Work Text:
Alec kneels beside the bed, the pristine white sheets a stark contrast to the chaos brewing inside him. Magnus lies still, his face unnaturally pale against the embroidered silk pillows. The warlock's magic had backfired during a particularly nasty demon incursion, leaving him… altered.
"Magnus?" Alec whispers, gently stroking a strand of black hair from his forehead.
Magnus' eyes flutter open, but the usual spark, the glint of mischief and ancient wisdom, is gone. They're blank.
"Who... who are you?" Magnus asks, his voice a raspy whisper.
Alec's heart falls. Forgot. The word echoes in his mind, chilling him to the bone. Magnus hasn't just forgotten a name, a face. He had forgotten Alec.
"It's me, Magnus. Alexander. Your Alexander," he says, his voice catching inside his throat.
Magnus stares, unseeing. "Alexander… that doesn't… ring any bells."
The next few hours are a blur. Alec tries everything - shared memories, whispered secrets. Nothing.
Magnus’ gaze remains vacant, a terrifying portrait of a man devoid of the past.
He told him about their first meeting, the awkward introductions, the undeniable pull that had ignited between them. He described their first kiss, the rooftop under the starlight. He even shows him pictures, countless snapshots capturing years of laughter, love, and shared adventures. Still, nothing.
Finally, exhaustion pulls at Alec, and he sits heavily on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his own hair. "Don't you remember anything? Anything at all?" he pleads, his voice laced with desperation.
Magnus reaches out, his hand trembling slightly, and cups Alec’s cheek. His touch is tentative, hesitant, but something flickers in his eyes.
“Your… your eyes,” Magnus murmurs, his brow furrowed. “They’re… full of love. Even when you’re sad. I… I don’t know why, but I feel safe with you. Even if I don't know you."
Alec leans into the touch, tears welling in his eyes. It isn't a full recovery, not yet. But it is a start. It is the echo of something enduring, a connection that transcends memory itself.
"Then let me remind you," Alec whispers, leaning down to kiss Magnus.
Magnus closes his eyes and sighs softly. A warm feeling spreads within him as he kisses his beautiful stranger. The person, Alexander, he should know somehow.
The kiss lasts for a few wonderful seconds before Alec pulls back. A sad smile on his face as Magnus blinks his eyes open. Still looking at him with a blank stare. He has hoped the kiss will help Magnus to recognize him. Even if only a little bit.
"Still nothing?" Alec asks, caressing Magnus' cheek. A desperate tone in his voice.
Magnus shakes his head, slightly. "But I enjoyed the kiss."
"Do you want something to drink? I can make you tea."
"That would be nice. Thank you Alexander."
Alec stands up and leaves their bedroom. The way Magnus says his name feels so hollow without him remembering.
But Alec knows their love will be strong enough that not even amnesia can't erase it.