Malec: Together Forever

The Unfinished Rune

Alec felt like he was the lamest Shadowhunter on earth. He couldn't even get past a door. He tried drawing Opening runes, kicking the door, even slashing it with his seraph blades, but nothing worked. Only the seraph blades left a few scratches on the door, not even doing real damage to the door. 

Some raspy voice outside said, "WHO DARES TO SUMMON ME?" while he was prying at the doorknob, but he didn't care anyway. All he cared about was to go out, to see Magnus, to admire him, to touch him, to feel his warm lips on his own.

"Please let me out, door," he sighed in exasperation as his thousandth Opening rune dissolved into the door again. Nothing happened. The door just stayed there like a stubborn sheep, not even budging a teensy little bit.

"DO SPEAK UP, WILL YOU?" The raspy voice boomed across the apartment.

Alec was not listening, though. He was busy drawing another Opening rune again. His rune was just getting half-finished, when a booming laughter came from outside. It startled Alec so much, that he dropped his stele, falling backwards.

The unfinished rune sinked in, very slowly this time. Alec stared at it in horror: unfinished runes could become extremely powerful and destructive. Starting from the point where the rune sinked in, cracks started spidering in every direction, until they covered the whole door.

Slowly, Alec climbed back up on his feet, his eyes still fixed on the door. Suddenly, the unfinished Open rune appeared again, almost as large as the door, golden in colour, shimmering like brilliant fire. Its edges were moving, like an octopus waving its tendrils to float in water. It looked like it was beckoning Alec towards it.

Alec couldn't resist the urge. He raised his hand, ready to touch the rune, ready to reach through it, or feel it. His eyes were wide with wonder.

However, Alec never knew how reaching through a rune felt, or how touching a rune felt. Right at the moment when his fingers met the rune, it disappeared. The process was so quick, that he couldn't catch a feeling of any texture. The rune just seemed to shatter, becoming a thousand small sparks.

In the next moment things happened really quickly. First, the door blasted outward, turning to dust. Second, Alec was so thrilled that he ran right out, bursting into the living room, expecting to see Magnus with his client, probably chatting to the hostile demon.

Instead he saw Magnus sprawled on the floor, his hands on his neck, his mouth open, unconscious.

Alec dashed forward without a moment's hesitation. Magnus was white as a piece of paper, his usual liveliness all gone.

Alec felt for Magnus' pulse at his throat. It was very scarce, but it was returning to normal rapidly.
With a relieved sigh Alec heaved away his worry. Gently, he worked away Magnus' slim fingers on his throat. They seemed to be clinging onto Alec's hands, though they were so weak that Alec didn't notice it.

However, when he was about to place Magnus' hands on his sides, they didn't let go. "No," Magnus' voice, soft as a whisper, came drifting to Alec's ears. "Don't go."

Alec jerked his gaze to Magnus' face. His eyes were half-lidded, a faint smile slowly appearing. "I scared you to death, didn't I?"

Alec didn't know what happened, what made Magnus get to such a state, struggling even for just a breath, but he didn't care. All he cared about was that Magus was safe, and alive.

Without even letting himself notice it, his mouth was already on Magnus'. Magnus seemed startled for a moment, but he soon recovered his surprise and kissed Alec back, gently, without any force. Magnus' lips were cool to the touch, and Alec was so desperate to warm them, to encircle his warmth around Magnus, once again.

"Promise me," Alec said between the gap of their lips, "Promise me you'll never leave me,"
He could feel a small nod, the tiniest of a movement, promising him, telling him that Magnus would never leave him.

"That you'd love me forever." Alec finished his sentence.

This time Magnus broke away, grinning. "You thought I wouldn't?" he said, his face flushed with colour once more, the liveliness in him returning.

Alec didn't need to reply. Magnus was already pressing his own lips against Alec's, fierce and hard, urging him to do the same. And when Alec did, Magnus said, "You are not an option," making Alec feel his teeth moving, forming the words.

"You are my priority."