West of Words (Alec Lightwood)

🗝 Chapter Eleven 🗝

"I'm here for Alec Lightwood. He called for my help." Varian smiled as he spoke, standing firm just inside the doors of the Institute. The female Shadowhunter guarding the door was skeptical, a black color decorating the air around her, until someone called out to her to let Varian pass. Varian's smiles brighter, stepping around the Shadowhunter and approaching Izzy. "Ah, Izzy, thank you."

"I was the one to call you here." Varian can see the burnt yellow surrounding her, and recognizes it as worry. "Alec got hurt, and Hodge."

And suddenly Varian was nervous. His demeanor changed, he tensed up and a faint glow came from his hands, the amount of people in the room made him nervous.

"Where?" Varian followed his instincts as he stepped into the main room.

Izzy chuckled, and when Varian looked at her she was smiling in a knowing way. "Don't loose your cool, Alec's alright. Annoyed that an iratze  wasn't the fix, but he's okay."

"Let me just," Varian waves his hand in a symbol of using his magic, "take a look at him?"

Izzy seemed to consider it for a long time, a faint smile decorated her face and she seemed to know something secret. "As much as I want to say yes, I'm going to say no. I need you to take a look at the wards. Magnus Bane said you were much better at it then him."

"Good old baba, always telling everyone how useful I am." Sarcasm dripped off of Varian's voice as he spoke, but he stopped trying to find Alec and instead followed Izzy to the ops computers.

The amount of people in the room made him fidgety, and he wasn't sure exactly what he was doing until Izzy stepped back from the screen and let him take a look.

"Magnus was here?" Varian asked, trying to remember what time his baba  had left after dying his hair early yesterday morning.

"Yeah, he took a look at a Forsaken the one that broke through the wards. He left after telling my mother about you looking at the wards. I hope it's no trouble." Izzy looked distracted as she spoke, and Varian smiled in a dismissive way.

"Not for me, but wait until you see your bill."

Varian stopped speaking after that, he pressed a hand to the screen and held the other out to the side. Lilac started to spread, slow at first before it rushed around the room. Varian's eyes fell shut, and he breathed slowly in then back out before Latin started to leave his lips.

"Lava a tenebris lumen, hic moras firma impugnare Derelicta." It was an easy uttering, and his magic complied. A ripple passed over the Institute, and everyone seemed to pause. The air became light and tinted lilac and in one final hurrah, Varian clapped his hands together. A low boom passed through the room, and the wards were stronger than before.

Varian opened his eyes, looking over at Izzy with a bright dashing smile. He wanted to say something clever but was interrupted by the voice of a man that he didn't recognize.

"You're not Magnus Bane." Varian turned, looking the man up and down and instantly clocking the grey color of dishonesty surrounding the man.

"Stellar observation." Varian smiled in a friendly way. "I'm Magnus' son, Varian Bane."

The man didn't seem to care about the formalities of giving his name, instead he carried on with what he wanted. "Are the wards solid now? Nothing will get through?"

Typical Shadowhunter.

"Hmm." Varian bobbled his head from side to side, "For the most part, but magic has it's limits. The wards won't hold off a Forsaken attack, but it can slow it down."

"Extra time is priceless." The man nearly sounded poetic. He turned away without a thank you and Varian watched him go.

"And that was?" Varian turned back to Izzy, carding a hand through his hair as he waited for a reply.

"My father, Robert Lightwood, and that," Varian turns to see who Izzy is pointing to. A young blonde Shadowhunter, "That is Lydia Branwell."

"Branwell?" Varian smiles in recognition. "I know a good friend of her grandfathers, I have heard a lot about her."

It was the truth. Varian had grown up hearing stories from Ragnor Fell about Lydia Branwell and her grandfather, who was in all honestly a friend to the Downworlders. Especially to Warlocks. Varian had really only heard good things, about the Branwell line which was a blessing. She would always have the help of a Warlock like Varian.

"I should go discuss my payment with her. Till next time Miss. Lightwood." Izzy smiled when Varian called her that, setting her shoulders just a bit higher and bowing her head in a mock bow.

Varian turned, waltzing towards Lydia but getting quickly distracted by the handsome  Shadowhunter that he saw out of the corner of his eyes. Alec Lightwood, beautiful as ever. Varian changed course, heading straight for the dark haired Shadowhunter while smiling brightly.

"A Forsaken wound usually needs a little Warlock touch, may I?" Varian's hands are already glowing green by the time Alec realizes who is speaking.

"It's okay, I'm fine." Alec appears flustered, his cheeks start turning pink and he avoids looking at Varian.

Varian rolls his eyes before immediately setting a hand over the top of the Forsaken cut on Alec's shoulder. An overwhelming amount of emotions comes through the skin-to-skin contact and Varian nearly pulls away. An emerald green coloring passes over Alec, and his skin instantly fills just a bit. His complexion becomes healthy, and he sighs at the lack of pain in his shoulder.

Varian pulls his hand off of Alec's arm, smiling. "There."

Alec tests his arm, rolling his shoulder before pulling the bandage off. "Thank you." The pink in his cheeks darkens as he looks Varian in the eyes. "I, uh, I like the blue."

It takes Varian a moment to realize that Alec meant his hair and he smiles, reaching up to touch it with a light smile. "Thank you." Varian smiled. He leaned forward, speaking in a lighter tone. "I don't know what it is about you but I feel as though I can trust you."

Varian hadn't expected to say that, though it was true. Alec seemed to blush darker if that was at all possible. He grabbed Varian by the shoulder, pulling him to a doorway and ducking his head. Only then did Varian realize just how much taller the man in front of him was. Varian is overwhelmed with the raw emotions coming off of the man in front of him.

"I don't think-" Alec interrupted himself with a shake of his head, before sighing deeply and looking over his shoulder at the rest of the Institute. As if this moment was to much of a secret for the rest of them. "I trust you. I don't know why, but I do."

Varian found himself speaking without thinking before hand. "If something were to happen to you.."

"Varian, I'm good. All right? I gotta," He nodded to the rest of the Institute, a shy smile on his face.

"Right. You're a busy man, and I should find Lydia Branwell. It's best to be paid up front." Varian steps away, taking a deep breath as he does and noticing how tense Alec becomes at the mention of Miss Branwell.

"Uh, I'll talk to her." Alec speaks quickly, sounding almost rushed.

Varian ignores the rushed tone, instead he smiles and bows his head slightly. "Thank you Alec." He turns to leave the Institute, not missing the blue eyes trained on the back of him as he goes.