Sage:
I sit next to the bed Magnus is lying in with clenched fists and a tight jaw. My own thoughts were keeping me company, whizzing round and round in my head.
After we had dived through that door everything had happened so fast I could barely keep up. My powers had tugged at me, pulling at my arms and legs. I had been using all my strength just to control it. Then my concentration had slipped, just for a second. Because of him. Wasn't it always him? He had looked at me with such a strange look in his eyes, stranger still was the fact that I had recognised it. It was the same as what I had been trying to hide for weeks now. My power had slipped and I'd lost control. But even as I'd screamed his name, his power had kicked in, making him wings out of the stars themselves.
He had saved himself but as soon as he had reached the top again he had passed out and I had lunged forwards, catching him before he hit the floor. And now he wasn't waking up. Medics had come through the tunnels and now he was lying in an old hospital bed. I hadn't seen anyone else and hadn't left his side. I just hoped it wasn't all for nothing.
I pushed that thought away and looked at him lying on the bed. He looked so much younger asleep, his face wiped clean of shadows, some of the boyish innocence that had been stolen reappearing on his sleeping features.
I jumped slightly as he stirred and opened his eyes, his bleary gaze falling on my face. I reached forwards and brushed some hair out of his eyes.
"Hey, how you doing?" I whispered
"Ugh," he groaned, "I feel like shit actually"
I managed to roll my eyes even as my hands shook with relief. He was alive.
"Well you did just summon wings made of stars and then save your own life and then pass out. So I imagine that shitty is pretty accurate."
He smiled slightly but it faded quickly as he winced. I frowned.
"What's hurting?"
He waved a hand.
"Stop mothering me Sage. It's just a couple of aches
I sigh.
"Magnus. You annoy me too much for your own good and my own as well. That's not just an ache and you know it. You quite literally drained out your power. So don't pretend it's ok."
Magnus managed a smile.
"If I annoy you so much then why do you keep me around?"
"Well I need an audience for my witty remarks."
Magnus frowned
"What witty remarks?"
"Oh burn" I muttered, before slipping back into seriousness.
"But god Magnus, you need to be careful. You could've died. Why did you even come through with me? You could've had the life you wanted."
My voice had risen as I'd spoken, my emotions bubbling up to the surface, all the worry I had been feeling pouring out.
"You. Could. Have. Died. All because of what? Because you wanted an adventure? Because you needed a friend? Why Magnus? Just tell me why you followed me through and I'll drop it."
He looked at me for a second, his eyes blazing with anger and something else and then spoke, struggling out of the bed until we were standing face to face.
"So now you're mad at me because what? Because I decided to make my own choice for once?
"No I'm mad at you because I'm in love with you!"
Silence.
I looked at Magnus. He was staring at me with a look I couldn't comprehend as my breathing slowed. I didn't know what had made me say it but even as the words had left my mouth I knew they had been true. He swallowed but I spoke before he could get any words out.
"Today you nearly died. I thought you were going to die. And I just... I didn't know if I could live with that. Or myself. You came through with me but I didn't want you to. I don't want you near me because damn it you confuse the hell out of me and make me feel things that I. Don't. Want. To. Feel. And look. I get it if you don't feel the same but..." I broke off, not daring to say the rest.
He shook his head, an incredulous look on his face. I still couldn't understand his emotions. I opened my mouth to say something, to say anything...
And then he kissed me.
For a second everything fell away as my arms instinctively wrapped around his neck and he pulled me closer. Then we broke apart and I stared at him with wide eyes.
"I think," he said, his voice low, "that it's safe to say that I feel the same."
I laughed out loud and buried my face in his shoulder. We stood there for a second, just holding on. My friend through many dangers, he had helped me through so much.
And so we just sat.
And I didn't let go.
