Chapter Text
"No way, Magnus!" Alec exclaimed, staring with horror at the kilt in his boyfriend's hands. "You promised you'd take me to Vienna. Why are we here? I don't want to experience the sensations of wearing a kilt. NO!"
Magnus pursed his lips, looking rather disappointed. "Fine. We're going to Vienna."
"And don't even get me started on your vehemently sustained idea about not being able to create a Portal to take us in different parts of the world!"
"We had to disappear fast."
"Because you undressed a woman by trying to steal clothes off a mannequin."
"Alec, why can't you see the fun in this?"
"Because there was nothing funny about that. And because you have horrible luck, she and her husband happened to be Shadowhunters."
"You lot are everywhere in the world," Magnus pointed out, still clutching the kilt.
"You're missing my point. They probably know my parents." He paled, realizing how true his words were.
"I will send an apology letter along with a gift. Now, allow me to take us to Vienna."
In a few minutes, Magnus had created a Portal in the wall of their room at the Scottish inn they were staying.
"Take my hand. Just like before."
"I know how to use a Portal," Alec said petulantly.
"No you don't, Alexander. Not when you have no idea of the destination. Take my hand!"
Once their hands touched, Magnus stepped through the Portal and they were sucked in the vortex, thrown into the unknown. They arrived at their destination, falling on pebbles filled ground.
"Sweet. I was thinking of the inside of Schoenbrunn, but I guess there are wards. The gardens will do." Magnus seemed to be talking to himself.
"We are at Schoenbrunn Palace? Wow." Alec made a pirouette, looking around amazed. "It's breathtaking."
"It is," Magnus agreed, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend. "I'm sorry for earlier. I got carried away."
"In India or in Scotland?"
"Both. Forgive me, sweetie."
"I can't stay mad at you, Magnus." He raised on his tiptoes, tangling his fingers in his boyfriend's styled-up hair and kissed him hard on the mouth.
"You ruined my hair." Magnus pouted petulantly.
Alec laughed, happy they weren't fighting. "And I got glitter on my hands. Ew." He started shaking his hands, trying to get rid of the sparkly things.
"Serves you right. Now, what would you like to do? Walk around the gardens? Visit the inside of the palace? The zoo?"
"The inside if it's okay with you. I'm paying." That should clarify that he hated breaking the law and his boyfriend shouldn't find a way in without paying, like he'd done at other locations they'd visited.
They spent three days in Vienna, managing to visit every important tourist attraction, and in between Magnus dragged Alec shopping, always returning to their room with numerous bags. For their last night in the Austrian capital they had opera tickets. Alec didn't want to know how Magnus managed to get them on such short notice, but he was excited to go.
They were both dressed smart, and for once Magnus had left the glitter bottle untouched.
On the first break between the acts, they got an urgent fire-message from home. Maryse demanding them to get home immediately. Alec felt faint as they rushed back to their hotel. He kept thinking something horrible had happened, and as much as Magnus tried to relax him, he couldn't.
They found the closest Portal to take them back to the Institute. Alec burst through the front doors, dumping all the bags he was carrying. "MOM? I'm home! Mom?"
"Now, don't create a ruckus. It can be nothing," Magnus said soothing.
Alec turned on his heel. "It's not nothing!" He jabbed his finger into his boyfriend's chest. "It's important."
"I need you to calm down, darling. Whatever she is going to tell you, you need to be calm." Magnus stroked his boyfriend's cheek, kissing his forehead. Alec started relaxing slowly.
It was short lived, though.
Maryse appeared from a side door. "Alexander, honey!" She rushed there to hug him. "I am so sorry to pull you away from your trip." She turned to Magnus. "I couldn't tell you everything in a message. While you were gone there've been more deaths. We found Camille responsible of them. We caught her and she won't tell us anything."
"And you want Magnus to hypnotize her?" Alec wondered, groaning.
"I doubt she killed anyone. She knows the rules, Maryse," Magnus interjected, placing a hand on his boyfriend's shoulder.
"Hurry. This way," she urged them, striding off toward the door Alec knew that lead to the Sanctuary.
Little did he know that once he stepped in there, he'd start questioning his relationship with Magnus—he'd learned that after all that he knew nothing of the man he was dating. It would be like the beginning of hell after weeks of paradise.