Chapter Text
Jace sat on Magnus’ couch.
He tapped out a nervous pattern on his legs as he stared blankly at the opposite wall.
Alec didn’t know what to say.
It was strange being at Magnus’ house without the Warlock around. Magnus was at the Institute, with Clary, Luke, and Simon, and Izzy to keep an eye on all of them. With the Book of the White in her clutches, Clary hadn’t been able to wait for her mother’s revival. She had tugged at Jace, a huge smile on her face after Magnus had chased away Valentine.
Jace had stared back at her with dread shining in his eyes.
Alec was about to step in himself, when Magnus spoke up. He offered Jace his home for the day and told him that he could always meet Jocelyn later. Jace nodded like he was in a trance and Alec whispered in Magnus’ ear that he thought he better go with him. Magnus was nodding before he had even finished, and conjured a portal for them.
Alec’s phone buzzed with what he could only assume was a text from Izzy to update him about how the ritual went. He ignored it.
He stared at Jace and words swirl in his mind, but he just couldn’t reach in and pick out the right ones. He just didn’t know what to say, here, now.
“Are you just going to stand there?” Jace asked, his gaze finally flicking off the wall and to Alec.
Alec looked away and covered it with a shrug, as he flicks his middle and pointer fingers across his thumb. He pushed out a long breath and sat, clasping his hands together in front of him.
“How are you doing?” he finally asked.
Jace snorted and shook his head. “Honestly? I have no idea. Everything is just -- ”
“Too fast,” Alec said, and he thought about a war that’s rising too quickly for him to understand, but also about soft lips and a church that seemed to spin.
Jace glanced over at him and his eyes softened as he nodded his head. “Yeah.”
The portal that swirled open was so suddenly there that it startled Jace to his feet. Magnus stepped out of it and his eyes fall on Jace as it winked out of existence.
“It’s alright,” Magnus said softly, but Jace’s eyes still dropped to the ground as he settled back into the couch and rounded his shoulders with a nod of his head.
Magnus watched him for a moment longer before turning with all his smooth grace and heading towards his scotch. “You’re both welcome here for the rest of the night,” Magnus said. “I have clients early in the morning, but the first few aren’t coming here. I will have to ask you to leave by one though.”
The words “of course” are right on the tip of Alec’s tongue, but Jace got there first.
“How is -- everyone?” he asked, staring up at Magnus.
Magnus looked at him for a second before nodding his head. “Jocelyn’s awake,” he said. “She’s tired and a little bit confused, but Clary and Luke are making sure she’s okay.”
Jace opened his mouth, but shut it again and let his gaze wander. Alec hesitated for a moment before turning back to Magnus.
“We’ll be out before one,” he said and Magnus’ gaze flitted back to him. He smiled.
“Good,” he said and curled his fingers around his glass. “I’m going to go rest. Today was an eventful day. I trust you remember where the guest rooms are, Alexander?”
At Alec’s nod, he smiled again. “Then I’ll be off,” he said and headed straight to his room.
As if pulled by a string at the sound of Magnus’ bedroom door swinging shut behind him, Alec rose slowly, and took a step forward. But his breath caught and he turned his head, glancing back at Jace.
His parabatai was already looking at him. “Go,” he said and Alec did.
He’s knocking on Magnus’ bedroom door before he even realizes he’s crossed half the loft. He pushed open the door at Magnus’ “come in” and tried to ignore the way his hand is trembling.
Magnus is sitting at a small table, a wipe in his hand. His eyes flicked to Alec’s face in the mirror in front of him, before he focused back on his work and slid the wipe under his eyes again, taking makeup with it.
“Do you need something, Alec?” he asked.
“I thought you’d do that with magic,” Alec said, before he can think better of it.
Magnus makes another pass under his eye. “Sometimes I do,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t. Depends on the day.”
“Right,” Alec said and he clasped his hands behind his back. “I, uh, just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“I’m tired,” Magnus said as he puts down his makeup remover. “I used a lot of magic today.”
“I know,” Alec said. “And thank you for that. Thanks for saving my parabatai from Valentine, and for waking up Jocelyn. I -- I know I can never repay you for all that, but, just, uh. Thank you.”
Magnus turned on the stool he’s sitting on and his eyes shined. “You’re thanking me?” he asked.
Alec shifted his weight to one foot and then the other. “Yeah, of course.”
Magnus pushed himself off his stool and heheadedads directly for Alec with an expression he can’t quite comprehend. Magnus pressed a hand against Alec’s shoulder and leaned forward, his lips brushing Alec’s cheek.
Alec felt his face heat. His chest tightened but something released in it at the same time. Knots in his shoulders he didn’t even realize were there began to unwind and the next breath he took is somehow far sweeter.
Magnus pulled back just a little, his eyes soft and his face open. He opened his mouth and hesitated for no more than the blink of an eye before he asked, “do you need to get back to Jace? Or the Institute?”
“I -- no,” Alec said quietly. “No.”
It might be a lie, as Alec thought back to his brother, alone, and the text Izzy sent him, but. Jace said it was okay, and if Izzy found out he left this for the Institute, she might push him right out the door.
The corners of Magnus’ mouth twitched up in something that was not quite a true smile, but might be better. “Then would you like to sleep here, tonight?”
That question brought a warmth he didn’t expect. Like a big hug or curling up under a blanket after a long day, or… or a kiss from someone special.
Alec felt inadequate when he breathed out a “yeah,” but this time, Magnus’ smile was big and real and so warm that it makes everything perfect.