Bloodloss: An Alec and Magnus (Malec) Fanfiction

Chapter 4

“It’s perfect. I love Central Park.”

“It’s like an escape from the Institute.”

“My favourite place in the world with my favourite person in the world.”

“I love you.”

 

I sit up suddenly, tangled in sheets and wipe my clammy palms on the blanket covering me. It was an amazing dream, like re-living the best day of my life. Awful. It’s as if my brain is teasing me; letting me glimpse tiny parts of beautiful memories, then jerking me awake into a harsh reality. I’d rather have had a nightmare.

I pull the covers back, sitting on the edge of the bed for a moment. Then I brace myself on the bedframe, take a deep breath, and push myself to my feet. I look into the mirror, seeing only the room behind me, the reflection missing me in the way it always does. Then, tucked into the corner of the glass, is a photo. I lean in, seeing a photobooth strip of pictures. Magnus and I. One photo; us smiling. The next; him with his arm around my shoulders. The next; me laughing at something Magnus has said, looking more carefree than I’ve ever seen myself, total adoration glimmering in Magnus’s eyes as he looks across at me. And the last photo – the one that feels like a punch in the stomach -; Magnus kissing my cheek, me looking stunned, the start of a blush creeping along my cheekbones, looking pleased. I tear the photo from where it’s tucked in the corner of the mirror, drop it on my dresser, and leave the room.

“Good morning.” Izzy says as I come into the kitchen.

I slip into a seat at the kitchen island.

“Hey,” I answer, leaning my elbows on the hard surface of the tabletop.

She slides a glass bottle of red liquid towards me.

“Drink,” she tells me. “You’ll feel better. I went and picked up some more bottles of blood from Simon.”

I don’t believe that having a drink will make me feel better in the slightest, but I take a sip anyway.

“Feel any better?” she asks.

No, I think.

“Yeah, much better.” I reply and smile at her. “Thank you.”

She doesn’t look convinced, but she smiles back anyway and goes to get herself some breakfast. Jace comes in, already in his gear, and leans on the counter beside me.

“Morning, Alec. Feeling better?” he asks

“Yeah, much better.” I reply again.

This seems to have become my default response, but it seems to comfort Jace and Izzy slightly, so it’s okay.