The Bane Chronicles: The Course of True Love (And First Dates)

[strongest_faith]

Alec was late. He was really late. Late enough that he was pretty sure Magnus would have given up on him. Damn Jace wanting to train and Alec's inability to think of a good enough excuse to get out of it.

He'd rushed through a shower and pulled on a light-blue shirt that was actually new. Izzy said it did good things for his eyes. Alec hoped they were good enough for Magnus to forget that he was supposed to be there more than twenty minutes ago. He also hoped Izzy had been right about the cologne. He'd never worn cologne before.

As he sprinted through the Brooklyn streets to Magnus's loft, Alec dodged between pedestrians and once or twice vaulted a low wall that was in his way. He couldn't be bothered to stop for things like red lights, so he just flitted between (or over) cars where necessary. He was already late, but he didn't have to be any later.

By the time he got to Magnus's loft and threw himself at the buzzer, he actually needed to catch his breath.


[ooc: Dialogue and plot courtesy of Cassandra Clare's The Bane Chronicles.]

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[highwarlock_bane]

Magnus prepares himself, his magic at the ready.

He'll figure out which spells will be of use as they go. For now he will just back up Alec.

"Alexander" Magnus calls out

[strongest_faith]

Alec turns his head when he hears his name, and the werewolf strikes, too close for comfort as Alec leaps back, barely avoiding her claws, and drops into a neat tuck and roll, landing in a crouch in front of Magnus.

"You have to stay back," Alec says breathlessly.

[highwarlock_bane]

Magnus threw a ball of blue fire at the werewolf.

"You have to remember I'm a warlock"

[strongest_faith]

The ball sent the werewolf spinning and the few people left in the bar scattering for the exit.

"I know," Alec said, peering into the shadows for a glimpse of the werewolf. "I just want..."

But he never got to say what he wanted because the werewolf had gotten up and was stalking toward them. "I think...I think you made her mad."

[highwarlock_bane]

Magnus followed Alec's gaze.

"Those are some excellent observational skills you have there, Alexander." Magnus tries not to sound sarcastic.

[strongest_faith]

Alec tried to push Magnus back, moving them both out of the back lounge where the werewolf's friend had cleared the room, leaving a wide, empty room for the werewolf to stalk them through.

Alec thought if he could catch her by surprise, he might be able to tackle her to the ground, so, without warning, he broke away from Magnus to lunge at the werewolf.

She wasn't as surprised as he'd hoped though, and when she swiped this time, he didn't quite move fast enough to jump from her reach. Alec went flying into a mirror on the wall, hitting it hard enough to crack the glass.

[highwarlock_bane]

Magnus wasn't expecting Alec breaking away.

And then he was flying through the air and he was horrified as Alexander hits the mirror on the wall. "Oh, stupid Shadowhunters"

[strongest_faith]

Alec rebounded off the mirror, leaping for a chandelier and swinging from it to drop lightly in front of the werewolf and crouching to attack again.

[highwarlock_bane]

"Stupid, secy Shadowhunters."

Alec!" Magnus calls out. Magnus snaps his fingers and blue flame appears. "Alexander. Let's do this together."

[strongest_faith]

Alec wasn't going to make the mistake of getting distracted twice, but when Magnus's fingers snapped, producing flame, he turned his head, nodding briefly.

Magnus was right. Alec always fought better as a team anyway.

[highwarlock_bane]

Magnus lifted his hands and got into the spell. Each trying is given off is meant to make the wolf hesitate.

[strongest_faith]

Alec wove around and between the strings of light, working to slowly pin the werewolf down, herd her to safety.

[highwarlock_bane]

Magnus is impressed with the ease with which Alec moves with Magnus' magic. Most Shadowhunters he has known have been wary of working with magic.

[strongest_faith]

Finally Alec spotted it, a moment when the wolf was distracted by a flash of Magnus's magic. He lunged forward, pinning the wolf to the ground with his knee. Reaching for his hip, he pulled a rope from his pocket and looped around the wolf's neck.

[highwarlock_bane]

Magnus hates that he pictured Alec cutting the werewolf's neck with a knife.

As Alec restrains the werewolf with the rope he begins to drop his magic and starts to murmur magic words. Healing, soothing, and illusions, "Come on, Marcy. Come on!" he encourages her.

[strongest_faith]

Slowly, the wolf in Alec's arms shifted back into a girl.

A girl who was dressed only in the torn ribbons of what used to be dress.

Somehow, this is far more uncomfortable than when she was a wolf.

He let go quickly, and the girl, Marcy, settled into a sitting position.

[highwarlock_bane]

Magnus gives her his long red coat.

"Thank you so much." she says before the weight of it all hits her and the anguish weighs down her expression, "Did I... please, did I hurt anybody?"

[strongest_faith]

"No," said Alec, strong and confident, wanting to reassure her. That's what he'd worry about in her position too. "No, you didn't hurt anyone at all."

"There was someone with me..."

[highwarlock_bane]

"She was scratched. She's fine. I healed her" Magnus reassures the girl.

"But I hurt her" Marc says putting her face in her hands.

[strongest_faith]

Alec reached out a hand and laid it on her back, rubbing in slow circles like he had with Max when he was younger. "She's fine," he said, his voice soothing. "You didn't...I know you didn't want to hurt her. That you didn't want to hurt anyone. You can't help being what you are. You're going to figure it all out."

[highwarlock_bane]

"She forgives you." Magnus tells Marcy but the girl isn't listening to Magnus, she's looking at Alec.

"Oh my God, you're a Shadowhunter" she whispers. "What are you going to do to me?" resigned she adds, "No. I'm sorry. You stopped me. If you hadn't been here - whatever you do to me, I deserve it."

[strongest_faith]

Alec has never been quite so confronted with his Shadowhunterness as he has been tonight, confronted with what it means to be a Shadowhunter and with what others believe it means.

"I'm not going to do anything to you," he said. Marcy looked up at him. "I meant what I said," he added. "I'm not going to tell anyone. I promise."

He knew he should, of course. The Clave would want to know, but...technically Downworlders had dealt with it, and no mundanes were really hurt.

[highwarlock_bane]

Alec has that same look he did when Magnus spoke of his childhood at the party. He had not expected such sympathy, at least not from a Shadowhunter.

Marcy sat up and suddenly looked dignified. "Thank you, both of you." she says to them.

[strongest_faith]

"Marcy?" came the voice of Marcy's friend from the doorway.

"Adrienne!"

Their reunion was touching and sweet, and Alec was beginning to feel like he was intruding on something too personal when they kissed, not at all caring that Magnus and Alec were standing right there.

Alec couldn't help wondering if he would ever be that comfortable--with himself and with someone else.

A man who seemed to be the bartender said, "You're pretty snappily dressed for a dog catcher."

[highwarlock_bane]

"Thank you very much" Magnus responded to the man

Then turning his attention back to someone far more worthy of it, "That was nice, what you said to her" Magnus says to Alec.