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Alec steps forward, his lopsided grin achingly familiar. It pulls Magnus in easily, drags his feet across the carpet of the loft. He closes the distance without thought, and as their fingers slide together, he is transported. Memories drift in and out, a constant stream of warmth and security, something he’s never truly experienced before.
“Who are you?”
“Well done.”
“More like medium rare.”
“Pretty boy.”
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Take what you need.”
“You’ve unlocked something in me.”
“I trust you.”
“When things get crazy, don’t push me away.”
“I’m all for effort.”
“You continue to surprise me.”
“This, us, it’s not going away.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
They dance, stepping to the beat of their hearts and spinning with the headiness of their closeness. Chest to chest, cheeks pressed together, fleeting smiles pressed into skin. Alec dips Magnus, strong and steady, and he is once again lost as his head tilts back.
“There is nothing ugly about you.”
“I can’t do anything without thinking of you.”
“I don’t think I can live without you.”
“All I care about is how you feel.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“I don’t care who your dad is. I care who you are.”
“You’re the furthest thing from a greater demon.”
“You’re gonna make it back, you hear me?”
“Why wouldn’t I? Look what I have waiting for me.”
“Your power doesn’t just come from your magic. It comes from your inner strength, which you are overflowing with.”
“You’ve been taking care of others your whole life. Sometimes it’s okay to let others take care of you.”
“You’re so cute when you’re serious.”
“My magic…it makes me feel alive.”
“Try to be happy for me.”
“Magnus…”
“Someone get help!”
Their hands slip apart, distance growing between them. Everything is cold, silent, empty. Voices echo just out of reach, a reassuring care that is impossible to grasp.
“Stay…please.”
“…body is rejecting….”
“….not gonna let that son of a bitch…”
He falls to the floor, excruciating pain rattling through his bones like an unquenched wildfire, blistering scarlet scars across the inside of his eyelids. He opens his mouth, calls out for someone, anyone, to help him.
When he finally peels his eyes open, Alec is gone. The loft is charred, ash coating the floor, covering his motionless body. He tries to stand but he is paralyzed, fear and exhaustion shackling him to the spot.
He is alone.