Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandoms:
Relationship:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Series:
Part 1 of Let Me Count the Ways
Stats:
Published:
2021-05-05
Words:
2,253
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
59
Kudos:
457
Bookmarks:
31
Hits:
3,884

when streams are ripe and swelled with rain

Summary:

What would've happened if Alec had let Magnus heal his arm in season one?

“I like your nails,” Alec nearly whispered, coming to the conclusion that Magnus was going to ignore his question. He circled another perfectly-painted nail with his finger. “They’re nice,” he elaborated. “You’re nice.” He swallowed, fearing the hole in his chest had widened too much and his heart was letting itself leak into his words. This was often the case when Magnus came around.

Notes:

I wrote a lil' bit on the way I think Alec loves Magnus in "April, Come She Will". This is a brief glimpse into the way in which I think Magnus loves Alec.

I hope you enjoy <3

Also a gift for colourfulangstling because i feel like this is right up her alley. love you babe mua*

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Alec peeled back the bandage, hissing as the edge of the wound was slowly exposed to air. His upper arm pulsed, warm to the touch when he let his fingertips trail near the edges. He could feel his heartbeat beneath the pads of his fingers and he knew this was an early sign of infection. When his index finger scrapped at the beginnings of a scab he hissed again, pulling his hand back from the laceration and discarding the used bandage. He reached around his waist, grabbing for a fresh linen when he paused, eyes locked on the now-occupied entrance.

Magnus cocked his brow, arms crossed over his chest and hip propped against the frame of the door. His lips were pursed, disapproval written clear across his face.

“Doesn’t look fine to me,” Magnus spoke coolly, continuing the conversation they’d held earlier in the Ops center. Alec glowered in return, but he had a sneaking suspicion it didn’t have much of an effect on the older man. For one, there was little heat to the expression.

For two, Alec was always happy to see Magnus, no matter what the context. He wondered when that had begun.

“I’m fine,” he repeated, turning back to the cloth in his hand and reaching for the small bottle of alcohol sitting next to him on the desk. He hoped that was enough to send the warlock away.

A small, selfish part of him hoped it wasn’t.

Magnus rolled his eyes, strolling into the room and stopping only when he got right in front of Alec, a hair's width away from standing between Alec’s slightly parted legs. He’d shut the door behind him, giving them a small amount of privacy that Alec didn’t let himself think too hard on. Alec’s breath hitched, gaze trailing up Magnus’ torso and taking his time in meeting the warlock’s eyes. When he did, he couldn’t help the small lilt in his lips, seemingly unable to control his own body’s reactions to Magnus’ presence.

Magnus didn’t smile back, but his eyes softened, a sharp contrast to the dark, intentionally intimidating tones of his eye make-up. Alec didn’t blame him, he probably would’ve armored himself too had he gone into a pit full of downworlders. He understood Magnus’ trepidations.

Magnus held out his hand, palm up.

“Give me your arm, Alexander,” he spoke calmly, refusing to break eye contact with Alec. Another protest almost made it past Alec’s lips until-

“Please.” Magnus swallowed, a small nervous gesture that Alec had already picked up on over the past few weeks. He hated to be the cause of it, especially when all Magnus wanted to do was help.

Despite everything.

Alec sighed in resignation, lifting his arm so that Magnus could use one hand to brace it while the other hovered over his wound. Alec tried to tell himself it was the magic that caused goosebumps to rise across his skin, but he had a sneaking suspicion Magnus hadn’t even started yet.

Magnus made a small noise of disapproval, clicking his tongue as he traced the frayed edges of the wound. Alec watched the blue coloring of Magnus’ magic finally slip from his fingertips and trickle down into the wound.

Alec hummed despite himself, the cool comfort of Magnus’ magic dulling the pain in his arm and softening the heartbeat he’d felt pulsing along the edges. He watched the redness seep from the surrounding skin, his coloring returning to normal. He also watched as the swelling went down, fluid and white blood cells no doubt being redistributed throughout his body. The torn skin at the edges of the laceration began to stitch together until, after a few minutes, all that remained of Alec’s injury was a small, silvery scar.

He thought Magnus was done, lifting his arm from the warlock’s grip, but Magnus squeezed. He brought his healing hand down to rest over the scar. Alec felt one more pulse of magic before Magnus slid his hand down, resting it on Alec’s forearm.

Alec gaped, staring in wide-eyed wonder at the smooth skin Magnus left behind. Almost subconsciously, he brought his free hand up, covering the one Magnus left resting atop his forearm.

“That wasn’t necessary,” Alec spoke softly, looking up at Magnus’ peculiar expression. Magnus, for his part, seemed to be entranced by their hands, his eyes locked on their point of contact.

“It was nothing,” Magnus shook his head, planting a false smile on his lips and turning to meet Alec’s gaze. “It’s nothing, really. I’m just grateful you let me help.”

Alec chuckled dryly, letting his head fall to stare at their clasped hands.

“I’m grateful you helped,” Alec relented.

I’m grateful for you.

Magnus shifted, moving his thumb that lay beneath Alec’s hand out from the small cocoon, tilting it up so he could rest it on top of Alec’s pinky finger. It could almost count as holding hands now. Alec did nothing to stop him.

“I could-” Magnus cleared his throat, causing Alec’s face to tilt back towards his. Magnus looked uncharacteristically nervous.

“There are other things I could do,” Magnus began, trying hard not to meet Alec’s eyes. “More preventative measures, per se.” He let out a deep breath, finally allowing himself to peek at Alec’s reaction. Alec just stared, wide, owlish eyes exposing the exact moment Alec registered what Magnus had said.

“No,” Alec shook his head. Something caught in his throat and he worried if he stayed in this closed-off room much longer he may find out what it is. “No, that’s asking too much. I’d be asking too much.” He tried to pull his hand away but Magnus’ fingers clenched, halting Alec’s withdrawal and keeping his hand firmly pressed against his own arm.

“You didn’t ask,” Magnus reiterated, squeezing his hand in reassurance when he felt Alec’s fingers relax. “I’m offering.”

“Why?” Alec blurted out, barreling through even though he heard Magnus’ breathing falter. “Magnus I can’t- I don’t understand you. Why are you so-” He let out a frustrated huff, turning his eyes once more to their clasped hands. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

Magnus offered up another sad smile.

“Does there need to be a reason?”

“Well, yeah,” Alec spoke with an air of petulance, his throat closing in tighter on the emotions he was still trying desperately not to let loose. “Yeah, Magnus, I’ve been nothing but terrible to you.” He swallowed, bringing his free hand over to their conjoined hands and running his index finger across Magnus’ knuckles. He tried to ignore the goosebumps that rose on Magnus’ own skin. “I’m not good to you.”

Magnus said nothing, watching as Alec retraced the line of his knuckles with tentative fingertips before letting them trail across one of Magnus’ veins. He traced the edge of Magnus’ sleeve, fiddling with the cufflink for a moment. He let his fingers wander back down to their hands, stopping at one of Magnus’ painted nails and rubbing the pad of his thumb over it like he was checking for flaws.

“I like your nails,” Alec nearly whispered, coming to the conclusion that Magnus was going to ignore his question. He circled another perfectly-painted nail with his finger. “They’re nice,” he elaborated. “You’re nice.” He swallowed, fearing the hole in his chest had widened too much and his heart was letting itself leak into his words. This was often the case when Magnus came around.

“You’re a good man, Alexander,” Magnus finally replied, lifting his hand from its tight grip on Alec’s, only to flip it over, palm open to Alec’s wandering fingertips.

An invitation.

“You’re a good man,” he repeated. They both watched as Alec brought his fingers down, tracing the lines of Magnus’ palm.

“You’re a selfless man,” Magnus shifted his words. Alec heard the depth in this sentence, pausing his ministrations to look up into Magnus’ eyes. There was a matching depth in Magnus’ gaze, eyes holding something that Alec presumed only age could give a person. Pain that had built up over years of heartache. Alec hated to be adding to it.

“You take care of your family,” Magnus reached over with his free hand, grabbing the one Alec had been using to explore his skin and guiding it back to the palm of his hand. An obvious request. Alec resumed his idle tracing, exploring each of Magnus’ fingers with his own. He relished in the warmth he felt in his chest at the opportunity to touch Magnus, simple gesture that it may be.

“You take care of your people,” Alec tucked his fingers into each slot between Magnus’ own, daring himself to slide them forward into a hold that would be so obviously intimate.

“You’ll take care of Lydia.” Alec’s eyes shot back up, not having realized he’d let them fall back to their hands. Magnus didn’t look angry. Or sad. No, it was much worse.

He looked sympathetic.

“Let me take care of you,” Magnus took the final step, sliding his hand down and curling his fingers, slotting them between each of Alec’s. Alec ripped his gaze from Magnus’ face, watching their hands fit so perfectly together that the feeling crawling up from the back of his throat finally exited in the form of a small, dry sob.

Magnus brought their clasped hands to Alec’s chest, taking a leap of faith as he stepped in between the younger man’s knees. He was cradled between Alec’s thighs and Alec met him halfway, sliding his boot up the back of Magnus’ calf and pulling him forward. He tucked Magnus’ feet between his own and squeezed the older man’s legs with his upper thighs, almost as though he were trying to lock him in place. To keep him there, stuck in the make-believe land where Alec was allowed to have everything he wanted.

“It’s just a few protective spells,” Magnus rushed out, hoping to get the explanation over with before Alec changed his mind. “Nothing crazy; deflection, protection, accuracy, good health…” He trailed off, relishing in the feeling of Alec rubbing his thumb over the knuckle of his index finger. It was such a small gesture, but Magnus suddenly lost his train of thought, staring at their hands like he was trying to sear the image into his memory.

“You know I have runes for that, right?” There was no weight to Alec’s words; he’d already made up his mind about the spells. He selfishly wanted something to tie him to Magnus, something tangible. Even if they were just simple protection spells.

“Humor this silly old fool?” Magnus laughed, but the sound was hollow. His eyes were closer than they’d ever been before and Alec hated to think he’d missed out on them this long. He brought his free hand up, the one not entwined with Magnus’, and tenderly pressed a finger to the crow's feet at the corner of Magnus’ eye. He dragged his finger up, careful not to smear any make-up, and traced one of Magnus’ eyebrows, followed by the bridge of his nose.

Magnus had a very pretty nose.

“Okay,” Alec spoke softly, letting two fingers dip down and trace Magnus’ lower lip. Magnus’ lips parted, an exhale of breath warming Alec’s fingers and driving a shiver through his limbs.

“Okay,” Magnus spoke against the pad of his index finger. He brought his own free hand up and wrapped it around Alec’s, holding the younger man’s hand steady. Then, he closed his eyes and kissed the tips of Alec’s fingers.

Alec took in a sharp, pained breath but didn’t have long to dwell on the endearing display of affection. He felt the soft, cool workings of Magnus’ magic make their way from their clasped hands and into Alec’s chest. Alec couldn’t stop the sigh that escaped from his lips, his eyes fluttering shut to allow for his senses to be directed entirely towards the touch of Magnus’ magic. Like the wound, it filtered through, releasing the aches of years-worth of sparring sessions, patrol duty, and late-night demon hunts. Like the wound, it dulled the pounding of his heart, steadying the rhythm enough that Alec’s lungs finally had a chance to fill. Alec took his first deep breath in a very long time. Like the wound, the frayed pieces of his soul began to knit back together, a lightness taking over his heart that he hadn’t known was possible. He wondered if Magnus had incited something that lay dormant for years, or if he’d placed it there, sneaking it into a small, sheltered crevice of Alec’s soul amongst the onslaught of other spells.

Unlike the wound, there was a scar. Warm, brown eyes looking back at Alec, even from beneath his lids.

“What’s that?” Alec whispered, bringing their clasped hands to the center of his chest, trying to show Magnus the intrusive little flutter, the ghost of an off-kilter heartbeat, settling next to his own.

“Nothing, my love,” Magnus replied. “A protection spell of some sorts.”

What Alec didn’t know was that it was not, in fact, a protective spell of any sort.

What Alec didn’t know was that it was a small, minuscule piece of Magnus’ own soul, tethering him to the shadowhunter just enough to alert him to a certain threshold of pain that Alec may experience. This way, Magnus could come when needed, knowing full well the priority that Alec took in most people’s lives. Or didn’t take, for that matter.

What Alec didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

Notes:

remember, before u decide to hate me, they lip-lock at the wedding a FEW DAYS LATER.

Twitter: @solid_quirks

Series this work belongs to: