Fading Scars: A Series of Malec One Shots

Centuries

Alec was hunched over on the floor picking up his clothes when he came across the loose floorboard in Magnus' bedroom. He didn't even know it was there in the first place. Magnus was secretive, but Alec wasn't expecting him to be this secretive. Even loose floorboards suggested the warlock had something to hide.

Curious, Alec lift the floorboard. Underneath was what looked like a thick book of some sort, a cat's eye on the cover. It blinked when he reached for it, causing him to yelp and fall backwards to the floor. Regaining his posture, he reached for the book again. It didn't blink this time. Just slowly closed its eye and began to purr like a cat.

It was a photo album. As Alec opened the cover, the first photo was a portrait of a man with curly black hair and blue eyes. He was a stranger to Alec, but the other man in the photo wasn't. Magnus stood beside the man, a smirk on his handsome face and his hair slicked back to one side.

Alec touched the photo with his fingers. Years of being trapped inside a book had made the photo somewhat faded, the edges turning yellow and curled. The date below the photo said 1895; well before Alec's time. Well before anyone's time. Except for Magnus.

"I see you found the photo album," a quiet voice said from behind him.

Alec whirled around, seraph blade in hand and ready to attack. "Magnus. You scared the crap out of me."

Magnus gave him a small smile. "I didn't mean to. I just noticed that you found my album. Under the floorboard. Where's it's supposed to be secret. Like most secret floorboards are."

Alec put his weapon away. "Yeah well, it wasn't that secret. It was faded more than the rest of the boards. Figured something was off. Turns out I was right." He sat down on the bed again, turning the page. "What is this, anyway? Who is the guy in the first photo?"

Magnus sighed through his nose. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to have this conversation with you, but yet here we are," Magnus sat beside Alec on the bed. "This book is a collection of memories I've made during my centuries of living. That man you saw in the first photo was William Herondale. Jace's ancestor. He was a good friend of mine-"

"Good friend as in lover?" Alec snapped.

"No. Will was just a friend. I helped him and his friends with....you don't need to know what exactly. It's a long story."

Alec scoffed, flipping over the page. "Didn't stop you from keeping a memory of it."

Magnus looked down at the next photo. It was a black and white photo, taken in the 20's, of him and a woman holding hands and kissing. One glance at Alec's expression told him that his boyfriend wasn't too pleased with what he was seeing.

"And who's this? Another friend of yours?" Alec's face was a mask of pain as he stared down at the photo. "I can't even imagine having a friend that close. It'd be like me kissing Clary. Or Simon."

Magnus cringed. "Don't. Please don't. This isn't what it looks like-"

"No? Because you two look awful cozy in this photo here. Another one of your many lovers, Magnus? Am I eventually going to end up as just another photo in this album?" Alec slammed the book shut and tossed it to the floor.

"Alexander! How can you think such a thing? I would never display you in the photo album like-"

"Like some kind of trophy?" Alec glared at him, his hazel eyes burning with anger.

Magnus scoffed. "None of these photos are trophies. None of those people were trophies. I just enjoy having something to remember the good times by. Isn't that what most people do nowadays? Like Facebook and Instagram?"