epidemiology | OPEN | left behind folks

Entry tags:

OPEN | left behind folks

CHARACTERS: Magnus Bane + OPEN; Magnus Bane + Alec Lightwood;
DATE: During the week of the storm
WARNINGS: bodies, blood, gore. Also some gay, probably
SUMMARY: Feel free to rescue him from being mugged? Or just commiserate with him over his stolen fish. Also, investigating bodies and stuff.

i. open → seashells by the seashore

[ This is not the worst month he's ever had, but it comes damn close. A part of him just wants to hole up somewhere until all of this goes away, except he's never been good at that. He needs a distraction. He needs something to take his mind off the fact that his magic, which has been a part of him since he was born, has all but fizzled out.

So here he is, at the shoreline where the man on the network had said he'd found bodies. He isn't wrong: there they are, lined up on the beach. Ugh. It's not pretty.

And nearby the shore, a figure. They don't look deer-shaped, so he really hopes it's just another stranded islander investigating like he is and not a Nalawi looking to slice him open, too. ]

Anything interesting or just the same old sacrifices?

ii. open → tiny angry deer folk

[ It's entirely possible it was not a good idea to go wandering in the dark when he doesn't have his magic to protect him. It is entirely possible he should have stayed indoors and avoided this whole mess. It's spiraling out of control faster than the thing with the Mortal Cup had, which is saying something.

So yes. It was an awful idea. Look, he was bored and hungry, there's nothing to drink here, and he's miserable. What was the worse that could happen, really?

Apparently, having a Nalawi that barely comes up to his shoulder assault him for his fish. Magnus sputters and lets it go, because he knows exactly how useful he is without his magic and it is the sum of less than zero. He hates his life. ]

Hey! Really?

iii. closed → slow motion run towards each other

[ Magnus is pacing, up and down along the walls and walls of murals, twisting his ring around his finger until his skin goes numb. He's clearly irritating the Nawali in here. He doesn't care. He knows they don't deserve any of this, but neither does he and the remnants of his sympathies have been chipped into oblivion along with his nail polish.

He doesn't even know why he's anxious. Alec's here. That's good, in a way, but the last time they saw each other, it'd been...complicated and as much as he missed the Shadowhunter, it didn't mean he wanted their reunion to be here. Alec should be back home, protecting Clary, finding his parabatai. It's bad enough Magnus is stuck here unable to help, but now the Institute is down yet another one.

Mostly, he's just not sure how Alexander will really respond to him despite their conversation over the network. He hates being so uncertain. ]

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[ The second he hears Alec's voice, his head lifts. Alec looks awful, but it's still the best sight he's ever seen in weeks.]

Alexander. [ Magnus strides towards him without hesitation; he wants to kiss him, but they haven't shared a kiss since the wedding (he still can't believe it sometimes) and he doesn't want to frighten Alec off.

So he doesn't. But he does reach for the burns on Alec, standing almost too close to him, his brows drawing together. His fingers twitch, as if he's trying to call on his magic to heal. Of course he can't. Of course that's why Alec hasn't healed, either; his iratzes are not working. ]

Are you all right?

[He thought he was prepare to see Magnus look... not perfect, which he doesn't mind. But it's seeing him haggard, without the perfect lined makeup and his colored nails, hair curled or styled or dyed, whatever he chose; all of that is what makes this even larger.

It's not too close. He's just -- relieved. And confused. And worried. If he looks like this, it means something is wrong. His magic? Like after the eruption, like that girl Sakura?

He doesn't like seeing Magnus like this. Worried, fragmented. And Alec's never been as relieved as he was when he kissed Magnus. Maybe it's another temporary loss of sanity. He could blame it on that, right? He's almost been burned alive at least once, and if they're going to get caught in this storm, he wants at least one more.

So he leans down and kisses him, sharp and quick.]

Fine. [He pulls back, his eyes wide. Angel. Why did he keep doing that?] You okay? Your magic...?

[ It's the second time Alec's caught him by surprise like this. Magnus blinks, and then the kiss is over -- but he doesn't want it to be. He doesn't at all, and Magnus reaches up to pull Alec down to finish what he started. When they part, he doesn't pull back far. His lips are curved a hint at the edges. For a brief moment, everything feels perfectly fine.

Then Alec brings up his magic. He shakes his head, clearly unhappy with this topic. ]

Gone. I can feel it, but it's like a ghost. [ He snaps his fingers the way one might flick a lighter; the sparks that fly are visible, but weak. ] My only comfort is that I'm not alone.

[It's his turn to be surprised; he makes a small sound of concern right before their lips meet again. It's not as brief, but it's --

Wow. It's dizzying. He would've fought twenty more golems for this. (He also wishes Magnus wasn't here, either. Where did ALASTAIR get off --)

Okay. He needs a second to bring his head back; one second apparently is not long enough. Words. Come. It takes some time.]

I... y-yeah. [No magic. So that hasn't changed. He clears his throat, leaving a little more room between them. And because it's been hardwired so deeply into him, he instinctively looks around them, staring down a Nalawi that had glanced at them. The temple wasn't exactly a hot spot, but they weren't alone.] There's others. It's the volcano, I guess, everything's... you were here for it?

[ He's definitely missed this, too: Alec's endearing loss of speech. Magnus pays no attention to the Nalawi around him; they've caused him such headaches and he can damn well kiss a man in their temple if he wants. ]

Explosions? Everyone's magic going haywire? Lava spilling down? Yeah, I was there for it. Luckily, I fixed the girl I turned into a Cocker Spaniel. [ Is he going to elaborate on this? No, he is not. But his gaze does turn slightly shifty for a second before he changes the subject entirely. ]

What about you? Your runes -- you have your stele, don't you?

[Alec still feels a little winded, taking a step back to run a hand through his hair. Magnus was here, without magic, and he couldn't imagine... it was bad enough with his runes, things that shouldn't be affected by anything less than Raziel himself coming down to take their power away. But he couldn't imagine having the power Magnus did and then having it be gone. Alec still had his bow, his strength, his speed. Things the Angel had still given them.]

Wait you -- [Is it really surprising he forgets his words so often? Magnus casually skips from one topic to another, and he's still trying to process that he'd kissed him again.] I, yeah, I have it. Can you go back? You turned someone into a dog? Why...?

[ He holds up a finger. ] Partially into a dog. [ That part's important, okay. ] When the volcano erupted, my magic came back in a flood. She got a little too close.

[ He shrugs, but he's obviously still bothered by it. Not what happened, exactly, because it all worked out -- the girl didn't even seem all that upset or traumatized by it -- but the implications of it linger. He's not used to having his magic jerked around like this; it's been his for so long. He's not sure which is worse: losing control of it or having it just be empty. ]

Anyway, it's been quite the adventure.

[He opens his mouth, closes it abruptly, frowns and thinks about that for a moment. Which part...? Wait, he really didn't want to ask that, did he? He knows Magnus well enough (there's so much you don't know about him) that it wouldn't have been on purpose.]

You could say that. [Alec hesitated, then reached to lay a hand on Magnus's arm. This wasn't too much...? They had bigger problems.] I'm sorry.

[It's not his fault. He knows it isn't, and Shadowhunters don't apologize for much. But Magnus is -- different. He's different in a lot of ways. He didn't know if there was a way to offer himself that didn't sound insulting. For protection. If his magic was gone, something that should have been impossible, they... he didn't want him to get hurt.] It's been one thing after another, and I looked for... I mean, I didn't think anyone else would be here. From home.

[ It's the first time, Magnus thinks, that Alexander has reached out to touch him. It's startling enough that he doesn't dismiss the apology the way he might have with anyone else. From Alec, he knows it's genuine. ]

Believe me, neither did I. I didn't even think to look. [He leans back against the murals, fingers tracing idly over the thick primitive lines. His usually manicured nails are ruined, but he's still wearing his rings.] But if they were going to take anyone, it'd make sense it's you and me.

[The High Warlock and the head of one of the biggest Institutes this side of the continent. Acting head. Whatever. Alec has a better relationship with the Downworlders than Maryse and Robert could ever dream of, and that makes him the official representative in Magnus's eyes. In any case, when he's meeting people like Loki, it's hard to believe this is random.

Then again, there is a 13 year old girl running around. But maybe that just means ALISTAIR's system isn't flawless.]

[Alec can't help but not look, if only because part of his soul is still bound to Jace. He can't... he can feel him, but he can't. Maybe this is how Magnus fells about his magic. It's there, but like it's like a ghost.

Jace isn't a ghost. He would know.]

You, maybe. [He's not arguing the point. Alec steps away from him, turning to look up at the murals that are etched deeply into the walls. This place isn't like anything he's ever seen. It's ancient, it reeks of magic, and it's enough to sometimes believe gods are at battle here. It's not demon armies and the Institute and dependable traffic jams.

Alec wasn't anything anymore. He wasn't the head of his Institute, certainly not at this point, and he wasn't Valentine's daughter -- or son -- and his own parents couldn't look at him for longer than a second. It'd probably be a miracle if the Clave didn't drive him into the ground. If there was a Clave to return to.]

What are you doing here, anyway? [The murals seemed pretty self-evident, but he was out of sorts at being somewhere so old with... someone maybe as old. (He wasn't still thinking about it.)] Reading up on island history?

[ Magnus doesn't comment further, either; he knows how Alec sees himself. And they haven't even touched on the topic if Jace Wayland yet. Magnus doesn't want to. Not now, when there's nothing either of them can do. As long as the parabatai bond is holding, that'll have to be enough. ]

Something like that. The sacrifices had me curious. [ The truth is, Magnus just wanted a place to get some peace and quiet. The beaches are full of carved up bodies, there's not a bar in sight, nearly all of the markets in the city are shut down, and the Nalawi are becoming increasingly aggressive. It's all getting a bit exhausting.

These are not things he wishes to impart on Alec, however. So he turns around and gestures at the paintings, which he has been studying. ] It's all pretty typical. Birth, war, great destruction, sunshine and bountiful gifts. They definitely don't seem to be cat-lovers.

[ Probably best his eyes don't slip. ]

Sacrifices? [He frowns at the murals, rubbing the back of his head. He had enough problems at home, and this was... more Downworlder business. The thing that he was definitely not supposed to get involved with.] You saw them, too.

[They were grisly, but precise. It was something he would've attributed to mundanes a little too desperate for a demon to grant them attention other than anything else. All of this stuff with gods and goddesses...]

Apparently not. [He shifts, holding his bow against his side. He's staring at the hulking cat shapes when he offers:] I could stay with you until your magic's back.

[ Magnus nods, sharper than he means. He doesn't like it, the sacrifices. Even if it's nothing, it speaks of a desperation that can't lead anywhere good. These aren't mundanes who've watched too many horror movies; they're a people who've always intimately known magic. Whatever they're doing, it's...significant. ]

I haven't been keeping count, but from what people are telling me, they're cropping up every day and some have outright gone missing.

[ For a moment, he's quiet until Alec speaks up again. Magnus turns. Right. Of course. He knows what Alec is saying without actually saying it. The implication stings his pride a little, but he isn't stupid. He knows what good he is without his magic and the answer is absolutely none. Still. He's never had to rely on anyone before, least of all a Shadowhunter --

And yet the offer tugs at another part of him, too. One that knows it isn't something just any Shadowhunter would do, protecting a Downworlder. ]

Just until it's back? [ His lips curl, teasing, but his expression is soft. ] I'd appreciate that.

[Alec is still, a finger running over the string of his bow, waiting to be told that it wasn't necessary. He hadn't wanted to imply he was... defenseless, but he knew how much Magnus used his magic. He knew he wasn't the only one was affected by it.

His nod was solemn, but he didn't answer. There were more and more, and this was a bigger problem than just trying to convince them to get off an island. From one island to another, just to get their bellies slit like fish.

His gaze shot back down. The same kind of warmth he'd felt after his wedding swelled in his face.] And after, too. If you want. [His smile was small, but there.] Though you won't need any help then.

[As soon as it came, the quirk in his lips was gone again.] Did you feel anything from them? I don't know how much I can feel, but... they just felt like bodies to me. Not magic.

[ However small, Magnus is glad to see a smile on Alec, though it vanishes too soon. So does his own. He twirls his ring absently, tracing the grooves in the thick silver band. ]

I didn't feel anything, either, though frankly, I couldn't tell you how much that has to do with my magic. Or the lack thereof.

[ Usually, he uses magic to sense magic. His warlocks have always been interconnected with him; now it's just gone, no matter how hard he tries to reach for it. ]

At least you still have my bow and quiver. [ He plucks Alec's bowstring wryly. That felt a long time ago somehow, though he knew it wasn't. Especially not for him. ]

[He sighs. He doesn't mean to be wound so tightly, but -- who the hell would blame him? He knows this isn't a matter of mundanes trying their first hand at sacrificing to some minor demon for fun or profit. This isn't something he can just go look up in the Codex. Sacrificial magic is serious. It's one step above true black magic, and... and he doesn't have much experience with it.

This is something they usually let Downworlder scouts handle.]

Yours? [He blinks back to the present. The string vibrates against him, making the hair stick up at the back of his head.] Right.

[The only thing left he'd had in payment.] I'd give it to you if I thought you could use it.

[Was that... teasing? Nope. No way.]

[ That is teasing. It makes Magnus's eyes widen just a hint in surprise. Something like delight stirs inside him; it's stupid, he knows, but their conversations have always been so serious, so fraught with tension. Even the night Alec had stayed over, Alec's mind had lingered on his parents and the Institute.

He wants to see Alec lighter again, that's all, the way he was during that short time after the wedding, all smiles and bright eyes. It hadn't lasted nearly long enough. ]

Oh, you keep it. But you know, if we find the time, [ his voice drops half an octave, a silky purr, ] I would be glad to learn how to use your bow.

[There might have been the smallest smile on Alec's face right before it vanished in surprise. Oh. Angel. He'd dug his own grave here. That was exactly what he'd asked for and --

It was different. Now. Between them. He wasn't ignoring him, looking away from him at his flirtations. He was.

Hell, he had no idea what he was doing.]

Yours. Your bow. Um. [He hastily pawed at his bracelet which, to his ever-thankful mind, immediately powered up so he could focus all of his attention on the network.] We should see if --

[Anything's changed. He stiffened, cursing under his breath. The hint of ease in him went up in smoke, his muscles stiff, his stance straighter.] Magnus, look. Something's happening. [Alec looked up at him, and his gaze was serious. He knew he didn't have magic now, but if he thought he knew Magnus at all...] Do you want to go?

[ His grin grows ever more coy as he watches Alec fuss with his device, looking anywhere but at Magnus's face. When Alec's brow furrows, though, so does Magnus's. ]

What is it? [ Magnus lifts up a bit on his toes to peer over Alec's shoulder. There's not much to read, as it turns out. The message is cryptic at best and, actually, just downright useless.

But he already knows he isn't going to stay here. It's all of their problem now. If nothing else, he's determined to get his damn magic back. (The thought of being without it for good is not one he's entertaining.)

He nods. ] We should lend a hand. Come on.

[He lowers the holo a little, his frown not lightening up. It looked like this mission was only going to keep getting worse, and now Alec was even more convinced no one knew what the hell they were doing.

He sighed.]

I'm right behind you. [The holo fizzled out. Maybe, if they could figure out where to go, they'd actually be able to help.

No thanks, once again, to ALASTAIR.]

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OPEN | left behind folks

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