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Magnus sat in the middle of the parking lot, listening to the battle wage on inside the abandoned warehouse. Desperate to help, he tried to get back to his feet, only to fall to his knees. A bitter laugh escaped his lips.
A small group of warlocks had taken to kidnapping mundane children, and using them for some dark ritual. The Shadowhunters had a duty to intervene. It took them a while to locate the warlocks, and only then did they encounter powerful wards they couldn’t pass. Enter Magnus Bane- he would have done it even if Alec’s quiet pleading hadn’t tugged at his heart. These warlocks gave all warlocks a bad name- he had to prove to the Institute heads that these men and women acted separately from the others of Brooklyn. In the process of tearing down the wards, he completely depleted his magic, and felt dizzy with the empty feeling.
The magic would return. He’d need only some food, a few hours of rest, and it would begin to regenerate. The lack of magic however became a very clear problem when one of the women fled the building. She had no runes, and flickers of red surrounded her hands- the red matched her splotchy skin, and he found the strength to stand on his feet. That couldn’t be blood spatter, right?
She froze when she saw him, and then raised her hands. He stood, weak, defenceless. An arrow pierced her stomach, followed closely by another to her throat. She fell, lifeless. Alec stood at the doorway, slowly lowering his bow as he approached. “Are you…”
“I’m…” Magnus couldn’t find the words. He just nodded.
The rest of their little group joined; Isabelle with her blood soaked whip, and Seraph blade, Jace with two daggers, and Clary with her blade and Stele. Inside, there were older Shadowhunters who’d joined them for the dangerous fight. Ones who would now take over, Magnus knew.
“That went better than expected,” Jace said, looking satisfied.
“The children?” Magnus asked worriedly.
“One is injured,” Isabelle replied. “But, she’ll live. The rest are scared, but okay. Lydia is working on figuring out who they are, and how to return them. After having their memories altered, that is.” She sighed. “Poor kids.”
“But now it’s done,” Jace said. “And we have the rest of the day off. Get your boyfriend home, Alec. Geez. He’s dead on his feet.”
“I am not,” Magnus muttered.
Alec put an arm around Magnus leading him away. “The Institute, one hour!” Jace shouted at him.
“Yeah. I know,” Alec shouted back.
“Briefing?” Magnus asked.
“Um… no. I was going to ask you,” Alec said, with a scowl. “I just- it’s kind of dumb.”
It peaked Magnus’s interest regardless. He felt stronger, even if his magic remained frustratingly out of reach. “Do tell.”
“It’s not a big deal, just a stupid little tradition,” Alec said, rubbing the back of his neck with the hand not around Magnus’s shoulders. “Obviously and especially like this you don’t have to come with us.”
“Your avoidance is making it a bigger deal, and I’m desperate to know,” Magnus replied as they reached the street.
Alec glanced around, but couldn’t find a taxi. Instead, he pulled his phone out and used an app to call one to their location. Unable to stall any longer, he shoved his phone back in his pocket, and looked at his boyfriend of six-months. “We’re going out for ice cream.”
“O-kay?” Magnus remained incredibly confused. “You have an ice cream tradition?”
“Today. Every year, on this day, Jace, and Izzy, and Max when he’s here, we go for ice cream. This year… I wanted to ask you.” He frowned. “You look exhausted.”
“What’s so special about today?”
Alec smiled at that. “That’s what I’ve always said. It’s not a big deal at all. Jace and Izzy like to make it one. Max too, but he just wants in on the ice cream.”
The taxi showed up, and derailed Magnus’s further lines of questioning.
::
“I can’t believe you’re coming with us,” Alec said.
Despite the disbelief, the insistence that Magnus should stay home and rest, the warlock insisted upon coming. Sure, he didn’t understand- some Shadowhunter holiday? A Lightwood Tradition of some sort? However, his boyfriend, Alec Lightwood, had meant to ask him before their day went to hell in a handbasket. He wanted to be there for Alec, to be a part of these little moments, the quiet ones.
“I’m fine,” Magnus insisted. “Tired, of course.” He held up his hand, trying to work up a spark, a flame. Instead, nothing. “Magic is still too low to do a damn thing.”
“I should have just called this thing off,” Alec said. “I should be taking care of you.”
“Darling, there are few things that ice cream can’t fix,” Magnus teased. Even as they approached the institute, Alec continued holding Magnus’s hand. Three figures stood outside, red hair against a green t-shirt, and jeans; the striking blonde in all black, and the tight dress with mile-long legs. “So is there a special place you always go, or any ice cream place.”
“It really doesn’t matter,” Alec said.
“Of course it matters,” Isabelle argued. “You only turn twenty three once, Alec.”
“What?” Magnus felt a little numb as he stared dumbly at his boyfriend.
Alec sighed. “It is not a big deal. Can we just get the damn ice cream?”
“It’s your birthday!” Magnus snapped. “How could you not tell me that?”
“Don’t get upset,” Jace said trying to defuse the situation. “He never tells people. It took us ages to even get him to let us make ice cream a tradition. He would have worked all day if Izzy and I hadn’t gone and talked to Maryse.”
“It’s just a birthday,” Alec argued. “I get one every year. They’re not important.”
“You’re not immortal,” Magnus whispered. “Every single one you get is important.”
Alec glanced over at Magnus and sighed. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to hide it from you. I just think birthdays are ridiculous. Can we just… get this over with now?”
“That’s the spirit,” Jace slapped his parabatai on the back. “Let’s go!”
With uncertain fingers, Alec sought Magnus’s hand once again. A small sigh escaped him when their fingers interlocked. They smiled at one another, after a brief moment, he turned to his siblings, and Clary. “I swear, if you guys sing, I’m disowning you all.”
::
The little ice cream shop sat in the middle of a mostly industrial area. The paint on the external brick walls had chipped and given into a weathered look. The green awning had faded nearly to grey. However, the little outdoor seating area looked quaint, and the wood chairs and tables were well kept.
Isabelle looked at it nervously. “I swear guys, it looked way better on the internet.”
“It’s fine,” Alec said. He had no interest in going around town trying to find a ‘suitable’ ice cream parlour. He glanced at his boyfriend who looked about ready to pass out. “Are you okay?”
“Just tired,” Magnus admitted softly.
“Why don’t you save us a seat,” Alec said. “What do you want me to get you?”
“It’s your birthday,” Magnus argued. “I should treat you.”
Alec kissed his temple. “You can treat me later.”
That earned him a little chuckle. “You shameless flirt. I love it. Surprise me. Just not bubble gum.”
Alec nodded and went inside with the rest of their group.
::
The summer heat had carried into September, and even though he didn’t wear one of his usual coats, he still pulled the silk shirt from his chest, trying to get some air. His rings glinted in the low hanging sun. Soon the temperature would dip, and not a moment too soon. He noted the noise behind him, an approaching group. He looked over his shoulder. The last thing he needed was to be caught by one of the Circle.
He stared for a moment. They didn’t appear to be anything more than a group of young men. They lacked fashion sense, and one of them was missing a front tooth. No runes. Then again, a glamour could hide that. They currently hid those of his companions after all.
“What are you looking at, faggot?” one of the men snapped.
Magnus tensed at the slur. He considered snapping back, and remembered his exhaustion, his magical well in desperate need of replenishing. There were seven or eight men. Eight- he counted. “Nothing,” he replied, looking away.
“Did you like what you see?” the ringleader asked. The slur rolled off his tongue again, right in Magnus’s ear.
The warlock stood, knowing he’d be absolutely screwed if he had to start a fight sitting down. “No, I looked in your direction. Nothing more.”
“Hey,” Jace said, having come out with an ice cream cone in each hand. “Is there a problem here?”
“Oh are you on a date?” The ringleader asked viciously. “You make me sick.”
“The feeling is mutual,” Magnus bit back a split second before the man shoved him into the table.
Alec stormed in and shoved the man back. “Keep your hands off my boyfriend,” Alec snapped, keeping himself between the eight men and Magnus.
The man’s lip curled up, and he projected his move with body language that Alec had trained his entire life to read. He dodged, and shoved a kick into the man’s chest.
“This is going to be good, it’s like it’s my birthday,” Jace said easily. He took a lick of his ice cream, before shoving the chocolate orange cone at Magnus.
“What… we…” Magnus huffed out a breath as the men started to come in on Alec. He grabbed Jace by the collar. “Do something!”
Clary took a step forward, but Isabelle grabbed her wrist. “They’re just mundanes. This is Alec, and they just hurt Magnus.”
“There are eight of them!” Clary argued, looking every bit as terrified as Magnus.
“I know, it’s not a fair fight at all… for them.” Isabelle looked as undisturbed as Jace. She smiled. “Have you ever had the pleasure of watching Alec in hand-to-hand combat?” She licked her mocha ice cream. “Pay attention. Learn something.”
On that note, Alec moved. The punch thrown, he grabbed, twisting the arm. He snapped a kick back keeping the other man away from him. An elbow down where the neck met shoulder left the man unconscious on the ground. Another vicious elbow as he turned, and blood poured from the man’s nose as he screamed.
“Mundanes!” Jace shouted the reminder, obviously not wanting his brother to get in trouble with the Clave by accidentally killing one of them.
Magnus watched, enthralled. His boyfriend moved quick, though his runes were hidden, they still worked. He managed never to even get hit by one, as he ducked, dodged, swung, and kicked. At last, the rest of the men were either unconscious or nursing wounds, and only the wide-eyed ringleader remained.
“Hey man, let it go,” he said, voice trembling.
“What part?” Alec asked. “You were harassing my boyfriend.” He saw the flinch and his lip curled. “You shoved him. You hurt him.”
“No one wants to see that sick shit,” the man said, but his bravado was a shadow of his earlier cruelty.
“Sick?” Alec repeated. “I think it’s sick that eight men think ganging up one because of their sexuality is sick. You’re going to apologise to him.”
Jace snickered. “I know I shouldn’t, but I hope he’s dumb enough to resist.” He pulled a chocolate chunk from his vanilla ice cream with his teeth.
“Fuck you.”
Jace smiled at Magnus, and held up three fingers. Two. One. That last finger pointed at Alec. In that exact moment, Alec moved, and in a flash he has the man on his knees, arm twisted behind in a clearly painful position. “Apologise.” The man gasps, curses. Alec pushed the arm up just slightly, and the man screamed.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, fuck man! Let go! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
For the first time, Alec glanced over at Magnus. ‘You okay?’ Alec mouthed.
Magnus stood with his mouth agape. The cone Jace had earlier thrust into his hands, held like a torch, had ice cream melting over his fingers. He managed to nod. Alec glanced down at the man, and then back to Magnus, a question on his face.
“Let him go, darling,” Magnus said softly, but over the pained groans, Alec must have heard as he released his grip.
Crouching, Alec forced the man to look at him. “Next time you feel ‘sick,’ keep your mouth shut, and walk the other way. You should remember, it was his mercy that kept you from a hospital room. Not mine.” With that, Alec walked back over. His knuckles were bloody, his right elbow had blood, and his clothes hid anything else.
“You good, hermano?” Isabelle asked.
He rolled his shoulders. “Yeah.” His blue eyes drifted over to his dropped ice cream.
“I’ll get you another,” Magnus offered, still in awe of his boyfriend’s skill and strength.
“Or-“ he grabbed Magnus’s wrist, and pulled one of his hands from the cone, he licked the melted ice cream from one of Magnus’s fingers, and the warlock swallowed hard. “We could share.”
“Share,” Magnus agreed. “Sharing is good.”
Alec’s smile blinded him.