West of Words (Alec Lightwood)

🗝 Chapter Forty-Three 🗝

The process of leaving the Mundane Hospital was a disappointingly long one, and when Varian finally stumbled through the front door, the sun had risen and set already, the night cold and empty.

It was nearly twenty-four hours since his journey to the ship with Valentine Morgenstern and Jace Wayland, and his magic had not returned. The idea of walking through the streets of New York City with a target on his back and no magic to protect him was terrifying, but there was nothing he could do.

Every step echoed.

New York may be the city that never sleeps, but the people didn't agree, at least most of them. The few that wandered found themselves in bars or working late, Varian was often one of them. His coffee shop and bakery was open late at night most days, and often filled at midnight with half-drunk college students writing papers that were due the next days.

His right hand was stuffed in his pocket, his left crossed his chest and hovered there. Every step rocked it, and the pain was becoming unbearable.

No twist of his fingers brought the magic to the front of his mind. Varian stepped unevenly, hurrying through the streets with light posts but ignoring the ones that were dark and spooky.

Varian took a deep shuddering breath, and for the first time he wished he owned one of those mobile phones that Alec had been going on about. Varian paused in stride, feeling as though someone was watching him.

He refused to turn, a line from a book floating to the front of his mind.

Never turn around to check behind you. You'll see nothing, but once you start doing it you won't be able to stop, and an ominous feeling will follow you until you lock the door behind you.

Varian's steps started again. Soft taps of his toes, he felt an obligation to keep his steps silent. As if the somber of the city would turn angry at the appearance of sound. The same low footsteps sounded from behind him, and Varian picked up his pace, anxiety spiking in his chest.

He had been through enough in the last forty-eight hours and he was not in the mood to be mugged or attacked in such a weak state.

Suddenly the Institute was in his line of sight, and his steps turned furious. Loud thunking of his heels as he sprinted through the park surrounding the cathedral that hid the Institute, the footsteps behind him picked up speed. They were so much faster then him, the throb in his wrist an aching after thought of every single step.

Varian's fist was the first thing to touch the door, slamming harshly as he waited for an invitation inside, the footsteps behind him barely faltering. The absence of his magic to unlock the door had been something he didn't think about.

The door swung open and Varian stumbled in, slamming the door shut behind him with his back. The Shadowhunter that had opened the door looked awfully confused, before offering a hand and helping Varian to his feet.

"Everyone has been looking for you." It could almost be comforting, but the idea of Aldertree hunting the city for him after all of the veiled threats soured the meaning behind it.

Varian just nodded as a reply, acting as if he had not just been chased the last three blocks of his walk over here. He no longer concerned himself with whoever it was, his mind moved on to the shape of Alec Lightwood through the doorways that he could see. The spiky hair of his baba  nearly brought a smile to his face, the pain in his arm distracted the smile, but he continued forward his footsteps no longer light.

"Baba." Varian's voice cracked as he spoke, feeling all of the emotions from the pain that he had been feeling and the fear after he had been snatched coming to the surface. Tears began to fall from his eyes, his shoulders shaking as he silently sobbed.

His baba  crossed the ops room in just a few steps, wrapping his arms around Varian and holding him close.

"Hell sent I couldn't feel your magic at all, I thought-" His baba's  voice broke off halfway through the sentence, his arms squeezing Varian tight.

Varian didn't even care about the pain that it brought his arm to be held so tightly, instead he just leaned into his baba, once again trying to feel the magic that was such a strong part of him. He pulled back, smiling lightly and in a hopefully reassuring way. His right hand swept under his eyes, wiping away the still lingering tears.

"I'm okay." Varian said, watching as his baba  drop his hold on him and stepped to the side.

In less than a second Varian was swept up into someone else's arms, a kiss pressed to the top of his forehead just between the two little horns hidden in his hair. "I was so scared when you disappeared through that portal." Another kiss. "Are you alright? Where did you go?"

Varian didn't step far out of Alec's arms, just enough to see the rest of his Shadowhunter friends in the room. "I was taken to a ship, and it was horrible." Varian's voice cracked as he spoke. "Downworlders in cages all around the underbelly, they were screaming, shouting for help. I had barely any energy left from loosing control, so I, I stole some from Valentine, created a portal and had barely enough energy to take me back to the same street. You were-"

"We were gone." Alec's was sad, his grip on Varian tightened in a protective way. "Oh by the angel I'm so sorry."

Varian waved the apology off with a smile, shaking his head as he continued. "I passed out and woke up in a Mundane Hospital, and only after getting my hand wrapped in whatever this is did they let me leave." Varian lifted his left hand as an explanation, and Alec squinted at it. "I think it's why my magic hasn't kicked back in. I apparently broke four bones?"

The unasked question of how from Alec was interrupted by his baba  stepping forward and waving a hand over Varian's wrist. A Latin spell falling from his lips as he did. The blue cast disappeared and all pain faded quickly.

Varian smiled in thanks, his eyes moving back to Alec as he answered the question in his eyes. "Valentine was upset that I had the audacity to steal his energy, and in retaliation he stomped on my hand in an attempt to get me to let go of his ankle. I was gone through the portal before the retaliation could go a step further."

Varian flexed his hand, wincing at the lingering pain, but satisfied when his magic started to react. Though it was still weak, he had barely enough energy to create snowfall. "I have to rest, my magic is weak."

Alec nodded, wrapping his arm around Varian shoulder before calling that he would be back. He led the way from the ground, feeling comfort and protection from the arm over his shoulder.

"Thank you Darling." Varian smiled as he spoke, leaning closer to Alec as he did. Wishing that he had the energy to press a kiss to his boyfriends cheek.

The unspoken need to say 'I love you' pushed into his mind as Alec helped him up the stairs, and grew stronger when Alec helped him to lay on the bed. A blanket was thrown over him, and Varian smiled in comfort.

"Sleep tight, I'll just be downstairs if you need anything." Alec's voice was soft as he spoke, a comforting hand pressing against Varian's hair, a kiss followed seconds later.

Varian's reply was mumbled, his eyes already closed as he drifted off to sleep. Everything weighing on him dissipated as he fell into the comforting arms of sleep. "I love you Darling."

Alec paused in stride, his reply coming nearly instantly, but Varian didn't move to acknowledge that he had heard. The sleep had already claimed him.

Alec left with a smile.