"Shit!" Magnus called as he hit the floor once again, Alec smiling smugly above him in triumph. He quickly took pity on him and helped Magnus to his feet. Despite the fact that Alec won almost every hand-to-hand spar they had, Magnus was improving and was adjusting better without his magic than Alec thought he would.

That's not to say things were easy for him. Alec saw the difference in his eyes. They had lost their spark, thier light, their happiness. But Magnus hid it well. If he saw Alec looking at him too closely, he put his walls up.

"I'm here for you," Alec had told him once. "Whatever you need."

"Thank you, Alexander."

But Alec couldn't help but feel guilty, even though Magnus would tell him there was no need to be. It was his, Magnus's, choice to do what he did. But he wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for Alec. The only reason Magnus cared about what happened to Jace was because Alec cared. Jace was his parabatai, part of him. Magnus knew Alec couldn't live without him.

But now he had to live without his magic. Now he had to live a mortal life. Die.

And Alec couldn't do anything about it.

Magnus stood, panting heavily and sweating. "I don't know how you Shadowhunters do it. This training is exhausting."

"And I'm going easy on you," Alec chuckled. "What do you think about taking a break?"

"Yes, please."

"You wanna shower?"

"Mmm. Together?"

"If you want," Alec said with a small smile, which Magnus returned.

"I do want."

"Let's go, then."

Alec took his boyfriend's hand and led him through the Institute to his bedroom and connected bathroom. The moment the door closed behind them, they were pulling the clothes off of each other as if doing so was more important than breathing.

They broke the kiss only long enough for Alec to start the water. When it was hot enough, they both stumbled in. It was the happiest Alec had seen Magnus in a long time. If he could offer him a distraction, he would do it without a second thought.

Alec moaned as Magnus trailed kisses and bites along the rune on his neck, tilting his head to give him better access. Soon those kisses were directed to his chest and down to his hips and legs. With Alec's hands in his hair, Magnus sank to his knees and pulled Alec's cock into his mouth, humming. Alec's head fell back in pleasure.

"Mmm, Magnus…"

Magnus chuckled around him, clearly happy with the reaction he was getting. He pulled back. "Tell me what you want."

"I want you… all of you."

Magnus smiled and took Alec's entire length down his throat. Alec couldn't help but rock his hips.

"Oh, God…"

Soon, Alec's motions stuttered and he came, tip inside Magnus's mouth, who sucked him dry.

Alec smiled, content. But when he moved his hand to Magnus's own cock, he found he wasn't the least bit hard. Magnus pushed his hands away.

"Something wrong?" Alec asked in confusion.

"I'm just not… feeling it tonight."

"Oh. Did I do something to upset you?"

"Of course not."

"Then why-"

"How about we go out for drinks instead?" he happily changed the subject.

"Yeah. Yeah, all right."

The pair finished their shower, washing each other's hair and bodies with soap lazily until the water ran cold.

Alec dressed casually, offering Magnus his own clothes to wear as his were all back at the loft. The pants were a bit too big for him, but there was nothing he could do any more besides wear a belt. His days of adjusting clothing to fit perfectly were over.

Out of habit, Magnus raised his hands in preparation of making a portal but his arms fell to his sides after reality hit him. He wondered how long it would take for him to get used to not being able to appear wherever he wanted in the blink of an eye.

Alec noticed the movement, the defeat in the way Magnus's shoulders slumped. He walked up behind him and put his hands to his waist.

"It's okay. We can walk, you know. It's been a while since we've done that."

Magnus looked to him sadly. "I know. You're right."

Hand in hand, they left the room together, heading for the main entrance. When they reached the streets, Alec asked, "Any place you have in mind?"

Magnus shook his head. "I'll know it when I see it."

So they walked for almost an hour, arms linked together in the dark. Suddenly, Magnus pulled him into a club. Alec couldn't make out the name of it in neon lights before he was dragged in.

"Why this club?"

"I've never been here before."

"Fair enough."

Usually when they went to a club, Magnus insisted on dancing, sometimes forcing Alec to accompany him on the floor. Tonight was different. Magnus got them drinks at the bar and led them to a booth in the back where no one would see them.

"Are you okay?" Alec asked him.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You've just been acting… strange."

"Must be that I had my magic taken from me not a week ago," he practically spat.

Alec sat up straight, shocked at first, but not for long.

"Magnus, if there was anything I could do-"

"But you can't. Just drop it."

Alec bowed his head, defeated. Magnus noticed and his anger deflated.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I don't blame you."

"Maybe you should. If it wasn't for me-"

"I would do it again. It's just… hard. I'll adjust."

Magnus moved his hand to place it over Alec's, squeezing tight to let him know he spoke the truth. Alec gave him a quick smile before they were interrupted.

"Another drink?" a pretty lady asked the two of them. She was as skinny as Clary but half as beautiful. She held a tray of drinks in one hand and beamed at them with her white teeth.

"We didn't order any drinks," Alec said.

"On the house," the woman replied. She put a glass in front of both of them and left swiftly before they could protest.

Magnus finished what was left of his first drink and picked up the second, clinking his glass to Alec's. They took a sip at the same time.

Neither of them felt anything at first, but Alec quickly realized something wasn't right. It was too bad he only noticed after Magnus had finished his drink and he was half way through his. He saw Magnus's confused look as he spoke.

"I'm not feeling so…" he stood, clearly meaning to head to the bathroom, probably to throw up, Alec thought. "I'll be right back."

But as Magnus took a single step forward he fell to his knees, looking back to Alec as if asking for help.

Alec was on his feet in an instant, at Magnus's side immediately. But he was feeling the effects, too.

Someone had put something in those drinks. How stupid of him not to have picked up on it. No one gave out drinks for free, not in New York.

Before Alec passed out, he felt someone trying to take Magnus from his arms. He held on tight, not willing to let a stranger touch his boyfriend.

"Don't worry," a voice said. "I'm taking you home."

The last thing Alec saw was a large, grinning man above him, smiling a wicked smile that made Alec feel sick. And he knew they weren't going home.