Malec One Shots

37. Wings (AU)

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Song ~ Bon Iver - Holocene
(Amelia my daughter I rly think you'll like this song so give it a listen when you can bb)
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The legend about Jonathan Shadowhunter was real. It wasn't really a legend then. When Jonathan became a shadowhunter and named all the famous shadowhunter families the angel Raziel gave a gift to all of them. For everyone in the family, they'd have wings pertaining to their crest or name. Morgensterns had black webbed wings, Fairchilds had pastel coloured butterfly wings, Starkweathers had yellow haired wings, Herondales had opaque white wings that looked like they belonged to well, a heron, and the Lightwoods had feathered angel wings that could range in colour from white to brown. You get the idea. Each shadowhunter with a bloodline of one of the original shadowhunter families had wings of that bloodline, and could hide them if they wished. They only kept the wings out when in battle, or when showing people they trusted, like family or significant others. When put away, the wings left a black rune between the shadowhunter's shoulderblades, and the rune would disappear when he wings came out again.

Alec had never shown his wings to Magnus. They'd been together for a while now, and Alec was still building up the courage. They were a big part of who he was as a shadowhunter, and he couldn't muster up the confidence to show them to his beautiful warlock boyfriend. If Magnus could show Alec his warlock mark, then Alec could show Magnus his wings. Magnus had seen them a few times but not purposefully or confidently, they were only when Magnus had accompanied Alec into battle. Strangely, unlike his bloodline, they were ashy grey and black, and looked like they were slicked with oil. They were so shiny, and Magnus had no doubt that Alec cleaned his feathers a lot. Only trusted people could groom another shadowhunter's wings, family, close friends, significant others. But Alec hadn't reached that stage yet.

Alec got in from the institute, dropping his weapons belt and holster at the door along with his jacket. Dragging his feet, he walked into the living room where Magnus wasn't sat reading. He was, however, on the balcony. He'd gotten a wicker bench to sit on when the sun was high, and he'd read there for hours on end. That is, if he didn't have a client. Alec took a seat beside Magnus, who'd put down his book by the time Alec had kicked his shoes off and leaned back. "Tired?" He lilted, and Alec smiled. Magnus looked so good, so handsome in the midday light, shadows carving his face so he looked even more chiselled than usual. Alec hummed. "Yeah, mission today was a drag." Said Alec, feeling the rune between his shoulder blades burn. He'd gotten pretty badly injured in a nasty fight with a Drevak demon and a Hellhound, which left a gash on the upper part of his left wing. A few feathers on his right wing had been scratched off by the Hellhound, and it was a surprise that Alec even got home with his wings hidden. If a demon had found him with his wings bared, they'd probably be ripped off and given to an illegally working warlock for spells and such. Necromancy and it's problematic ingredients.

"Alec to your right!" Alec heard Isabelle shout as she smacked a Moloch demon with one starch white wing. It flew across the room. Alec turned to the side and slashed out with his seraph blade, slicing an Iblis demon in half. Electric buzzed in his veins, the same feeling he always got from the fight. Half from letting his wings out and half from the adrenaline. It had been so long since he'd been out in the field, being the Head of the Institute had its setbacks now and then. He took a glance around, noticing that Isabelle and Jace had left to check out upper floors, and cursed silently. There were two demons left on this food as Alec was inwardly cringing. A Drevak demon and a Hellhound. The Drevak wasn't difficult, it was blind and tracked with smell. Alec wished he hadn't used so much aftershave once he'd gotten out of the shower that morning. He killed it without any qualms nonetheless, and turned to the Hellhound. Now this was a little more difficult. Magnus' pet Hellhound was chill with Alec and liked belly rubs, but this Hellhound was raw demonic energy and death. It pounced at Alec, and he turned to the side, slashing at it. It fell to the floor, a hot white gash leaking black ichor on its side. The thing got to its feet and went for Alec's wings. It lashed out with its barbed tail and ripped some of the feathers off. Alec winced, and smacked it away with his nonetheless healthy other wing. Despite the nasty gash the Drevak demon had landed on it, it was decent to fight with. Alec couldn't fly in this position though. It got up, dashing at Alec before jumping. Alec drove his seraph blade up as it jumped, and the demon dog slid down the blade, dripping black blood all over Alec's arms. It stung as ichor always did, and Alec decided on leaving his seraph blade behind. Why take it back? It was blunt and disgusting. He threw it at the floor as the body of the Hellhound burned and went back to its dimension.