Winter Blooms (Alec Lightwood)

🗝 Chapter Fifteen 🗝

It is hard to say the exact moment that Alec fell in love with Varian.

But not because he couldn't remember it, or because it wasn't significant, but rather the opposite.

Alec couldn't remember the exact moment, because he fell in love over time.

He had been raised to serve the Clave. To give every bit of himself to his service to the Shadowhunters of the Clave with no regard to himself.

And then he met Varian.

Wonderful and selfless Varian Bane, the son of the High Warlock of Brooklyn, and the kindest person he had ever met.

By the Angel, the first time he had ever seen Varian Bane he had been kneeling on a bloody carpet next to a severely injured Werewolf, swirling green magic blowing through his hair. He looked beautiful, like an ethereal Angel fallen from the sky.

Alec felt confident when he kneeled by the Warlock, offering his energy and not missing the way that his eyes seemed to glow as he took his hand. The dark green of his eyes nearly matching hue to the air around him. Alec didn't even care how much energy the man took from him, just as long as Varian never let go of his hand.

When the wound was healed, and the Warlock had lost consciousness, Alec was the one to carry him to his room. Being as delicate as possible as he set the lithe form on his bed, watching as he practically disappeared into the blankets.

The next time he had seen the Warlock was in front of a Mundane Police Precinct, he had confidently waltzed right in, leading the way to the back room. He had seemed so small when he admitted that the room full of cops overwhelmed him, the pleasant smile that decorated his face all the more brilliant the moment he saw the Mortal Cup.

When Varian showed up at the Institute, muttering about finding Lydia Branwell, Alec panicked. The thought of the affectionate Warlock meeting the woman that he was suppose to marry, and somehow he thought that it would be okay to compliment the Warlock.

He fell in love little by little, but the moment he knew was when Varian swayed in his arms, dizzy at the wedding from a collision of all of the magic swirling around inside him.

Alec put him to bed again, smiling and ever so in love, pressing a kiss to his new boyfriends forehead in a way of saying thank you.

It is so hard for Alec to see Varian like this, so lost and forgotten, as if all of his magic made him who he was. The magic was just the smallest part of him, there was so much more than just a powerful person, he is a powerful and wonderful mind.

They had been training for just over an hour, Alec kept trying to one-up his boyfriend but he was just so fantastic at nearly every weapon. The only one that he couldn't keep up with is the bow and arrow, as that was Alec's forte above anything else.

"If you flirt at me, you might win." It was said with a smile and a swipe of a dull-edged sword, Varian was much to confident in himself, but it was well backed in Alec's mind.

Alec grunted as a reply, blocking the sword as he tried to come up with a comeback, though no matter what it was it would not be as hard hitting as he had hoped. Varian was rather good at all of this, and seemed to be able to know what Alec was going to do in advance.

Varian continued to fight, faltering slightly as he lost his footing, the floor coming much to close to his face as he tried to catch himself. Only barely able to as Alec pointed his sword at his boyfriends neck. Varian grunted, smacking the sword away with the side of his forearm.

"That doesn't count." He muttered dejectedly, holding his hand up in a way of asking for help. "I couldn't stay on my feet."

Alec was, of course, concerned about the fall, and looked his boyfriend up and down as soon as he helped him to his feet. "You alright?"

Varian took a deep breath, "Maybe we should take a break." He lifted his arms above his head, his back crackling loudly as he did. "I heard your sister is making tamales."

"Ooh," It was said in a tone of disgust, as Alec took the practice swords and put them in their place on the wall, "Maybe not. She can't cook to save her life."

The Warlock hummed, "But I can." It was said as a bargaining chip, and Varian held his hand out to Alec, waiting for him to take it before walking through the Institute.

Alec had become confident in his relationship with Varian the more time they spent together. After being practically M.I.A from the Institute for seven weeks, a lot of the Shadowhunters were ready for him to come back. After all, Alec seemed to be the only sane head in the entire Institute, especially with Aldertree running everything.

Walking through the Institute with Varian's hand in his, the way that his boyfriend seemed to tuck himself into Alec's side, hiding away from the onlookers, it brought a smile to Alec's face. Varian truly trusted him, and as they walked through the Institute the pair kept to themselves. The smell from the kitchen got worse as they approached, something was burning.

"Help has arrived!" Varian shouted the phrase dramatically, pulling himself from Alec's side and throwing his hands into the air.

The few sitting scattered around the kitchen of the Institute looked up at Varian's sudden exclamation, Clary crossed the length of the room, hugging her brother. "Thank the angel," She muttered, "I don't think she knows what she doing."

"I'll handle it." Varian's reply was just a mumble as well as he pulled away from his sister, he crossed the kitchen, poking his head over Izzy's shoulder. "I think you could use just a bit more salsa picante."

Izzy followed the suggestion, mumbling a thank you, before immediately looking annoyed when Varian made an attempt to correct her.

"May I?" Varian asked, holding out a shaking hand to take the corn husk. Izzy nodded, passing over the husk that she was using and watching as he worked. "Take the masa, and spread onto the husk, a touch of the filling, and then drizzle the salsa picante over the top."

It was a delicate thing to make, and Izzy watched every step, offering her steady hands to tie the husk closed. Alec watched his boyfriend interact with Izzy, the two working to make the tamales in perfect sync.

And Alec fell in love just a little bit more.