Winter Blooms (Alec Lightwood)

🗝 Chapter Thirty-Six 🗝

It was easy for Varian to not deal with the issues that he had created for himself, but Alec would not allow it to be so simple.

"Sebastian Verlac was a villain." Varian spoke without prompting, his voice crisp and clear and not entirely his own. Alec was not sure how to approach the voice, he could tell there was something about him that was ethereal, and whatever it was needed to be dealt with.

"How the hell did you know that?" Clary's voice screeched when she spoke, seeming confused then angry, her eyes had yet to leave the spot that Sebastian had been standing in.

Alec reached for his boyfriend with soft hands, palm up, in a way that was meant to be unthreatening. Varian flinched away from it, before immediately second guessing himself and leaning into the hand. "You can't just avoid it V." His voice was a whisper, his breath brushing across Varian's cheeks as he spoke.

There was an all together familiarity at the current situation, though Varian could not place where he had felt it before. He wanted to speak easily, but it didn't come. He opened and shut his mouth in veiled frustration, feeling something so specific that he could not voice.

"But you don't have to speak now?" It was phrased as a question.

Varian looked up at him, making eye contact for the first time in a long time.

He poured everything he could into the look, every terrified emotion that he felt while trapped in the cell in the basement, each thought that crossed his mind, the heartbreaking fear that he would loose Alec forever. "He was Jonathan Morgenstern."

It was spoken as if it were the only explanation necessary, in reality it was the only one Varian could form out loud. His mind was a buzz, and more than anything he wanted his Baba. Not that Alec could not provide him comfort in the form of his family.

At the thought, Varian broke eye contact.

He glanced at his sister, the twin that he had never wanted so easily became one of his trusted friends. Varian considered her family, and without really thinking through it, he reached a hand towards her.

She considered it.

"Varian, I-" She wanted to cry, and Varian just smiled softly.

Clary fell into him, her arms wrapping around the Warlock's small waist. The emotions that she was feeling flooded into him, but something deep in Varian kept him from being overwhelmed. He took a deep shuddering breath, smiling softly at Alex and speaking once again.

"I killed him." It was said as the final word on the subject of Jonathon Morgenstern, and no one felt the need to say anything beyond it.

Alec glanced over his shoulder at Jace, before looking back at the twins on the ground. "I'll have to tell the Inquisitor, but now with the entire Morgenstern family dealt with, we might have some normalcy."

Clary perked up at that, "I could get some actual training?" It was phrased as a question, and the unheard answer was 'yes.' She leapt to her feet, throwing her arms around Jace as if he were a lifeline.

Varian felt the rise of an emotion in the room, and took a moment to recognize it. "Hope." He said the word allowed, and smiled brightly. "I have hope."

It seemed to brighten the room, his declaration. Alec smiled as if his entire world made sense, he bent at the waist, wrapping steady hands around his partners waist and lifting him to his feet. The action made Varian want to swoon, the sheer strength in his partner's form was exhilarating.

"Let's do dinner." Alec smiled as he said it, his eyes trained only on the Warlock in front of him, "Out, we can go to a restaurant."

It took the Warlock a lot longer than he would have admitted to realize what his boyfriend meant, as it was just after 1 o'clock and the normal time for dinner tends to be much later in the day, but when he realized, he smiled brightly and nodded.

"I'll pick." It was said as a sure fact, and Alec knew he would not debate his boyfriends taste. Varian stood on his toes, pressing a kiss to the Shadowhunter's lips before taking a step back. "I will speak to the Inquisitor."

It was not an offer anyone expected.

Varian glanced to the spot that Jonathon as Sebastian used to stand in. He was no more, it was as simple as that, though the Warlock could not explain how he got rid of him so easily, he did not debate that he did.

Alec caught his wrist, holding it lightly as he frowned. "I said I would, you don't-"

"I want to." Varian smiled, "I need to Darling."

Alec did not understand his need, but decided not to debate it. He leaned forward, kissing Varian's forehead as he mumbled an easy reply, "I'll see you at home after then."

Varian sighed, the thought of it being there home just made everything feel perfect.

He turned on his heel and began the walk that he never wanted to make.