Second Magnus/Alec fic in a day. ;x

Disclaimer: fanfiction.

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Magnus Bane was tired. He felt like his own life had been sucked out of him – all of his powers had left him, as if they were never to return. But he knew better, he knew that they'd be coming back, as soon as he got some rest, but rest would not come cheap. Rest was not a luxury he could afford. Seated just beside the bed, his long arms folded delicately across his chest and looking, with cat like eyes, at the Nephilim's body, was Magnus Bane. And relaxation, as well as anything soothing was really not something he could do right now.

As the High Warlock of Brooklyn, Magnus Bane had a lot of jobs, had a lot of errands to run, had a lot of appointments – but all of them had been slapped away, all of them had been burned down. All because someone much more special than a high paying vampire needed him. It was not the cost that mattered here, or the charge, what mattered was the life, and how his heart had ached so badly when he'd heard about young Alec Lightwood being poisoned by a Greater Demon. It took everything in him to not storm the Institute and shake the boy. Of course, he'd done the first one, but his hands had remained at his sides, shaking, until he pointed a finger to the door and practically yelled at Isabelle Lightwood to get out and stay out.

Such a task had taken a lot out of him. He had saved the Shadow Hunter's life – and now he was by his side, one hand on the bed, his fingers so close to Alec's own. His mouth was set in a tight line and his eyes looked like they carried with them dread, but Magnus knew better than to succumb to sleep.

I'll watch over you, Alec.

A promise that would never – ever be broken. Not even in the days, the weeks, or months, maybe, that would come. For even if he could not swear by the Angel, Magnus was still a Warlock of his word. And Alec Lightwood was the last person he'd ever betray, the last person he'd ever let down – the last man he'd ever let go.

That thought.

Letting go.

He had almost succumbed to it, had almost lost himself when he'd tried to heal Alec, tried to give him his life back. He had almost let him go, but he held on tight – and after he was done, his own fingers had clutched at Alec's limp and pale shoulders and he found his own head buried in the crook of his neck, the young one's name repeated, over and over again like a mantra, under his breath.

And it was not until light seeped through the windows that Magnus felt a finger playing with his hair – and damn the fact that it was not in its spiky glory. What, with the shock from last night and the too much effort and force he had exerted, nobody could really expect his hair and his glitters to stay in place like nothing had gone wrong. Because, quite honestly, everything had gone wrong – before Magnus arrived, of course.

Magnus found himself there: one hand just inches away from Alec's own, and his head resting just below the pillow, near Alec's shoulders. His eyelids fluttered to an open and cat-like eyes gazed wearily up. Straightening up into his seat – for he had practically leaned forward, just to get close to the young one – Magnus noticed that one of Alec's fingers were lined with glitter. Had his own glitter stuck to Alec? Had it been stuck there when he'd fallen over Alec, whispering his name over and over again?

"Magnus..." Alec's voice was weak, and a little frail sounding, his blue eyes that shone like lamps in the darkness were dim, as if life was still far away from being obtained – but slowly, it would come back, the light in them would return.

"Alec." Magnus said, now completely alert and looking down. His fingers clutched at Alec's hand and for a second, Magnus felt a pang, having expected Alec to pull away, but he didn't. Instead, he sat up, his own fingers twined into Magnus's own – though they were hanging on loosely, Magnus had the vogue feeling that Alec didn't want to let go – and Magnus knew, of course, that he too would rather burn at the stake than let this young Nephilim's hand go.

A thank you was almost spilling out of Alec's mouth but Magnus shook his head, a finger brought to Alec's lips, a delicate touch – and Alec let out a little shudder, but he smiled weakly, those blue eyes of his twinkling slightly, feebly– like how he was right now. Giving Magnus that smile made the warlock's insides clench, but he withheld himself from doing anything more. Having the single chance to hold onto Alec's fingers, when he was weak like this, when he'd gotten his life back, was more than enough. But then, he was also the first person – Downworlder, whatever – that Alec had laid eyes on, the first person that young Alec had smiled to after that life-ending encounter with the demon. And for that, Magnus could not want anything more.

Alec tilted his head slightly and he tried to lean forward, and Magnus leaned forward too. But the younger one could only go as far, his own body quite fragile, instead, he motioned for Magnus to come over. A cold palm was lifted up and it had ran gently down Magnus's cheek, and once the warlock leaned in some more, he felt a flutter of a kiss placed upon his lips.

The door opened by then and Isabelle Lightwood stormed inside, a tray laid with tea cups and then plates filled with cookies in her hands. They trembled at the sight she had seen – at the sight she was seeing; Magnus's and Alec's fingers were still intertwined.

She tried to take a step back but Alec smiled at her and she dropped the tray, racing to his side, her own arms flung around her older brother, tears dampening the soft cotton of his shirt. His fingers had relaxed and Magnus had pulled away. It was time for some sibling love, Magnus thought, and there was no need for a warlock to get in their way. But as he turned to leave for the door, Alec tried to sit back up, only for Isabelle to put a hand gently on his shoulder – Magnus felt a fury for the girl, but it was no need; Isabelle was helping her brother up.

Alec's fingers clenched at his side and he looked at Magnus before, with a sheepish smile on his face, Magnus came back to his bed. Isabelle met his gaze with her own dark one and she smiled at him, bright as always.

"Magnus...Thank you so much. You saved his life. Thank you."

But the thank you from the girl was left unnoticed for a brief second as his eyes now locked on Alec's. Leaning down, Magnus pressed a soft kiss on Alec's forehead and then headed back for the door – though looking over his shoulder to smile at them both, well, to Alec, because Isabelle was now staring out the window, pretending she wasn't in the room, pretending she didn't even see what had happened before – what Alec had given Magnus, how they held each others hand earlier and how Magnus had regarded Alec with a soft and gentle kiss.

"It's no problem, young Nephilim." Magnus Bane said in a soft drawl, closing the door behind him – and with that closing, something else opened. A door, a door where someone none other than the young Alec Lightwood could enter and capture.

A door to his own heart.