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Inspired Artwork by female_overlord_3 | ao3. | tumblr.
These days Alec only uses his bow and arrow when he’s in a rush or rural areas. When he has the time to be leisurely, he does, mingling with mundanes and learning about them. He loves cities the best, he can hide in plain sight in bland clothes with minimal magical glamor and nearly feel mundane himself, instead of nearly god-like but not quite, not like his sister, the goddess of heart.
Alec loves his job, loves instilling the ability to love in others, helping them open their eyes to the world and people around them, making them feel something that is more than just themselves, maybe even give them hope. He doesn’t purely do romantic love either, he also helps people with platonic love or familial or even just a little bit more self love. He doesn’t make feelings that aren’t there suddenly appear, he just makes them a little more visible, uncovering them if they are buried deep and out of sight, reminding people of their capacity to love and how magical that is.
Valentine’s Day is one of a handful of days that Alec tends not to use his gift at all because there is plenty of love and affection in the air, even if it is covered in this almost saccharine, fasley sweet coating and not nearly as pure as Alec’s. He still enjoys the atmosphere as he lingers in small cafes or local restaurants or even a bustling city park. Even though the enjoyment and feeling is a little bittersweet to him.
Valentine’s Day is one of the only days a year that Alec allows himself to truly wallow in self pity over his own love life, or lack thereof. He’s a being made to spread love but that has yet to find romantic love for himself. He basks in the platonic love of his family as well as his good friends, Raj, the god of honesty and oaths, and Simon, the god of daylight. Ever since his sister found the strongest of romantic loves in the goddess of the hunt and the moon, Maia, that sees Isabelle for who she truly is: intelligent, beautiful, and a warrior, Alec’s heart yearns for that type of love. Someone supportive and encouraging, smart and fierce, but most importantly, enjoys swapping stories of triumph and failure, hopes and fears, as well as many, many kisses.
It’s been well over three hundred mundane years since Isabelle and Maia fell in love, but that length of time seems to only have strengthened and grown their love instead of diminished it. Alec doesn’t believe in soulmates but he thinks that if anyone were to be soulmates, it would be Maia and Isabelle.
It also doesn’t stop him from hoping to be wrong.
Alec’s spent the past hour or so in his favorite city at a local bakery coffeeshop. It’s kitchy and cute which means it has some of the most authentic atmospheres of love and affection, both soothing and growing the ache in Alec’s heart.
He’s been following around a mundane today that he shared a bit of his gift with years ago, a young woman named Aline that was struggling to accept her sexuality as a lesbian. Today, she’s celebrating the day with her girlfriend of two years. It pleases Alec to know that he helped a little bit in her journey to get here: confident, happy, and madly in love with another woman.
Assignments like Aline’s are his favorite, connecting on a personal level with their hesitancy to let love in. It took nearly half a century for Alec to accept his romantic preference to men. He enjoys being able to share a bit of his own self acceptance with others.
Aline and her partner prepare to leave, so Alec does too. He raises from his seat against the window, turning towards the busy counter. Eyes focused down as his mind mulls over whether he should linger in New York City or if he should mope in the romantic nightlife of Casablanca. He pauses in his movements to let someone cut in front of him.
A shiny, expensive looking black boot with silver metal chains catches Alec’s eyes. The boots lead to tight black pants that leave little need for imagination of their strength. Attention fully grasped now, Alec continues to trail his eyes up taking in their floral red and black silky button up under a tailored black jacket with silver military pads that accents ridiciously broad shoulders. Their head is down, playing with the numerous rings that decorate black nail polished fingers.
As if sensing Alec’s gaze, their head snaps up, looking immediately in his direction. Alec shouldn’t really be seen so he admires their face: warm tawny beige skin with golden undertones, sharp eyes framed by smoky kohl eye makeup, and soft looking pink lip framed by a black goatee. Alec takes in a sharp breath, never feeling so attracted to someone at first glance in… in centuries. Actually, he looks closer, taking in their perfectly coiffed thick, black hair that looks like… a crown. That’s when Alec realizes he has seen them before, centuries ago, the face of someone that Alec thought he’d never cross paths again with: the Prince of Hell.
“Hello again cupid.” Their say with a wink, revealing that they not only see Alec, the real Alec, but recognize him as well. Their voice is merely a whisper, shrouded in magic so that only Alec can hear them. Alec’s nickname that many mundanes have given him sounds teasing and playful from their lips, drawing Alec even further in.
“Magnus Bane?” Someone behind the counter calls, breaking this spell like trance Alec finds himself in with the Prince of Hell. They, Magnus, steps forward, taking the paper cup from their outstretched hands, turning on their heel as they head for the front door. They pause at the door, turning their head back to where Alec stands. They make eye contact, raising a single eyebrow that dares Alec to follow, before leaving the coffee shop.
Alec makes up his mind right then and there to spend at least a couple of more hours in New York, because everyone deserves a chance at love, even cupid.