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Alexander Lightwood had just met his soulmate. This wasn’t the first time they had met. He’d known his soulmate for as long as he could remember but they always kept distance. Yet here they were, face to face for the first time in ten years.
***
Alec was a little boy, growing up in the institute. He didn’t know why no one else lived there. All of the others came and went as they pleased. Alec wasn’t allowed out save the occasional trip to Idris when he had been too young to be left alone and the days when Maryse would take him and his sister out to the park.
Alec liked to run through the halls of the institute, causing almost as much trouble as his rebellious sister. This was before his parents' heavy expectations fell on his shoulders as the eldest child. He was still young, innocent.
It was one of those days when Alec was playing with reckless abandon when he took a tumble down some stairs right in front of one Magnus Bane. The warlock was visiting to reinforce the wards around the institute, and what a lucky task it had been on that day.
When someone spends so long on earth they develop a sort of emotional shell. But this hardly ever applies to children. For all the jaded and cold reputation Magnus held he was kind, and when you are so old and so kind, how can you see a child cry and not doing anything. So naturally, Magnus instantly sprung into action. He dropped to his knees and reached out to the child. The little boy was young enough to trust any adult, especially those who walked in the institute, so he flung himself into Magnus’ arms as he sobbed over the bruise quickly spreading on the hip he had landed on.
It happened in an instant. Magnus felt a jolt and suddenly there was a new tie, a new pathway in his mind. Magnus was hit with a wave of pain that was clearly not his own. A soulmate bond was formed. Magnus had been waiting for this for his whole life and now he was bonded to a child. It seemed he would have to wait quite a while longer.
The little boy felt it too. Magnus expected it to frighten him but he seemed comforted by the steady, mature presence of Magnus’ mind in his own.
Alec knew what soulmates were. He had asked his mother when she seemed to be communicating with his father without words. Every child longed for a connection like that. A fairy tale love story. Alec pushed away from Magnus and looked up at him, intently studying his face. He brought his chubby hand up to Magnus’ face and rubbed it against the stubble on his chin.
“You’re a boy,” Alec stated sagely. Magnus laughed.
“Indeed I am. Does that bother you?”
Alec shook his head vigorously, “I wanted a boy, girls have cooties and boys are prettier.”
Magnus smiled sadly. What a life this boy would have. A shadowhunter mated to a warlock. A male warlock. A shadowhunter that clearly held no romantic interest in women.
“No, don’t be sad, why are you sad?” Alec grabbed Magnus’ face with both hands, squishing it slightly. “You should be happy! I’m gonna love you forever and ever! You don’t gotta be sad ever again!”
As a testament to the words he had spoken Alec softly kissed Magnus’ cheek. It was soft and innocent. Filled with the innocence or possibly the ignorance of a child. Magnus dearly hoped that Alec would be able to keep his promise, he was going to be a remarkable boy, Magnus could tell.
After they parted ways Alec grew used to the constant presence of Magnus in his mind. But he quickly forgot who exactly the presence belonged to. He knew that it was almost always steady and sent waves of reassurance to him whenever he felt distressed. An almost healing effect when he was injured in his training.
His little brother was born and the presence shared in his joy and love for the little boy.
Jace joined his life and the presence whispered to him when he lamented the fact that he couldn’t help the poor boy.
Jace became his parabatai and the presence shied away, cut itself off from Alec for months.
When Alec couldn’t take it anymore, missing his constant support, he whispered to himself late at night.
Please come back. I need you. I love you. I’ll love you forever.
And how could Magnus say no to those words, that echo of a long gone child that once placed a kiss on his cheek and comforted him?
***
Now they stood face to face, Magnus’ door open and a party for his cat pounding behind him. Other shadowhunters surrounded Alec. The redhead, oh that’s interesting, Clarissa Fairchild, looked distressed but determined. Still, Magnus had eyes for only Alec.
Defaulting to his usual flirty nature Magnus extended a hand, pushing past the blonde boy that extended his hand. “Hello, my love, is it still forever?”
Alec balked at Magnus. Beautiful, confident, totally out of Alec’s league, downworlder Magnus. Alec had always known he wasn’t good enough for a soulmate. Magnus must have taken pity on the poor child he was bonded with but now that he was old enough to be on his own Magnus was sure to sever the bond. Alec was sure his comment had been teasing. A mockery of the words he had spoken as a child. He turned his head down and let Jace step in and inform Magnus of their mission.
Magnus, taken aback and honestly disappointed-- though not surprised --soured. He refused the shadowhunters, turned them away.
They began to plot another approach. Alec could hardly concentrate from the anger coming in waves from Magnus’ mind. Of course, he would be disappointed once he saw who Alec was now. Jace was seething and Alec couldn’t stand it. It hurt to see his parabatai hurting. So he told the others to go back without him. He claimed he needed fresh air and that he would catch up soon.
He was going back to Magnus, to beg that he would help, consent to Magnus severing the bond, agree to take all the pain. It was best for everyone. He could handle it. He always knew he’d be alone despite the presence in his head. It had always been too good for him and he knew he would disappoint it.
The sound from the party was gone when Alec approached Magnus’ door. It seemed that his anger might have ended the party early, this only made Alec feel worse. He tentatively knocked on the door and instantly it swung open, revealing a seething Magnus.
“What do you want from me Shadowhunter? This eager to sever the bond. Go on get it over with. I hoped but- no, I should have known that a meer downworlder would disappoint you!”
Alec was beyond confused. He was elated to have such a talented and beautiful soulmate, but surely it had been Magnus that didn’t want him?
Magnus sensed Alec’s confusion and began to see past his angry haze. He should have known. He had felt this boy grow up and grow out of his confidence. Compared to his beautiful and intelligent sister he felt worthless. Compared to his skilled parabatai he felt useless. He felt unworthy. Magnus didn’t understand how he had escaped the Clave’s biased influence but it seemed Alexander respected him for his power and status and admired him for his beauty. Magnus was momentarily flustered until he remembered the stressed boy before him.
“No dear, no that’s not what I. I’m sorry, I spoke in anger and ignorance. I judged you before I gave you a chance to prove yourself. I judged you for expecting you would do the same to me. I-I can’t apologize enough.”
“You don’t hate me?” Magnus’ eyes saddened and he reached out to put a hand on Alec’s cheek as Alec had done so many years ago. Alec was shocked at the touch but when Magnus went to pull away he pressed closer to the contact.
“I could never hate you, dear. You’ve always been so good. We’re connected and I know you, I know your soul. I love every piece. Forever and ever.” Magnus finished with a soft smile that Alec responded to with a vulnerable and frightened expression.
“You don’t want to break the bond?”
Magnus shook his head. He closed his eyes and focused on the bond. He tried to show Alec exactly what he felt. He felt Alec shiver under his touch so he assumed it worked. His feelings were quite overwhelming at time.
Alec tried to return it in full but his control of the bond was much weaker since he had been a child through most of the time he had it.
It seemed Alec felt his return of emotion fell short because he leaned forward and softly kissed Magnus on the cheek as he had as a child. Magnus felt his heart swell for this gentle boy. Magnus pulled Alec into an embrace. Alec pressed his face into Magnus’ hair and whispered, “You shaved.”
Magnus couldn’t help the chuckle that left his lips, he heard Alec own breathy laugh in return and smiled. “It’s been ten years darling, I have to change things up. Is it making it hard to tell I’m a boy?”
Again Magnus heard Alec breath out nearly silent laughter.