hears Jace murmuring to himself but it’s all too much. He can’t focus. He can barely even breathe. His finger nails dig into his neck.
“Magnus. It’s Alec,” he overhears Jace say. His arms give out and he falls onto the pavement in front of him. The dirt is cool against his cheek compared to the inferno going on inside of him. Alec closes his eyes and focuses on that feeling before the heat overtakes him.
~~~
Everyone bustles around Magnus’ loft. Nerves are hectic and frayed. Everything happening at once. Jace carries Alec through the loft as Izzy and Clary walk through a portal. Magnus is there to catch Jace as he falls to his knees, almost dropping Alec onto the ground. Jace grits his teeth, his face contorting in agony as he hands Alec over. Magnus carries him the rest of the way into their bedroom, placing him gently onto the bed.
“What the hell happened?” Izzy demands as Clary helps Jace follow them all to the bedroom.
Instead of answering, Jace screams.
Magnus looks over Alec’ face. He’s passed out, his skin clammy with sweat. He’s paler than usual. His fingers fall into Alec’s sweaty hair, pushing it away from his forehead.
“Someone ambushed us,” Jace finally gets out through panted breath. “Said to tell you something, Magnus.”
“Tell me what?” Magnus asks, his stomach sinking, his eyes never leaving Alec’s face.
“You’re welcome,” Jace gasps out, falling to his knees, clutching his throat in both hands. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. It’s like he’s burning from the inside out!”
Magnus’ heart skips a beat before going into overdrive. He conjures a vile from his work room, getting on his knees before Jace and helping him sip. Within seconds, Alec’s parabatai is falling back into Magnus’ arms.
“What did you do?” Clary asks, her voice laced with fear.
“I just put him to sleep. Whatever is happening to Alexander is hitting Jace through the parabatai bond. He was in pain. This way he’ll sleep painlessly.”
Izzy activates her strength rune in order to carry Jace out to the couch.
With a snap of his fingers, Magnus conjures all the tools Izzy will need from her lab at the Institute. They need to figure out what Alec was injected with and what they need to do to make him better. Izzy storms into the room, pulling on a pair of gloves and picking up a needle, but before she can do anything more, something happens.
Alec’s runes all begin to glow. It starts softly at first but soon becomes brighter and brighter until both Magnus and Izzy need to shield their eyes from how bright it is. The glow shifts from Alec’s runes until it encompasses his entire body before stopping completely just as quickly as it began.
~~~
“Is that my shirt?”
Magnus turns around, a cup of steaming coffee in his hands. His hair is a mess, his face void of any makeup. He’s beautiful. And Alec is the only one who gets to see him like this.
“It is,” Magnus answers with an easy smile. The shirt in question is one of Alec’s old black ones. It hangs loosely on Magnus’ slightly smaller frame.
“You should keep it,” Alec whispers. “It’s cute on you.”
Magnus turns his back to Alec as Alec steps up to him. His arms go around Magnus’ middle, his chin landing on Magnus’ shoulder. He lets out a content hum as Magnus leans against his chest. There’s an extra cup of coffee on the balcony ledge that Alec gratefully grabs, letting out a happy sigh as he sips it. The fact that Magnus even had one waiting and ready for him has Alec’s stomach fluttering with happy butterflies. No one’s ever taken care of him quite like Magnus does.
Alec doesn’t resist the pull to kiss the side of Magnus’ neck. “I love you,” he whispers, his cheeks hurting from how big his smile is.
“And I love you, Alexander.”
Alec takes another sip of his coffee before tilting Magnus chin, taking his lips in a gentle kiss. They’re both still a little sleepy, a little lax. The kiss makes them both smile against each other’s lips.
Magnus turns around in Alec’s arms, leaning against the balcony and looking up at him with a fond smile. It makes Alec lean down and give him one more kiss before going back to his coffee.
“Do you ever think about it?” Alec asks out of nowhere. He’s not even sure why it’s on his mind. They’ve talked about his mortality before but always just put it on the back burner. For some reason, his mind is drawn to the idea of never leaving this man who he never dreamed of loving and being so loved by. “Forever, I mean?”
Magnus tilts his head in the most adorable way, his lips twitching up in amusement. “Of course, Alec.” He lifts his left hand, showing off a simple gold band. “It’s in our vows; til death do us part. You can’t get more forever than that, sweetheart.”
Alec takes a step back, his heart racing. He lifts his own left hand, finding a matching gold ring on his finger. He shakes his head, trying to clear it of some of the confusion. He follows his arm higher, realizing his runes are gone. This isn’t right. This isn’t real.
“Sweetheart?” Magnus asks, his voice laced with concern. “I want forever with you. Do you want forever with me?”
Alec looks at Magnus. He nods his head. “Yeah. If I could choose. I’d always pick staying with you.”
Magnus smiles wide up at him before getting on his tip toes and kissing Alec’s lips. “Then go,” he whispers against Alec’s lips.
“Alexander. Please wake up.” Alec hears the voice, recognizes it. He puts all of his focus and energy on following that voice.
~~~
“Alexander. Please wake up,” Magnus pleads. Alec’s eye lids twitch and a small blossom of hope begins to grow in Magnus’ chest.
It’s been a week since Alec was ambushed. An entire week of worry and tests and waiting. Magnus can barely eat, barely sleep as they wait for Alec to wake up. Izzy’s been testing Alec’s blood twice a day and the results are equal parts astounding and terrifying.
“I didn’t ask for any of this, Alexander. All this worry and heartache. But do you know why I put up with it all? Because I love you.” He rests his forehead against Alec’s. “I love you so much. Please wake up, sweetheart.”
The hand Magnus is holding twitches in his grip and Magnus’ heart gets a jumpstart of adrenaline. He opens his eyes and startles as he’s eye to eye with not a set of hazel eyes, but instead, bright gold. Alec whispers, “Magnus.”
It’s enough to have a broken sob leaving Magnus’ throat as he falls against Alec’s chest, his arms holding Alec tight. Alec’s arms come up around Magnus’ back as they cling to each other.
“I’m here. I’m here, Magnus,” Alec murmurs.
Magnus finally pulls back. His hands grab onto Alec’s face, his cheeks in the palms of his hands. He stares into those bright golden eyes, feeling his own eyes losing their glamour. Gold staring into gold.
“I love you,” Magnus whispers, his voice shaky with emotion.
“I love you, too, Magnus.” Alec’s hand come up to hold Magnus’ wrists. “I’m sorry I worried you.”
“Nonsense. All that matters is you’re awake and that you’re okay.”
“Magnus,” Alec whispers, leaning up to kiss a chaste kiss against his lips before asking, “are you okay?”
“Of course. Why do you ask?”
Alec smiles and the sight makes Magnus weak, his insides turning to jelly. For a moment during this last week, he wondered if he’d ever see that smile again. Alec huffs. “You’re wearing two different shoes.”
Magnus looks down, laughing as he realizes Alec is right. “It’s been a bit of a stressful week, darling.”
Alec nods. “What happened?”
~~~
Alec sits on the couch, Jace right beside him. They’re touching from shoulder to thigh and the contact is soothing after what must have been such a horrible experience for Jace. Alec remembers the feeling of burning alive and he hates that his parabatai had to endure that pain as well.
“Well?” Alec asks, staring at his sister.
Izzy straightens where she sits across from him. “I’ve been doing tests on your blood since the attack. It seems someone injected you with a serum.”
“A serum?”
“Yes. It somehow purified your blood.”
“Oh my g-, holy shit,” Simon says where he’s sitting beside Clary. “You’re like an angelic Captain America! Someone used a serum to make you into the equivalent of a Shadow world superhero.”
Alec sighs as he rolls his eyes. “Who keeps inviting the vampire?”
“Alec. He’s not wrong,” Izzy says to his surprise. Magnus reaches his hand out, entwining his fingers with Alec’s and leans against his right side. “Your blood is practically pure angel blood.”
Alec shakes his head, trying to process this information. “What does that mean exactly?”
“Your cells are regenerating themselves at such a rapid speed. Alec,” Izzy says, leaning forward to touch his thigh. “Your blood is acting more like a Warlock than a Shadowhunter.”
Magnus’ hand tightens in his own. But Alec still doesn’t understand. His eyes find Magnus’ and watches in hidden delight as his Warlock mark reveals itself, just like any other time their eyes meet. Magnus must realize he’s lost because finally he speaks.
“Alexander. You’re immortal.”
Everyone in the room goes silent as Alec processes this. “And you’re sure?” he asks Izzy.
Izzy nods. “I’m sure.”
Jace sucks in a sharp breath next to him before shoving Alec. “Jesus, Alec. With all that emotion you’re sending over the bond I’m gonna end up leaning over and kissing him if you don’t do it first.”
Alec lets out an amused huff before leaning over and kissing Magnus.
~~~
It becomes a running joke between the two of them.
In the morning: “It’s too early for this.”
“Get up, Alexander. You have to go to work.”
“But Magnus! It’ll be there when I eventually get up. We have forever!”
During lunch break at the Institute: “I should get going.”
“Magnus, stay. Paperwork can wait. I mean, I have forever.”
And to Magnus’ delight, even during sex: “Please, Alec!”
“I think you can wait, Magnus. Afterall, we have forever.”
~~~
“Alec! Focus.”
“Damn it, Jace. I am focusing. Maybe you’re just a shitty teacher.”
Jace huffs as he rolls his eyes, sliding Alec’s coffee across the table. Alec picks it up only to sigh as it shatters in his hand.
“What the fuck?”
Alec looks up at Jace’s surprise face, frowning when he sees a burn mark on Jace’ hand. He activates Jace’s Iratze before looking back up at Jace. “That keeps happening. I keep accidentally activating runes without meaning too. That time it was a strength rune.”
“Dude.”
Alec looks up at the ceiling, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m already too big and too tall and now I have to deal with this. I can’t keep breaking shit all the time. Yesterday I went to skip a step at the front of the Institute and jumped all the way up the steps and literally ran into the door.”
Jace shrugs. “We’ll keep practicing. No big deal.”
“Right. Magnus is gonna love finding another one of his mugs broken.”
~~~
“Alexander,” Magnus whispers as he steps out onto the balcony. He shivers against the cold.
Alec spins around, frowning at Magnus. “Why are you awake? You should be in bed.” He’s outside in the cold in only his boxers and a t shirt yet Alec doesn’t seem to be affected by the cold.
“As should you.”
Alec shrugs before pulling Magnus against his chest, letting him stay warm against his body. “I couldn’t sleep. Too much on my mind.”
“Do you regret it?” Magnus blurts out.
Alec tenses and for a moment, Magnus worries. Thankfully, Alec puts those worries to rest immediately. “I don’t. Magnus,” Alec says, his voice holding such conviction. “I’m so thankful for this. I get to stay with you.” Magnus arms tighten around Alec as he continues. “But all this power. Magnus, I’ve never felt like this before and sometimes it scares me.”
“I remember when I first came into my powers,” Magnus says, tilting his head up to look into Alec’s eyes. He lets his glamour fall on purpose and Alec’s eyes shift as well, making him smile. “I was terrified. But look at me now, sweetheart,” he murmurs, flicking his fingers and watching as blue sparks come to life. “You’ll learn. And I’ll be here every step of the way to help you.”
Alec smiles wide at that, leaning down and taking Magnus’ lips in a kiss. He pulls back, running their noses together gently. “We do have forever.”