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The knights were always so stoic. Alec would watch them walking with their weapons — their backs straight, their faces grim, and their eyes cast forward for whatever danger they would take on. They never spoke on duty unless spoken to in regards to official business. They never stopped for a moment nor sat on the guard wall to rest. They never looked tired, even though Alec was sure they were.
Truthfully, when Alec had been little, he’d been in love with the idea of being a knight. He’d trained in the yard with his stick sword and dreamed of protecting their city from whatever foe would dare challenge him. It had been an empty dream, as Alec had been born with the powers of a mage — and a mage could not be a knight.
Alec thought it was a rather stupid rule. He could guard the city with magic just as well as he could with a weapon, but rules were rules. Besides, Alec had grown a little disenchanted with the idea of being a knight anyway. He’d sit on the roof of his apothecary and watch them when he had nothing better to do or when he was waiting for one of his dreaded potions to finish brewing.
Alec hated when he was asked to brew potions, but that was beside the point.
Sitting up there for all those hours, Alec grew to see knight life as something he was thankful he’d been spared from. They looked so unhappy all of the time, and that wasn’t only when they were on duty. They lived in the Institute, where they trained daily before shifts; in the middle of the night and just about every time Alec didn’t see them actively working.
It looked dreadful, all of it. Even when they would stray into the rest of the city, they always looked exhausted. Some of them stopped there. Others would snap at people to get out of their way, like the rest of the common folk were supposed to dive to clear their stride. They’d walk into the local bars and cause trouble. They’d take things and refuse to pay, thinking their duty to their city should have been enough.
They weren’t all like that, but they did have a reputation around the city, one that was unfortunately based well in reality. On the roof, Alec would watch them and wonder if that’s what he would be like if he hadn’t been born like this. He wondered if he would be that miserable all the time or if somehow, he’d have been different.
Most of the time, Alec’s potions started boiling over and he was relieved from this train of thought before he could continue worrying about it further.
Being a mage wasn’t all that bad. Alec had as much money as he’d ever need and he barely did any work to get it. He was one of the only mages in their city, so people were forced to come to him if they needed something, and they were forced to pay his prices regardless of how ridiculous they were.
Alec was known for cutting people slack if they needed his services for any real reason, but everyone who came to him with petty whims — well, they had to pay the steep price or go without their love potion.
Though, being a mage wasn’t all that good either. The city let him stay and left him mostly to his own devices because what he could do was invaluable, but that ability didn’t exactly translate into respect or kindness. Mages were known to be trouble. People didn’t trust Alec, regardless of how many times he helped them, and no one distrusted him more than the knights.
There was bad blood between the knights and local mages in the area. Alec had heard the horror stories of centuries before when mages would be hunted and killed in the streets, where being born with magic meant that you either hid it or died quickly. Now, the knights mostly glared at him if they saw him out. When he was younger, they used to pick on him, but he was big enough to stand up for himself now — and truthfully, he could kick their asses.
They knew it but would not admit it. So they kept their distance from each other and settled on bad looks whenever they both happened to be in the marketplace at the same time.
It was rather unfortunate for Alec that the knights hated him and his people so much. Even though he’d gotten over his desire to be one of them, he’d never quite gotten over his fascination for their weapons. They were something Alec worked on in private. No one saw the bows he’d fiddle with until they shot an infinite supply of fire arrows. No one saw the long swords, glimmering with silver and blue, electrifying anything they came into contact with.
Alec didn’t get to use them either. He didn’t do much fighting himself. It was illegal to get involved in any situation that the knights were already handling, so Alec’s weapons stayed unused in the backroom of the apothecary, where no one even got to see them.
It was torture knowing they were in there while Alec was sitting out front, throwing together potions for people who’d paid his ridiculously large fee despite the fact that the fee was so large to keep people from asking him to make potions in the first place.
Sometimes, Alec felt as if he wasn’t reaching his peak doing his job. Other times, he was just happy to have so much money that he could do whatever he wanted in his shop, even if that meant spying on unhappy knights as Alec sipped his tea.
At least, he was doing better than they were.
If Alec was being honest, he watched the knights so often because he was hoping that he’d catch a glimpse of one knight in particular. Alec didn’t know many of them by name, and if he did, it was because he’d heard stories from other people that cast them in a light that was less than favorable, but there was one Alec had heard a good story about.
His name was Magnus. He had soft brown hair and adorable freckles scattered around his face, though that wasn’t what people noticed when they first looked at him. The first thing anyone saw was his eyes. His cat eyes.
People could be born with marks for a multitude of reasons. If they’d been cursed or blessed, they could have one. If they’d been exposed to a lot of magic as a child, they could manifest one. If magic ran in their family but they themself were not a mage, they could have one. If they had a soulmate who was magical, they could have one — especially if that soulmate was a mage.
Alec had never met his soulmate. He’d been hoping for a long time that he would, but it had been years and years since Alec had stopped hoping. Until… now. Until he heard about Magnus. See, Magnus could have his mark for any of the other reasons Alec knew of, but the thing was, Alec had looked into Magnus. Magic didn’t run in his family. Nothing had happened when he was a child. He hadn’t been healed by magic or exposed to some grand magic incident. There was no reason for it; not one unless…
Unless his soulmate was a mage. Being the only mage in their city, Alec didn’t think it was far-fetched to wonder. The only issue was that Magnus vehemently denied the possibility that his soulmate was a mage, and every time Alec had tried to speak to him, Magnus practically ignored him, which was odd because Alec had heard of Magnus. He was kind. He was nice to the children who would stray too close to the Institute when playing. He’d buy the children treats when he wandered into town and he’d pay for the food they stole when they were hungry. Magnus was the only knight who was welcomed in the local inns. Of course, the inns couldn’t turn any of the knights away, but Magnus was the only one who could walk in and be greeted with warm smiles.
Magnus was nice. He wasn’t like the rest of the knights and yet, he was not nice to Alec; even though Alec was pretty sure —
Even though Alec thought they might be soulmates. It didn’t make any sense.
It couldn’t be easy being a knight and having a soulmate that was a mage. It wasn’t uncommon for people, even knights, to be born with marks, but it was certainly something that was… frowned upon. If people could, they often chose to hide them. It couldn’t have been easy for Magnus being a knight born with a mark that was so visible, especially because Alec had heard rumors that his father, a grumpy man by the name of Asmodeus, was rather vocal about his hatred of anything magical: including mages and his son's eyes. Maybe that’s why Magnus disliked him. Maybe, he suspected they were soulmates too, but he resented Alec for everything he had to deal with because of it.
Alec wouldn’t exactly blame him, but he wanted to know if Magnus thought it was easy for him having to live here, in a city full of people who needed him but did not trust him. It wasn’t easy, and Alec didn’t exactly think it was fair to blame him for how much people hated his kind.
Or maybe, that wasn’t why Magnus wanted nothing to do with him. Maybe, it wasn’t the fact that he was a mage, and it wasn’t the fact that Magnus had been poisoned by Alec’s magic and born with a mark he’d never wanted. Maybe, it was just that Magnus didn’t like him.
More and more often, Alec came to think that might be the case and he hated himself for it.
Sometimes, Alec thought that people asked him to make potions just because he didn’t like it. It wasn’t that Alec actually hated the process of making potions. He liked making them and he was good at it! For some mages, it was a hassle to manage to get just the right amount of ingredients in the mix. If you put too much of one thing, it could minimize the effects of another and you’d end up with a potion that did something completely different from what you wanted. A lot of mages didn’t like making potions for this very reason. They were finicky and the effects of a mistake could be devastating.
But Alec had always had good luck mixing potions. He seemed to have a sixth sense for how much of something he needed to add. Alec knew his potion ingredients well enough that he knew what he could substitute for what and when. He knew when it was okay to add less of something he was low on and he knew what to counter that with to make sure the potion still turned out right.
The reason Alec hated potions was what came after he’d made them perfect. Potions were not ready the moment you finished them. They all had a different incubation period and this period was just as finicky as the process of making the potions was. Some needed to sit for exactly nine minutes and no longer. Some needed to be heated for thirty seven hours and then swiftly taken off. Some needed to be cooled for fifty eight seconds and no more before they were brought back to room temperature.
After that, most potions were stable if used within a certain amount of time, but that process to get the ingredients to stabilize long enough that Alec could bottle them and get them to his clients was hell. The moment Alec had nothing to do, he got bored and then, he promptly forgot what he was doing. A lot of Alec’s potions — most, actually — ended up ruined in this process. Alec would leave a potion on the burner, knowing that in exactly three hours he had to come check it.
He’d watch it carefully for ten minutes. He’d remember to go check on it every half an hour and then about midway through his wait, he’d forget. He’d get sucked into a book or he’d run out to the shops before they closed or he’d go sit on the roof and try to catch a glimpse of a soulmate who didn’t even like him and when Alec finally remembered that he had a potion going, it would be far too late.
Alec would have missed it; sometimes by minutes and sometimes by hours and his potion would always be ruined. Then, he’d start over and make the perfect potion again just to forget about it and ruin it a second time.
It was a perfect kind of hell orchestrated just for Alec. Sometimes, he dreamed of another mage coming to town. They’d open a potions shop across the street. Alec and them could trade ingredients and spell books. Everyone in the city who ever wanted a potion could go to them and they could go to Alec for everything else. It would be perfect.
Except, there was no other mage. It was just Alec left to make every potion anyone desired.
Which is to say that Alec ended up walking across the city to buy potion ingredients from anyone who would sell them about every other day, after he ruined the ones he’d bought and the extra he’d bought in case he ruined them. It was a tedious task, made even worse by Alec’s unwarranted faith in himself not to need more ingredients this time.
This is why Alec happened to find it very odd when on one of his many trips down through the center of town and towards the shops in the back, he happened to see Magnus. Magnus didn’t frequent this part of the city and Alec knew why. This was the part of the city where people with marks — those not lucky enough to be born into a role as high as Magnus — tend to find themselves. Of course, there were those that rose above their station and climbed their way out of poverty to live among the higher classes, but in general, the poor of those touched by magic ended up here.
It was also odd that Alec happened to see Magnus right outside where Alec bought his, sometimes illegal, potions ingredients. He saw a flash of the man before he was ducking inside the small disguised shop. Even if that hadn’t been where Alec was going, Alec was pretty sure he’d have decided to go in just to see what exactly his soulmate— or uh, his potential soulmate, was doing here.
If Alec opened the door quietly and didn’t announce his presence as he slipped in, well no one needed to know that.
Magnus had already made his way to the counter. Alec couldn’t help but notice that he’d dressed down. He wasn’t wearing his armour, nor did he carry any weapons. Instead, his hair fell flat and he wore a simple shirt with coarse pants. He looked normal. If one looked quickly, Magnus would look as if he belonged here and he’d clearly done that on purpose.
“Do you have it?” Magnus was asking.
The person behind the counter, Lily, did not seem surprised to see Magnus standing there. In fact, it seemed as if she’d been waiting for him. Instantly, Alec felt a flash of worry in his stomach. Lily was not a bad person. In fact, Alec thought of them as friends considering the fact that Alec was her best client, but that didn’t mean Alec was reassured to see that Magnus needed something from her.
Alec needed things from here because he was a mage. What could a knight need from here? What could a knight need bad enough that he’d try to disguise himself to come? Nothing good.
Alec crept forward until he could see better. He leaned around the corner, watching. Magnus stood in parade rest with his arms behind his back. He was perfectly still; except his fingers, which were tumbling behind him. He didn’t think anyone could see him doing it or Alec knew he’d stop. He wouldn’t want anyone to know that he was nervous, but the fact that he was only made Alec’s brow furrow even more.
If Magnus was in trouble, he could have come to him. How could he not know Alec would help him?
“Alexander!” Lily called over the counter.
Alec glared at her, the tight expression coming over his face before vanishing as Magnus turned to stare back at him. Alec couldn’t help but notice that Magnus’ eyes went wide, clearly not having expected Alec to be there.
Alec stared back, his anger momentarily forgotten. He hadn’t gotten to see Magnus’ eyes that many times before. Magnus avoided him every time Alec tried to speak to him. He refused to make eye contact and he obfuscated. The few times Alec had gotten daring and bold, Magnus had snapped at him but he still hadn’t looked at him. Not like he was now.
Alec couldn't help the way his shoulders relaxed. Magnus was beautiful. He was always so beautiful. He had this effect on Alec nearly every single time and yet, it seemed as if Magnus didn’t have a single thought about him that wasn’t about avoiding his presence entirely.
Finally, Magnus turned away without a word. He looked back at Lily, his hands moving to snatch something in a brown bag off the counter. “Thank you,” he murmured before he turned, shoving the bag deep into his pocket as he turned to walk out of the room.
Magnus didn’t look at him another time as he rushed out.
“What could he possibly need from you?” Alec lamented as he leaned against the counter, his eyes occasionally flicking to the door as if Magnus would appear from it again.
“You should ask him,” Lily commented mildly. She was folding Alec’s various potion ingredients before she wrapped them up, making sure that they were secure before she placed them in the bag that would be Alec’s. Alec noticed she was adding more than he’d asked for, but he was thankful for it rather than offended. He’d probably need them. Besides, he didn’t really care about the price of his purchase when all he could think about was his soulmate who he’d seen mysteriously buying stuff in a sketchy shop that Alec found charming and alarming to see Magnus in.
It didn’t make any sense. There wasn’t anything here Magnus would need.
“He won’t talk to me,” Alec snapped. “He hardly even looks at me. Trust me, I’ve tried.”
Lily sighed softly and Alec could tell that she was thinking, considering exactly what she wanted to say to him. She and Alec were friends, but Lily was also a smart business woman. She’d have no one in here buying anything if she gave away what people came here for. “You think you’re soulmates?” She asked over her shoulder.
“Well, yes…” Alec murmured. Lily had heard this all before, of course. In the past, Alec had said he’d thought they were. He’d had an inkling. He’d never said they were for sure but he and Lily both knew that’s what Alec meant.
Alec was drawn to Magnus. Magnus had a mark for no discernable reason. They had to be soulmates. What else could explain it?
Lily shrugged, though she continued facing away from him as she spoke. “Maybe, you’re not the only one who feels it.”
Try as Alec might, Lily refused to say anything else, and eventually Alec made his way home with an arm full of ingredients and a head swimming with thoughts.
It was a horrible idea. Mages weren’t allowed in the Institute, but occasionally, Alec had been called to the entranceway on official business. It went unspoken that Alec was only allowed to the Institute when he was called on. Otherwise, Alec wasn’t entirely sure he wouldn’t be shot as he walked up. That’s the last thing Alec needed, to go on a quest to confront his soulmate and end up with an arrow in the chest.
It was a horrible, horrible idea but for once, Alec found it hard to care. What Lily said could only be taken one way. Magnus knew they were soulmates or at least, he thought they were too. Alec had always assumed he alone felt it and that he’d done something else to earn Magnus’ distrust, though Alec couldn’t possibly know what he’d done.
If Magnus felt whatever Alec felt, that changed everything. It meant that Alec hadn’t done something to upset Magnus. He hadn’t rubbed him the wrong way. He hadn’t offended him. It meant that Magnus didn’t like him because he thought they were soulmates and for whatever reason, that was enough.
Now, Alec found himself making his way up the long stone steps to the gates of the Institute, where he was half sure he’d be shot or turned away — maybe both. Then again, he was the only mage in the city. Maybe, that would earn him a little more respect than they’d have had normally. What would they do if they shot him and then, they had no one to make their stupid potions every time they needed them?
It was with that thought in mind that Alec found himself standing before the gates. He approached knights as he walked up, knights who eyed him cautiously and stiffened as they tightened their grips on their weapons but said nothing. They held simple long swords, weapons that Alec thought would be rather inefficient against him. There were no arrows in sight and Alec breathed a sigh of relief. Sure, there were knights on top of the roof who could be armed but at least these two would not be shooting him today.
“Do you have business at the Institute, Mage?” One of the knights asked finally.
Alec’s shoulders tightened on his back. He knew they were well aware of his name. He was the only mage in the city. It really wasn’t that hard to remember. “Yes,” Alec found himself saying anyway. He could pick a fight about his name later, when seeing Magnus and finally getting answers wasn’t on the line. “I have an appointment with Magnus Bane about a private matter.”
The knight turned, shooting his companion an odd look before he finally turned back to face Alec. “You won’t be permitted inside unless it’s on official business.”
“That’s fine. He can meet me out here,” Alec insisted.
There was another long silent moment before the knight finally frowned. “Fine then. I’ll tell him.” The two knights stared at each other again and when the first finally turned and headed inside the gates, Alec saw the second clutch his weapon closer, standing taller as he was left alone with Alec.
Oh. They’d probably thought he was planning on attacking them, or ambushing them to get into the building or doing whatever a powerful mage like himself could do when left alone with a single knight who blocked his way from entering their most sacred and holy building.
Alec turned and took a few steps back as he waited for Magnus. There would be no such attack today. They’d be disappointed later, as they recounted the tale of the odd mage who’d come and the fact that he hadn’t done anything interesting at all.
It took nearly ten minutes for the first knight to appear again and when he did, he had Magnus in tow.
Alec turned to look at him and it was only when he did that he realized for the first time that this might have been a horrible idea. He’d expected Magnus to be annoyed with him. Perhaps, he’d come and tell Alec in no uncertain terms that he was not interested in talking to him and he never would be. Alec would try to ask why but maybe Magnus would refuse to answer and Alec would go home in the same position he’d been in before he arrived here.
What he hadn’t expected was for Magnus to look furious. He hadn’t expected Magnus to look so angry with him that Alec instantly regretted coming, regretted walking up to the gates, regretted all of this. Magnus might not even be his soulmate. What had Alec been thinking?
“What are you doing here?” Magnus hissed. When Alec failed to answer, Magnus took a step forward like he was going to lead Alec to a more private location for them to talk. Then, he seemed to remember that they were being watched and he paused. “Whatever you want, I’m not interested.”
This time, Magnus’ gaze did not waver. He didn’t refuse to make eye contact. He didn’t flinch and Alec didn’t either.
Magnus’ eyes were always so beautiful. Alec had dreams about them sometimes, dreams where he’d cup Magnus’ face and lean close just to peer into them. Now, Alec wished he’d never seen them.
In the end, Alec said nothing. He didn’t utter a single word. What could he say to that? What was it he thought he’d say to begin with?
Alec didn’t see Magnus again until the day with the dragon. Dragons were rare and fickle creatures. It was rumored, though Alec wasn’t sure how true it was, that the knights had been formed to protect cities from dragon attacks. Now, they protected them from other various threats, as most of the dragons had died off. The few that were left didn’t seem interested in attacking anyone. Truthfully, Alec wasn’t sure why they would. They didn’t get much out of it besides a bunch of arrows in the side.
Still, occasionally there was whisper of it happening in cities far from their own, so far that no one was sure if it had actually happened or not. Now, Alec had no doubt it had happened; and now, it was happening here.
Alec heard the crash on the wall. He’d startled from his book before placing it down in a hurry, abandoning the potion on the counter that he’d been keeping a watchful eye on. When Alec opened his door, he saw the city wall in the distance, crumpled like it had been nothing but a child's toy.
Once, the wall had stood twenty feet high. Now, it was a mound of rocks.
Then, Alec saw the dragon itself. It had launched itself into the air again, choosing this time to settle on the roof of one of the best inns. Alec saw it’s claws dig in, letting shingles clatter to the ground. It would need a lot of repairs, but Alec wasn’t sure why that’s what he was focusing on.
He really should be thinking about the dragon, but it was hard to wrap his mind around the fact that there was a dragon at all. Alec watched the knights rushing towards the Institute. None of them appeared to have bows. Clearly, they hadn’t been outside anticipating a dragon attack that would leave their swords useless.
Alec had a brief moment to consider it before he was turning and sprinting inside himself. The potion was now boiling over. Alec waved his hand towards it and the flame vanished. The last thing he’d need is to defeat a dragon and come home to find his house had burned down in the process.
Alec snatched his bow off the counter where he’d left it after fiddling with it a few nights ago. After a moment of hesitation, he grabbed a sword too. Alec figured you couldn’t be overprepared to go fight a dragon with magic weapons that had never been tested.
Alec knew it was a horrible idea. He wasn’t supposed to get involved, and yet he was already out the door before he could consider turning back. Some child-like part of Alec was thrumming with excitement. The kid who’d wanted so badly to be a knight couldn’t help but find the idea of fighting a dragon exhilarating.
The rational adult part of Alec knew that it was a good way to get himself killed and leave their city mage-less.
Arrows shot from the bow as smoothly as they were meant to. Part of Alec was surprised.
Initially, the magic had made them shake on release. There was a reason that magic weapons did not exist. Magic was a fickle, fluid thing that loved to be coiled in the living. It didn’t like steel or iron, and trying to convince it to behave inside it long enough to hit a target was troublesome to say the least.
Alec hadn’t had a chance to test the bow since he’d fiddled with them again, trying to correct the over exertion anyway he could. The fact that it had worked was more than a little surprising — it seemed like a miracle.
He’d done it. He’d actually made the bow work. Alec watched the arrow sink in the dragon's side and light in a blaze of blue sparks. The creature shreaked and Alec was pulling back another arrow before he could think.
Being a knight certainly seemed miserable but this, well this is what Alec had known he’d be good at. This is what he’d wanted when he’d dreamed of being big enough to protect everyone. This exact feeling had been what he was craving.
The knights finally seemed to have gotten their bearings. They came flooding from the Institute, now armor clad with their weapons. Alec expected that he’d get yelled at. He actually stopped and waited but all he got were a few odd looks. He guessed that a dragon attack was rather distracting. Perhaps yelling at him wouldn’t be a priority until later.
For now, Alec was rather comfortable trying to take this dragon down before it destroyed more of the city he’d rather come to enjoy. He knocked another arrow and then countless more. Each one of his own had far more of an effect on the thing than any of the others being shot, and part of Alec couldn’t help but be proud. Not only did it work but it was better.
Alec pulled back another arrow and this time, he took a deep breath and aimed at the creature’s face. It was a long shot, but before Alec could really think about wasting one of the few arrows he had left, he let it fly and watched as it arched across the sky before shooting into the side of the dragon’s face.
It wailed instantly. A horrible noise shot through the air, vibrating deep into Alec’s ear drum, making him want to flinch even though he restrained. The dragon took off in a mess of broad wings, launching itself off the building into the air before it fumbled and clattered to the ground before them.
People dove away, some disappearing into the dust that suddenly filled the air. For a brief moment, no one moved and then Alec saw one knight darting forward. Alec stared blankly as he realized it was Magnus.
In all the panic and chaos, he’d forgotten that Magnus would be here somewhere. He was glad he hadn’t remembered or he probably would have been too worried about him to focus on anything else. Magnus was at Alec’s side. His quick fingers reached forward as he plucked the sword from Alec’s back.
Alec watched blankly, not moving to stop him. He noticed that Magnus had only come with a bow. He probably hadn’t expected the dragon to land so close, or he’d just been too panicked to think to grab a sword.
Magnus darted forward with Alec’s, raising it in a high arch. The sword wouldn’t work for him, not like it was intended anyway. The sword worked on magic and Magnus, having none, would find it a normal weapon, but a normal sword was better than none.
Alec moved forward, as close as he’d dare with his long range weapon, before he noched another arrow. He hoped that the dragon was truly as wounded as it appeared, because he only had three left. He took aim, letting the arrow fly just as Magnus reached the beast’s side and let the blade come down, slashing through the creature's side with an astounding amount of ease. Magnus froze as he held the weapon and when Alec’s eyes finally settled on him, he realized why.
The sword was glowing a bright infernal red. Alec could feel the power of it pulling the magic from his body but those things didn’t seem to make sense. Alec wasn’t holding the weapon and yet, Magnus seemed to be able to wield it as if Alec was. Alec’s magic fled to Magnus’ command as easily as if it had been his own and in that one moment Alec had confirmation to what he’d always known.
They were soulmates. Alec wasn’t making it up. He wasn’t projecting. Magnus was his soulmate and Alec’s magic knew it just as surely as Alec had always known he had.
Magnus didn’t stare at the blade long. The dragon shreaked, arching as he spun to snap at Magnus. Its wings fluttered, knocking Magnus down with the force of it. Magnus disappeared into a hail of dust and Alec could only see the vicious glow of the blade as it hit the ground.
Alec nocked another arrow. He pulled back and took aim, waiting for the dust to settle just enough that he could be sure he wasn’t about to shoot Magnus before he fired. Half of Alec’s attention stayed on his shot and half of it stayed on the glow of that sword on the ground. Finally, after what seemed like far too long, the sword moved as Magnus snatched it up and moved towards the beast again.
All around him, there was the clatter of weapons. Others were firing at the dragon. Some had moved forward with swords, bravely stepping as close to the dragon as Magnus was, but Alec couldn’t focus on any of it. Even the dragon itself seemed to fade away. All Alec could think about was Magnus.
Alec wanted this to be over. He wanted Magnus to be away from that thing. He wanted everyone around him to stop firing arrows so incredibly close to his soulmate.
Alec closed his eyes. Under his breath, he murmured a spell of protection as he thought about Magnus’ beautiful eyes the one time he’d seen them up close without infuriating him. When Alec opened his eyes again, Magnus was still where he’d been — far too close to the path of claws and far too close to the arch of the arrows shooting through the air but Alec knew that if anything dared to get to close to him, it would find a little bit of resistance.
Magnus would never have to know.
Alec would like to say that the dead dragon looked much less ferocious than he’d imagined it would, but it didn’t. It layed on the ground looking every bit as sharp and horrifying as it had been alive. Alec stood back and watched as Magnus spoke to someone, both of them glancing to and from the creature as they did.
Alec wanted him to get away from it. Even dead, it unsettled his heart to see Magnus so close to it. What if it wasn’t dead? What if it sprang to life and sank its teeth into Magnus’ side before anyone could do anything about it?
Alec gnawed on his lip. He had no right to worry about Magnus. Even if they were soulmates, Magnus did not want him and one dragon, one sword that Magnus was still holding, did not change that but Alec had always been a sucker and for no one more than Magnus. Alec would let Magnus hurt him over and over again but he’d still stand here, worried for him.
It wasn’t until Magnus finally stepped away that Alec let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding.
Instantly, Magnus’ eyes darted up and met his own. Alec wondered if Magnus was just as aware of him as Alec had been from the moment Magnus appeared. Probably not. Alec’s attention would have been on Magnus anyway but it certainly helped that Magnus was holding a sword that was connected to the core of Alec’s very being.
Alec could feel the warmth of Magnus’ hand clutching it. He felt it deep in his chest, as if Magnus was caressing something inside of him. He tried not to think about how that’s probably the most intimate touch he’d ever get from the man.
Magnus seemed to hesitate and then, he cautiously made his way over. His hair was a mess. He had dirt across his face and his nose. There was a little bit of blood there too but Alec was pretty sure it was dragon blood, if the way it was burning his skin was anything to go by. Of course, there were Magnus’ eyes as well. His slit pupils were wide with adrenaline from the fight. Alec could just see a thin sliver of the bright gold irises he’s fallen so in love with.
“Sorry,” Magnus murmured.
Alec blinked uncomprehendingly as Magnus held the sword back out for Alec to take. Alec didn’t move to grab it. He knew he had to. Magnus wouldn’t want to keep it, but the thought of taking it from him and losing the one connection to his soulmate that he had tore something inside Alec.
He ignored Magnus’ outstretched hand, though he knew that wasn’t quite a solution. “It’s okay. It likes you.”
Magnus frowned. He lowered his hand when he realized Alec wasn’t going to take it. “Likes me?” Magnus echoed.
“My magic.” Alec nodded his head towards the blade realizing that Magnus might not have realized that’s what he was feeling in the weapon at all. “It wouldn’t have worked for anyone else. It should only have worked for me and yet…” Alec trailed off. He didn’t need to say it. Magnus knew, and if he wanted to avoid it, then Alec supposed that’s just what they’d do.
Magnus seemed to process Alec’s words before he let out a soft huff of laughter. “It worked for me because we’re soulmates,” he murmured. There was a touch of disbelief in his tone, as if he was just realizing what Alec had the moment Magnus pulled the sword from him and it lit up in his hands.
Something tight in Alec’s chest eased. Hearing Magnus say it made Alec laugh and cry at the same time. He wanted for so long for someone to just say it.
“Yes.” Alec fell silent for a moment before he opened his mouth again. He spoke hesitantly, scared to break the moment they were both having and do something that would remind Magnus that he did not like Alec all that much. “You could keep it, if you wanted. I don’t have much use for a sword anyway. It could be useful to you.”
Alec frowned, fighting the urge to look to the ground. He wanted so badly for Magnus to keep it. Even if they never spoke again, Alec could feel Magnus every time he picked the weapon up and maybe, that would be enough.
Slowly, Magnus nodded. “If you’re sure…” He murmured uncertainly.
Instantly, Alec was nodding. He knew that he looked far too eager and he didn’t care. Magnus was going to keep it. He was actually going to keep it.
They both stood still for a long, still moment before Magnus finally glanced around. He seemed to realize that everyone was still around them and that they weren’t in fact alone. Alec frowned at the discomfort that came over Magnus' face. He didn’t seem to like the idea of anyone seeing him speak to Alec. Alec tried to hide the fact that he’d noticed and that it hurt.
“I should probably help clean up,” Magnus said finally.
Alec nodded, and when Magnus went to turn away, Alec almost let that be it. He almost let Magnus walk away, knowing that this might be the last time they’d interact.
“Can we meet later?” Alec asked before Magnus could walk any farther. He was fully prepared for Magnus to say no, but Alec figured that he’d rather try. “You don’t have to like me,” Alec murmured, trying to keep the gentle shake that he could feel swelling inside out of his voice. “But I’d like to know why, at least. Can we meet later and you can tell me?”
Magnus turned to glance back at him. Something pained crossed over his face. Alec thought he wasn’t going to respond at all, but at last, Magnus nodded before he was vanishing into the crowd.
They hadn’t exactly set a time, so Alec sat around his shop anxiously waiting. Maybe, Magnus wasn’t going to come after he was finished with whatever ‘helping cleaning up’ entailed. Maybe, despite agreeing, he wasn’t planning on coming at all. Alec was pretty sure the second was the case and he grew more sure of it as time went on.
Magnus wasn’t going to come and the next time they saw each other, Magnus would glare and pretend that none of this had happened. Alec had just been about to resign himself to going to bed when he heard a soft knock at the door.
The person knocked so quietly that it almost sounded as if they didn’t want Alec to hear at all. Instantly, Alec shot to his feet and ran to the door. When he swung it open, Magnus was standing there.
He’d cleaned up since they’d last seen each other. He wasn’t wearing his armor anymore, nor did he have dirt or blood on his face but Alec could still see where the dragon blood had burned him. He had to fight the urge to reach forward and heal him. Magnus might not appreciate that.
“Hi,” Magnus murmured.
Alec attempted a smile. He knew it came out as more of a grimace. “Hi. Come in?”
Magnus nodded and moved inside when Alec stepped away. He looked around Alec’s shop for a moment, taking in all the supplies Alec had stacked against the wall, all the haphazardly stacked books and all the potions.
Alec frowned, realizing he could have spent his time cleaning before Magnus came. “Sorry, it’s a little-”
“It’s lovely,” Magnus insisted. He fell silent after he spoke, as if he didn’t mean to say something so honest. A blush came over Magnus’ cheeks.
Alec couldn’t help but smile. It was lovely. Some would call his shop cluttered but Alec liked to consider it homey. “I think so too,” Alec admitted before he was moving, realizing he was a horrible host. “Would you like a drink?” He asked over his shoulder. “I have wine or mead or, oh! I have some tea too, if I can find it — ” Alec pushed a couple of his potion ingredients aside as he searched for the small tin of green tea leaves. He really should find a better place to put them.
Alec finally snatched the tea leaves up. He turned, realizing for the first time that Magnus was most likely going to decline his offer so he could say what he wanted and leave as quickly as possible. Instead when Alec turned, there was a soft expression on Magnus’ face as he watched him. This time, it was Alec’s turn to blush. He wordlessly lifted the tin to show Magnus he’d found it.
“Tea would be nice,” Magnus said finally.
Alec couldn’t help the grin that came over his face. Staying for tea wasn’t much, but it was more than Alec expected he’d get. Alec turned hurriedly, a kettle appearing on the stove as Alec readied the tea in his favorite mugs. They were odd handmade mugs Alec had bought for nearly nothing but he was endlessly pleased with them.
It was stupid but Alec hoped Magnus liked the mugs too.
“I didn’t think you’d really come,” Alec admitted without turning.
Magnus shuffled behind him and Alec could hear the frown in his voice as he spoke. “I was nervous to come,” he admitted in return.
Alec peeked over his shoulder, taking in the sight of Magnus standing there, suddenly looking nervous. “Why?” He asked simply.
Magnus fumbled for an answer. “Well, because of, because we’ve never — ”
“Spoke without you glaring at me?” Alec offered.
Magnus’ frown deepened. “Yeah.”
Alec stared for another moment before he ventured cautiously, “So, why is that?” Alec turned back to the tea, as if not looking at Magnus would somehow protect him from whatever the man had to say.
He did want to know why, but he also desperately did not want to know why.
“It’s… complicated.” Magnus murmured.
Alec said nothing, hoping Magnus would choose to speak again. He was relieved when he did.
“I thought we were soulmates the first time I saw you, but I convinced myself we weren’t because it was easier.”
Alec frowned. He could understand that feeling. He’d done the same thing. Part of him had known Magnus was his soulmate the moment he’d laid eyes on him but then, Alec had convinced himself that he might have been mistaken, just to make the betrayal of Magnus’ actions hurt less.
“But every time you tried to talk to me, I just… I knew it and I knew that we could never be that. I just — I thought it would be better for us both, if we pretended it didn’t happen.”
Alec slowly turned away from the stove when Magnus said nothing else. He took in Magnus’ sorrowful, shameful expression. Clearly, the man was done speaking, but none of that answered the question Alec had always wanted an answer to. “Why was the thought of us being soulmates so hard?” Alec asked softly.
Magnus grimaced and Alec’s heart shriveled in his chest.
“You’re… you’re a mage and I’m…”
“You’re a knight,” Alec supplied, the word taking on a bitter twist in his mouth. He turned back to the tea as it started to boil, mechanically pouring the water into the two cups. “I wanted to be a knight when I was little, you know. It was my dream but then, I got older and realized how unrealistic it was.”
“I don’t think you’d have liked it.”
“I don’t either.”
Alec turned with the mugs and handed one over to Magnus. He couldn’t help the small pleased expression that came over his face when Magnus appraised the mug with an obvious admiration.
“It’s not that I didn’t want us to be soulmates. It’s just been… hard to be accepted. I thought it would be hard for you too, to have me. My father always told me — Well, it doesn’t matter what he said,” Magnus murmured glumly. “He just got into my head. He assumed my soulmate was a mage and he said a bunch of horrible things that made me scared.
“Scared he’d be mad?” Alec ventured.
Magnus’ eyes darted up. “Scared he’d hurt you,” he clarified.
The words hung in the air as neither of them spoke. Alec could tell Magnus meant it. He could tell that whatever Magnus’ father had said scared Magnus enough that he’d really believed Alec might be in danger if they spoke.
There was a bitter heartbreak in that, but there was also relief. Alec had not done something wrong. Magnus did not hate him because he was unloveable.
“But you’re not worried about him now?”
Magnus’ mouth quirked, as if something about the question was funny. “No, I am.” He shifted, pulling the mug closer as he took a small sip of the steaming liquid for the first time.
“What changed?” Alec took a small sip of his own after he asked, reminded suddenly that he was holding the drink in his hands.
“Well, I saw you shoot a dragon in the face today, right after I stole a magic sword from you. I just realized you might not be such an easy target is all.”
Alec sputtered. “You thought I was an easy target before? I’m an immortal, all powerful mage — ”
“You seem to spend most of your time sitting on the roof or making potions. You don’t seem to have much combat skills.” Magnus pointed out, not incorrectly.
Alec stared. “You’ve been spying on me?”
“Well, you watch me wherever I go. It only seemed fair I keep an eye on you too.”
Neither of them said anything more, and then finally, Alec felt a slow laugh bubble from his mouth. “You were spying on me,” he said uncomprehendingly, a soft chuckle building in his chest as he spoke.
Magnus was grinning, laughing along with him. “I had this fantasy about someone breaking in to rob you.”
Alec laughed harder.
“I’d have to save you then. It’s my job to keep people safe, you know. I’d have no choice. It would be completely beyond my control and then, after the robber was successfully jailed, you’d swoon.”
Alec didn’t point out that in reality, Magnus probably would have saved him and then run off before Alec could utter a single word. He also didn’t point out that he could have taken care of any robber himself.
“Oh, I would have been head over heels. My valiant knight, coming to my rescue.”
Magnus chuckled before the sound died out in his throat. “I’m sorry,” he said finally. “It was all so stupid. You didn’t need me to worry about you and now, it’s been so long and I’ve acted so — ” Magnus broke off, as if he couldn’t bear to utter a single descriptive word to describe his actions. “I just wanted to keep you safe.”
Alec’s heart broke at the sorrow in Magnus’ words and the thought of a little cat eyed boy, scared his soulmate might be harmed because of him. It didn’t make any of Alec’s torturous wondering over the years easier, but it did make it all better. Alec forgave easily. Everyone had always told him that, but if Magnus’ worst crime was caring for his safety, how could Alec fault him?
Perhaps in some other world, where Alec had been born a knight and Magnus had been born a mage. Maybe, Alec would have been the one with parents who would scorn his eyes and make him terrified of the fate that might befall the person he was supposed to love. Maybe, in some other world, Alec would have been the one to glare every time Magnus looked his way or tried to talk to him.
Alec didn’t know. He’d dreamed of what life might be like if he’d been born a knight but in reality, Alec had no clue what it would have been like.
So, who was he to carry a grudge about this now? Magnus didn’t hate him. That’s all Alec cared about now.
It was only later, when they’d both shared another cup of tea and settled on Alec’s creaky old antique couch that Alec realized he had another question for Magnus. “What were you buying from Lily?” He asked finally.
The moment Alec asked, Magnus blushed. His shoulders drew towards his ears as if he could hide in them. “It’s nothing,” Magnus murmured.
“Her shop is very expensive,” Alec insisted. “You wouldn’t be buying something there for no reason.”
“I had a reason it’s just stupid.”
Alec paused, frowning. “Stupid?” He posed.
Magnus’ eyes snapped over to Alec’s own, glaring softly. This glare, Alec found he didn’t mind. It was hard to mind when Magnus was still here on Alec’s couch, resting softly against Alec’s side. “You just smelled nice the few times we met,” Magnus spat out.
Alec frowned, not understanding. “Okay?”
Magnus looked away. His jaw tightened. “You were carrying some stuff from Lily’s shop. It smelled like lemon, apricot and something minty. I went and asked Lily what you’d bought and then, I bought it. I’d put the herbs in a vase in my room, so it smelled like you.”
Alec stared uncomprehendingly. “You bought vevain, agrimony, and hyssop so you could smell me? Regularly? Magnus, those are so expensive.”
The self-conscious glare stayed on Magnus’ face for a moment longer before a soft laugh burst from his lips. He seemed to realize how absurd it sounded at once. “I guess it was a little ridiculous, but it reminded me of you and it helped me sleep.” Magnus dared a glance over to Alec, gauging his reaction. When he saw that Alec wasn’t horrified at his admission, he relaxed a little more, a soft smile coming over his face.
“So, you stalked me and you bought expensive useless things so you could smell me?”
Magnus shrugged. “When you say it like that it sounds a little creepy.”
They stared at each other before Alec couldn’t help himself and smiled. “I thought you hated me.”
Magnus left out a soft disbelieving huff of air. “I never hated you. Never.”
“Prove it,” he murmured.
Alec was about to take it back and insist that Magnus didn’t have to prove anything, that it had been a stupid thing to say and he didn’t mean to push him, but before Alec could take it back, Magnus leaned in and pressed their lips together for the first time.
Alec had dreamed of what it would feel like for so long, but nothing he’d ever imagined compared. Magnus was soft and Alec couldn’t help but notice that he smelled of vervain, agrimony, and hyssop.
All at once, Alec could understand the appeal. He could see why Magnus would want to go to some shady part of the city where he didn’t belong to buy potion ingredients that he couldn't use just to smell of it. Alec knew one thing though. No matter what happened, Magnus would never have to pay Lily’s steep prices again. Of all the ingredients Alec normally wasted, he figured he could spare a little extra for Magnus to take home with him.
There was something Alec liked about the thought of Magnus smelling like him even as he walked into that dark stone building, so far from Alec himself. There was something he liked about it quite a bit, so Alec supposed he’d just have to make sure it stayed that way.