His Big Secret

Chapter 17

There were only a few times Raphael has felt fear, being dared to come into the abandoned hotel by his friends only to be turned into a vampire or rising up to overthrow Camille, finding Simon's nearly dead body after Camille attacked him however, none of this prepared Raphael for this, watching Simon prepare himself for a fight against Valentine. Valentine, the rogue Shadowhunter, wants to destroy the downworld. The thought of putting Simon into such a deadly situation filled Raphael with fear; he didn't want to imagine all the worst possible outcomes that could come from this fight.

Don't get him wrong, he wants to save Alec as much as the next person; he hates seeing Magnus so destroyed. The warlock is like a father to him, and Raphael wants him to be happy. He sees how happy Alec makes Magnus, but he can't lose Simon.

"What would you say if I asked you to sit this out?" Raphael said. They were in their room in the Hotel DuMort, waiting for a message from Magnus after he and the Shadowhunters got the Book of the White. Although Raphael wasn't expecting to hear anything from Magnus until the morning.

"I would call you delusional, and I won't abandon my best friend to Valentine," Simon said, putting the seraph blade Simon stole from a circle member when the circle attacked the warlocks under Magnus' protection.

"Of course," Raphael said, he wasn't expecting any other answer. A part of him wanted to hide Simon away even though it wasn't what his boyfriend wanted.

"Raphael," Simon said, cupping Raphael's face with his hands and forcing Raphael to look at him.

"I don't want you to get hurt," Raphael said, his voice breaking slightly. The thought of Simon being hurt was as painful as Simon actually being injured.

"I know," Simon said, kissing Raphael's forehead, "Raphael, we can't hide from Valentine forever; he's going to make a move eventually, and we're going to be pulled into the fight one way or another whether it's fighting for Alec or fighting to protect the clan. We won't escape him."

"I know that," Raphael said. The weight of Valentine hung over them all ever since they discovered he was still alive. They can't avoid him forever, but that doesn't stop Raphael from wanting to.

"How about this," Simon said, "I won't leave your side not once during the whole thing. We'll fight together, and if it comes to it, then we'll die together. No matter what, I'll stay with you."

Raphael grabbed Simon's waist with his hands, pulling him closer and kissed him. Simon's hands moved from his face to wrap his arms around Raphael's neck as he kissed him back. The couple lost time in each other, their lips moving together with their bodies entwined.

"Marry me," Raphael whispered as they pulled away, neither letting go of the other.

"W-what," Simon said, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Marry me, Simon Lewis. When this is all over, we get Alec back and kill Valentine. Let's get married," Raphael said. A bright smile spread across Simon's face.

"Yes."

Alec's head throbbed as he opened his eyes; his memory felt foggy, and he couldn't remember what had happened - something to do with a warlock, or was he talking to Luke. God, his head hurt. He's lying on the floor in a metal cage. Wait what. Alec sat up before him - stood Valentine.

"You're finally awake," Valentine said, looking down at him. Alec didn't say anything, willing his head to stop hurting. They were in some kind of laboratory, his eyes drawn to the unconscious woman floating.

"Let me guess," Alec said, pushing himself to his feet, slipping his hands into his jacket pockets, "Jocelyn Fray."

"A potion put her to sleep, but you know all about that as the High Mage. I've never seen a Shadowhunter fall so far than "marrying" a demonic creature," Valentine said, making the air quotes gesture when he said marrying.