Winter Blooms (Alec Lightwood)

🗝 Chapter Twenty-Six 🗝

Alec was the first to his feet after the concussive noise, though Jace was already standing, his back ramrod straight as his sword continued a slow turn around the room. Alec's hand automatically went to the arrows oh his back, pulling one free and pointing it at where the Greater Demon once stood, though his body had faded into moths by this point, a side effect of Jace's attack.

The others in the courtyard took their time to rise, Jace took to helping Clary to her feet, and then Magnus. Alec helped Simon first, before crossing to his boyfriend.

"Varian!" Alec held out a hand to him and pulling the Warlock to his feet. Varian's eyes were distant, different, something passed between Valentine and him, and Alec witnessed the dissonance with confusion. "Are you alright?"

Varian stood to full height, his chin in the air as he looked up, his eyes flickering over the face of Alec Lightwood as if confused, just barely pulling away from the Shadowhunters grip as he did.

"You alright V?" The nickname passes over Alec's lips, and Varian looks up at him, considering the words for an odd amount of time. He pulled back ever so slightly.

Alec's face twisted into something unfamiliar on his features. "Maybe you should go home, get some rest, you're drained." It was an offer that Varian was quick to take him up on, and after a moment Alec watched the Warlock turn away without a goodbye. "I'll be home soon!"

They'd been nearly living together for a month or so, and the Warlock seemed to tense, speaking quickly before continuing, "I'll be fine." Varian faltered in step, "I will see you later Alexander."

Alec faltered, something was strange in Varian's voice, it almost sounded like it didn't belong to him, though at a different level then just over a week ago. Alec watched his boyfriend go, noticing the way that he appeared almost uncomfortable in his clothes, his hands sitting still at his sides as he went.

That was the strangest part, for in Alec's eyes, Varian never stopped moving.

The Shadowhunters concentration was interrupted as guards shuffled past him, the nearly unconscious body of Valentine Morgenstern suspended between them. Alec readjusted his shoulders, watching the two carry the man away as he barely struggled.

A feeling passed over the air.

"We still need to find Izzy." Magnus Bane's voice was soft as he came to rest at the elbow of the Shadowhunter, as if worried about startling the man. "Has Birdy already gone?"

The nickname flew past Alec as he nodded slowly, mind full of thoughts with no words to express them.

"Hmm." Magnus just hummed, feeling strange that his son would leave without a goodbye. He watched as Alec seemed to bristle, going through the same swing of emotions that he himself was feeling. There were plenty of things to attempt at to find the missing Shadowhunter, and just as Magnus started to voice an idea, his sons boyfriends phone started to ring.

"Izzy!" Speak of Lillith and she shall appear, Magnus smiled to himself as Alec took off with the phone pressed against his ear.

Alec smiled brightly when he heard Izzy's voice, finding comfort in the fact that his sister was perfectly alright and not in the hands of Azazel or any of Valentine's co-conspirators. She promised her safety, and said she'd be home as soon as she could.

Magnus took a deep breath, the words of Azazel sat in the front of his mind. "Old friend." Magnus muttered the words under his breath, rubbing a hand along his jawline as he tried to piece together exactly why the Greater Demon spoke of his son in such a way.

The passing thought of Ragnor's father came and went in his mind, but Ragnor's father was not the demon they saw today.

"Old friend." He whispered the words again.

"I thought it was strange too." Clary spoke suddenly, her voice shocking the Warlock just barely. "Varian looked just as shocked when Azazel called him that."

Magnus just hummed in reply.

He took a deep breath, nodding in finality and turning away. Varian seemed off, and Magnus felt the need to get to the bottom of what was wrong with his son.