♛ City Of Lost Wishes ♕ Malec ♛

12) ''Why Are You Here, Mr Bane?''

~A~

I was let out the next day and I was sent straight to rest in my room. No different than I had been the last night but at least, this time, I was somewhere familiar. Despite the urge to visited Magnus', I stayed put. Magnus joined me in that, refusing to go home until he knew I was better. There was still a clear hint of fear in his eyes.

'Magnus, we need to get up.' I murmured, groggy from the incessant hours of sleep. Magnus sighed, he had finally joined me on the bed after fifteen minutes of bickering on why he should or should not sleep on the floor. He came to my bed- I had won, a smug smile playing on my face. But, now, I almost regretted the decision. It was clear that Magnus had no intention of moving and with him practically on top of me, it seemed I had no choice in the matter either.

'Magnus! Food, ill person!' I tried to trick him, he would do anything for my wellbeing but it seemed he wasn't as tired as I once thought.

'Alec, you had food like an hour ago.' He groaned, shuffling so his head was more comfortably on my chest.

'I know, Magnus. Can we just get up? My parents...they could come in at any time.' Magnus groaned, clearly conflicted on what to do. During the minute of brooding, though, I had the skill to pry him off and stand up.

'Why does it matter if your parents walk in on us like this?' He grumbled into the pillow, smearing the makeup he was too lazy to take off on it.

'Because! You know why, Magnus! I haven't told them...not yet, at least.' I sighed, defeatist thoughts spilling into my mind. I had no control over it. The panic struck me like lightning, unexpected and painful. All doubts about myself came front and foremost and it seemed, now, my breathing had become uncontrollable and Magnus was at my side.

I hadn't even noticed him come in front of me, wrapping his arms gently around my waist and pulling me into his shoulder. 'Don't panic, Alec. There is no need to panic.' I nodded, I understood. To be honest, I shouldn't have been so fragile as to react so harshly to that- I was a shadowhunter, not a mundane. It was just...my parents. They were such a sensitive topic. They were the incarnate of my fears. They were all the hatred I saw in human form.

They never cared about who I was- they cared about what I did. They only ever cared about what I did for them. Never what I did for myself. I wasn't a human to them, I was a servant- made to do their bidding. 'You okay?' Magnus asked, pulling away from me gently, holding me away at an arm's length- it was the only thing that stopped me from falling into his arms once again.

I nodded and pulled away from his hands and continued to get the last of my clothes on- having slept in just a t-shirt and jogging bottoms. I would have to train soon and bumping into my parents inevitable so I prepared for both- gear on my body and my mind mentally preparing for the onslaught that could come.

I motioned for Magnus to follow me as we left my room and began to stalk down the corridors- both of us much too tired to care much about appearances. Well, Magnus seemed rather put together but on his level, he looked rather dismal.

We passed the kitchen, holding our breath to block out the gut-wrenching smell that was Izzy's cooking. Then, the library which was occupied by a rather distressed looking Clary and Jace who didn't make eye-contact and it seemed when they both did look up from their books, it was to scowl at the other. It seemed that they placed the guilt on each other, the imbeciles. I would have to talk to Jace about that later. We were parabatai, I shouldn't have even waited the time I did. But, I had my own problems to deal with- such as the minor ache in my shoulders that would most likely reduce my performance in training. Yes, I didn't find out I was in love with my sister. But, it did seem that my choice in romantic interest wasn't to everyone's taste either.

Before I could pass the next room, I felt a heavy weight pushing into my shoulder. I looked up, confused, to see Magnus frantically gesturing his head to the right. I looked over and suddenly, all that had happened hit me like a bus. There stood my parents, proud and tall as always- despite both being either my height or shorter.

'Mum, dad.' I address them both with a curt nod. Magnus didn't seem to give the favour- preferring to give them a slight glare from where he was observing his perfectly manicured nails.

'Alexander.' My mother replied, the name sounding disgusting coming from the serpent's tongue. I shook my head, I shouldn't have been thinking like that. She was my mother and he was my father. I loved them- even if that love was unexplainable. That was why I hated that they...well...hated me. I didn't want to love someone who didn't love me in return. Unrequited love is the most painful love.

'We were here to talk to you about what happened. We want your account.' No questions, that was how his father worked- blunt and to the point. No smiles in sight. Magnus' gaze seemed to intensify, the whole mood in the room shifting a degree darker.

'Without him here. Why are you here, Mr Bane?' My father looked disgusted. Typical, he had never liked downworlders. He was one of those who revelled in being allowed to call them below us- as if they lived in a pit. He spat on the weak. Although, he did love so much to congratulate the strong. He was a man of many sides, he just liked to show one over the rest.

'Alexander was just thanking me for healing him.' Magnus lied smoothly, pushing one side of his tail coat- sparkly, obviously- behind his back and shoved one hand into his pocket as if to restrain himself from punching one of them. I thanked him silently for the effort.

'You were thanking a warlock? Why he's getting paid isn't he?' His mother looked between the two oddly. She had a reason. Despite it being unjust, few shadowhunters ever thanked warlocks for their help. They were getting paid, that was all the thanks they needed. Many warlocks were fine with that- the few that weren't, couldn't complain anyway, they would be out of business if they did.

'I-I just...he's a...um...' I trailed off, the words not quite coming out right. 'Acquaintance.' I finished, not daring to look over to Magnus. Who, undoubtedly, was trying to keep himself from growling. I had to call him an acquaintance. Not boyfriend, not even friend. Acquaintance.

My parents seemed to accept the idea and dismissed the two of us, telling me to meet them later in the library for my recollection of what happened so they could report the Clave. No care for what had happened. All for their work. But, nonetheless, I had Magnus to myself again and that was all I could hope for. With my parents gone, I turned to him, smiling.

He didn't smile back.

word count: 1237

published: 09.05.17