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Alec felt the angry tears trickle down his cheeks. He furiously rubbed them away. He shouldn't cry. He's 20 for Angels sake. Who cares what his mother thinks. Using a rune, he quickly jumps from the roof and runs to Highland Park before deciding he had run enough. He sat down on the swing set that was apart of the kids playground in the park.
Shakily he gets his phone out before hesitating. Should he text Izzy? She would understand. But at the same time it's almost 2am and Alec knew she was with Meliorn. He turned his phone over in his hand. She would come if he asked. He knew that but could he bring himself to tear her away? He wasn't so sure.
Another flash of anger ripped through him as he thought back to what his mother told him. She was leaving for Idris. She was taking Max and dad. He was leaving Izzy with him as she was 'too uncontrollable' for Idris and may end up 'sleeping with everyone'. He tightened his grip on his phone, not thinking about what she said about him, before texting Izzy to meet him at Highland Park, Brooklyn.
Around 5 minutes later he heard the sound of footsteps. He stood, expecting to see an angry Izzy for dragging her away from Meliorn. He debated climbing a nearby tree before doing so. The footsteps stopped underneath his tree and Alec decided that this conversation was going to be a hard one. He stayed quiet for a few seconds, waiting for Izzy to call out. She didn't. Instead the footsteps seemed to walk around for a bit before stopping under the tree again.
Alec felt tendrils of Magic grip him and he tensed. He's in a park, of course there's going to be other people here apart from him. Obviously there was this Warlock.
"Well, hello Shadowhunter." A smooth voice called out and a shiver went down Alec's spine, "Abd what are you doing up there? Hunting helpless Downworlders?"
Alec stayed quiet. "I know you're there Shadowhunter, you must have felt my magic. I didn't exactly try to hide it. Come down, I don't bite." There was a moment pause, "Well I mean that depends how handsome you are." Amusement was clearly weaved into the Warlocks voice.
Another few moments passed and Alec heard the Warlock sigh, "You're either dead or don't want to come out. I don't want to force you out, Shadowhunter. But I'd like to know whose in my territory. It's not often as I can take care of myself and seldom ask Shadowhunters for help."
Alec heard the Warlock crack his knuckles, "Fine the-"
"I'll come out."
"Oh thank god you're not dead. That would have been hard to explain." Alec climbed tentatively down the tree and stood face to face with a... rather attractive Warlock. Alec felt his mind go blank at the thought. He was not interested in guys.
"Oh my, I hit a jackpot didn't I? Yes you are rather handsome." The Warlock reached forward to grab Alec's chin but Alec's instincts kicked in and he took a step back, the Warlocks hand barely missing his face.
"Don't touch me, Warlock."
The Warlock tutted, "That's no way to speak to me. You don't know who I am do you?" The Warlocks chin popped up as he made himself look important. Although that was hard with the amount of glitter he seemed to have covering his face (and suit jacket) he seemed to pull it off. Alec ignored the small part of his mind that wandered to where the rest of the glitter was and shook his head, "No, should I?"
"Well that's rude. I guess I'll have to make you work for my name. You can start by giving me yours." The Warlock said obviously flirting.
Alec's mind seemed to jutter before starting again, a thousand questions crossing his mind. Was this okay? Did this Warlock 'like him' like him? Or was he just being a Warlock?
"I'm a Shadowhunter that's all you need to know."
The Warlock tutted again, "Shame, shame. Well then Shadowhunter what are you doing in my territory at-" the Warlock waved an elegant and the time made out of Magic hung in the air next to him, "-2:34 in the morning?"
Alec glanced at the clock warily, "Shadowhunter business. I should be asking you the same question."
The Warlock placed a dramatic hand on his head, "Having an apartment full of cats and stray Downworlders is hard, you know. M-" he cut himself off, eyes sparkling. "Oops almost gave myself away." The Warlock reached a hand forward but didn't go all the way, as if waiting for Alec to connect their hands, "Shall we take a walk, my dear Shadowhunter?"
"And do what?" Alec didn't move to take the hand so the Warlock dropped it.
"Talk. You have something on your mind, clearly."
"It has nothing to do with you, Warlock."
"Who am I going to tell, Shadowhunter? The Downworlders won't believe me." He let out a bitter laugh, "I fix their problems, they don't listen to mine."
Alec hesitated. What harm could it do? Izzy was always saying how good Meliorn is at talking... among other things. Alec pushed down the heat coming to his cheeks and cleared his throat. "You promise?"
The Warlock, with black eyeliner around his beautiful eyes Alec noted, looked surprised for a second before smiling, "I promise."
Alec sighed. Izzy wasn't coming, what did he have to lose? "Lets go sit on those swings." He said, deflecting the conversation for a few more seconds. Why did he trust this Warlock so much? Because he was attractive? Alec shook his head almost invisibly, he wasn't attractive. Alec wasn't gay. Alec had no interest in guys. Jace was because he was his Parabatai and who was he if he didn't love his Parabatai?
"My... mother. She..." Alec cut himself off and clenched his fist. "Sorry I'm not good at... talking."
The Warlock moved the swing unconsciously, "Its okay, take your time. I have all the time in the world." He smiled softly at Alec and Alec ignored the slight butterflies that buzzed in his stomach.
"My mother is moving away from the Institute. She told me tonight in... less than nice terms about my sister and.. about me. She found somethings I was keeping hidden and.. she got the wrong idea. They were my sisters magazines and she hid them in my room because my mother always searched her room for anything Mundane." He paused, "My mother... doesn't like my sisters choices. She thinks they're wrong." Alec's lip twitches, "My sister is actually in an on and off relationship with a Downworlder, a Seelie to be exact. Sort of ironic, huh?"
"Ironic how?" The Warlock chimed in, his voice impossibly smoother than before. He sounded... content? The thought made Alec's butterflies multiply, could this Warlock actually like listening to him?
"I mean, I'm here talking to you about my problems and you're a Downworlder."
"You say it as if it's a bad thing." The Warlock doesn't sound upset.
"It's not!" Alec said quickly, "But I was brought up to believe..." he trailed off.
"That you're better than us?"
"Not better but... purer."
"Do you believe that?"
"I mean... I should but deep down? No."
"That's good." The Warlock smiled again, "Sorry, carry on."
"Oh, uh, sure." Alec took a moment to gather his thoughts, "The magazines my mother found were Iz- my sisters... male model? Magazines. My mother she... she called me a disgrace. That I couldn't carry on the line like I should because I'm the oldest?" Alec looked at his hands and folded them, "... I don't know what I am but I don't want to see the disappointment in her eyes ever again.
"I have an adopted brother and a little brother too. They're both the kindest people. They always help everyone although my youngest brother is having a small pyromaniac phase as his favourite rune seems to be the Fire Rune at the moment."
My adopted brother is my Parabatai. He makes me confused." Alec stopped talking, his tongue going to lead in his mouth. He'd never admitted that to anyone but Izzy right before the Parabatai ceremony. Why was he so willing to tell his life story to a stranger?
"Shadowhunter?" The Warlock said, confusion in his dark eyes, "Why did you stop?"
Alec glanced around in a panic, looking for anyone near before standing. "Did you cast something on me?" He asked, anger creeping in to his voice, "Warlock. Did you cast something on me?"
The Warlock was looking at him in shock and confusion, "No, I would never! That would be breaking the Accords and I have way too many people to care for."
"You must have! Why was I so willing to talk to you? Why do I also feel confused around you?" Alec stopped dead in his tracks. "I... I have to go." He span on his heel and ran in the opposite direction.
"Shadowhunter!" He heard the Warlock yell before he heard the thudding footsteps that came from the Warlocks dress shoes.
He didn't think to activate a speed rune until it was too late and the Warlock had grabbed him with his magic, holding him still. Alec was turned in the air to face the Warlock who was doubled over panting, one hand out in front with the spell keeping Alec still streaming out of it.
"Look, Shadowhunter. I may not seem like it but I do care even if you are a Shadowhunter. Anyone who seeks refuge in a park in Brooklyn at 2am needs help."
"Let me go."
The Warlocks eyes hardened, "What would you do if I let you go?"
Alec took in a breath,"I... I don't know."
"Exactly for all I know you're planning to run to Brooklyn Bridge and take a swan dive." The Warlock said bitterly, "I don't wish that on anyone, not even you. It's a scary place to be."
"I'm not going to kill myself."
Alec heard the small 'yet' the Warlock breathed out. "If I let you go, promise not to run?"
The Shadowhunter quickly thought through some of the possible situations before nodding, "Fine, I won't run."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
The Warlock moved closer as Alec's feet slowly touched the ground again and the magic around him disappeared. The two were almost chest to chest and Alec could almost see specks of gold gleaming out from under the black eyes of the Warlock in front of him. He could see the singular specks of glitter that decorated the Warlocks skin and Alec felt the urge to reach up and wipe some of them away. He didn't fight the feeling and the Warlock didn't flinch as his hand came up, almost as if the Warlock was as transfixed on Alec's face as Alec was on the Warlocks.
"Alec! Where are you?!" The moment was broken as Alec heard his Parabatais voice. Alec turned towards the sound out of habit but by the time he looked back the Warlock was gone.
"Alec! There you are!" Jace came running up to him, panting heavily, "Do you know how worried you made me?" He poked Alec in the chest before getting distracted by something on Alec's cheek, "Is that.. Glitter?"
---
6 months later
Alec walked into the room, absently throwing and catching his Seraph blade when he caught a glimpse of Magnus Bane. His brain stuttered. Where had he seen him before? The park. Highland Park. That was... him?
"And who might you be?" Magnus said with a swagger in his step, a small grin playing at his lips.
Alec's brain did not catch up so his mouth acted on his own, "A-Alec."
"Nice to meet you, my dear Shadowhunter." The Warlock grinned as they shook hands, neither noticing Alec's seed cracking open and a vine spreading to Magnus' hand. Neither notice the vine plant a seed on Magnus' skin. Neither noticing the 5 second process which marked them as Soulmates. Alec could read the Warlocks eyes, the park would be their secret. Alec smiled slightly, "Nice to meet you to."