Work Text:
"Who are you?" said a quiet voice which reminded him of Alec. Magnus turned from his perch on the windowsill of the (apparently occupied) bedroom. He was met by the figure of a small young male with a striking resemblance to Alec. Grey eyes peering at him with curiosity. Perhaps, Magnus thought fondly, this is how Alec would have looked like when he was younger--the softness of his features and the roundness of his face.
"I am Magnus Bane" declared Magnus, standing up and stepping away from the window. "THE HIGH WARLOCK OF BROOKLYN!" he announced in his best High Warlock voice but it did not seem to deter the young Shadowhunter--well, not Shadowhunter yet,--Nephilim then, he decided. The boy's eyes opened wide with awe.
"I'm Max." the boy, Max, spoke after a while. "I'm Max Lightwood." Max--no wonder he bore a remarkable likeness to Alec.
"Hello Max" greeted Magnus with amusement on his features. "How old are you Max?"
"I'm nine" replied Max, pushing up the scrawny glasses on his face. "I'm turning ten next year. Then I'll get my first mark." the boy declared proudly. "They place it here" he said, pointing to the backside of his dominant hand.
Magnus nodded his head appreciatively. "Why are you staying here all alone? Shouldn't you be downstairs with your siblings?"
He saw Max visibly flinch but then shrugged it off. "They kicked me out of the room for 'grown-up' talk so I went to my room."
"Oh, so this is your room. I apologize. I must have gotten the wrong room." said Magnus with softness in his voice which he normally did not show. "I think I shall take my leave now."
"Are you going to Alec's room? It's here. We share."
Magnus took a tentative step closer, not wanting to frighten the youngest Lightwood boy. It was the same simplicity and determination displayed in his older brother's blue eyes but his were a dark gray. He obeyed, making himself comfortable on the nearest chair with legs crossed nonchalantly.
Max moved closer to him, sitting on a footstool, gazing up at him like a lost puppy. "You're the one who's been calling my brother, aren't you? At night? I can hears his voice sometimes when he passes my room in the hall."
Magnus took a moment with shock quickly washing over his features. "Yes. I am. Does it bother you?"
"No" Max shook his head. "Alec is happier when he talks to you."
"He is?" Magnus's voice a bit questioning.
"Yes is" Max confirmed. "He isn't as quiet. He talks a lot more. I've never heard him speak to someone in such long conversations before. He usually keeps stuff to himself but he isn't like that with you. He tells you stuff. More stuff than he actually tell me."
"I'm sorry Max" whispered Magnus, hearing the jealousy in the boy's hurt tone. "It was not my intension to steal your brother away from you."
"No" the boy mumbled. "It's not your fault. Alec is Alec. He's already eighteen and I'm just nine. He is never going to see me as more than just a kid. But it's okay. I know he's happy when he's with you. He stays with you, right? When he doesn't come home at night and returns early in the morning when he thinks we are all asleep? He was with you, wasn't he?"
"Yes" said Magnus, thinking back to the times when Alec stayed over at his apartment.
"I see" Max noted with an expression that Magnus couldn't read. "So you guys are dating, aren't you?"
Magnus looked at him then asked back. "If I say, are you going to tell anyone?"
"No, I'm not." the boy shook his head furiously. "If I tell and the Clave finds out, Alec will be in trouble. He's going to get stripped of his marks, disgraced, and forced to stop being a Shadowhunter. I can't do that to Alec. He loves being a Shadowhunter and he... he won't want to lose you."
"Me?"
"Isn't it obvious? Every time with need something magical, he automatically says your name. I think it's just an excuse to get to see you. His ears grow red whenever you do come and he starts stuttering like he's Izzy when she got her first boyfriend. But I can tell that it isn't like Izzy and her first boyfriend at all. After he calls you, he hums--Alec never hums unless he's happy."
There was silence. Magnus, unsure of how Max had rendered him speechless. He wasn't used to Shadowhunters being so--honest. Maybe it was because Max hadn't been sent to the Clave to study the Codex yet. He couldn't really put a finger on it.
"Do you love my brother?" the question came to him as a surprise. "Because if you do. You keep him safe, okay? I keep hearing rumours that there is war. But won't tell me about it because I'm too young. I'm not sure. But--but if there is a way. Keep my brother. You'll do that, won't you?"
Magnus took a long, long time, staring at those grey eyes which stared just as long back. "I will."
"Good" Max said with a smile that was very much like Alec's. "I'm trusting you. Even if you are a warlock because you love my brother. But if you hurt him." he said, voice lowering as much as he could. "I will train to be the best Shadowhunter and kill you."
Magnus tipped his head back and laughed. "I will never hurt your brother."
Max raised his hand, tucking all his fingers in a fist except for his pinky. "Pinky swear"
"I swear" spoke Magnus, entwining their pinkies together.
***
Magnus watches from the trees as the Lightwoods bury their youngest son. From here, he could see Alec in his white mounting clothes covered in red and gold runes. His hair his lank from the light drizzle, curtaining his face and hiding his eyes. Isabelle wasn't in attendance. Only Jace stood beside Alec looking, for the first time ever, sullen.
***
A young Shadowhunter boy ran across the tall grass in the open-fields just outside of Alicante. He was slightly short for his age and had lanky frames covering half his face. He was playing with several children: a short girl with fiery red hair, an older boy light brown hair, a young blonde girl who was struggling to catch-up to her older playmates, and another boy with dark black hair.
"Papa!" the called to him, long black hair sticking to his neck. "it's lunch time."
Magnus looked at the boy, with green eyes and ink black hair. He was slightly thinner than the rest of the children. His features were rounded and plump, and had a smile that could light up the entire city. "Coming!" he called back.
"Alec" he murmured against the man slumbering beside him. "Alec" he said more firmly until the man stirred awake.
"Magnus? What time is it?" Alec's sleepy voice cracked from the lack of use.
"It's lunch time, darling."
"Where's Max?"
"He's over their playing with his cousins."
"Oh right" Alec said with a groan, falling back to the grass with a thud. "I guess that means Isabelle's cooking."
The tall pillars of the Gard was still piercing through the clear blue skies--everything was peaceful.