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It happened while Magnus was with a client at the loft. He was about to give the man his desired potion when he felt like someone had hit his head with a baseball bat. He stumbled and gripped the table for support.
“Are you okay?” the client asked. When Magnus opened his eyes the client's brown jacket was grey for the most part.
“Oh no. Your jacket didn't magically turn grey, did it?” Magnus handed him the potion.
The guy shook his head:”No sorry. Good luck finding them.”
After he left Magnus sighed. He was familiar with having soulmates, of course, but he hadn't had one in a long time and he noticed there were shades of green missing too. This was just great considering the person had just been born. He knew it would take a long time before he could even try to find them without it being creepy. Being immortal was as much a gift as it was a burden. Having soulmates sounded great but he was almost 400 and his soulmate was barely a few minutes old. He was used to missing certain shades of brown and green and blue though so it should be fine for a few years. At least it wasn't a bright blue this time. Not seeing his own magic in anything except a boring shade of grey was the weirdest thing.On the other end of all of these thoughts was Alexander Gideon Lightwood, a young shadowhunter growing up without dark brown shades. Like some of his brother's leather jackets that just looked grey to him. Even his sister's and his parents' eyes and hair were partially grey. It annoyed him but growing up there wasn't anything he could do. And he was still pretty young.
Eventually he would find him, that's what his sister always said. She knew he was gay. He didn't even have to tell her. The three of them were already 18 when their parents moved back to Idris with their little brother Max. Of course their parents visited them but it was basically just him, Jace and Izzy in New York now.
Alec was the head of the NY institute, Izzy was fine with just going on missions and occasionally teaching Max and Jace had always been a soldier, ready to follow orders.All in all, life was pretty good. One thing that was always in the back of Alec's mind, though, was that there weren't just the deep brown shades missing. He couldn't see some orangey golden shades either. And who had eyes that are dark brown and straight up golden?
That had never made sense in his head and to be honest, he didn't even want to think about his soulmate being anything other than a shadowhunter.
It would be enough to tell his parents about his sexuality and he didn't have the nerve to deal with their racism too. That was not an Alec problem, it was a Maryse and Robert problem and Alec certainly didn't have time for that.He remembered one day when they had all been invited to a wedding at the institute and nothing had looked like it should have. All the golden details where just plain grey and the bride's wedding dress looked like nothing special but everyone else in the room was staring at it in awe.
That night he had told Izzy about it. She had told him nothing he didn't already know but it was still nice to know that she supported him.He snapped out of his thoughts when Izzy walked into his office.
“Alec? I ordered a potion from Magnus but I don't have time to go and get it and he told me he can't portal here right now,” she said, still standing in the door frame.
He rolled his eyes at her. She had become friends with Magnus Bane, who happened to be the High warlock of Brooklyn and had helped them several times in the past. Alec had never met him but Izzy told him a lot of things. Mostly stories from their shopping trips but still. Izzy also loved stressing that Magnus was bisexual and very good-looking.
“And you want me to get it? Where's Jace? Or Clary?”
She smirked:”They're on a date. Please. Just this once, Alec.”
“Okay but you owe me one.” He got up and grabbed his jacket. Before he left the institute, Izzy hugged him.So, here he was now, standing in front of Magnus's loft, knocking on his door. It swung open a second later but Magnus was not anywhere in sight.
“Hello?” Alec looked around. There was a cat peeking around the corner and when it saw him it meowed.
Alec smiled:”Hi. Who are you, little one?”
“That's Chairman Meow. He normally doesn't like people. And you are?” Magnus was reading something in a book, not paying too much attention to him.
“I'm Alec Lightwood. Izzy asked me to come and get a potion she ordered.”
As he stood there still in the hallway next to the door he saw Magnus's face getting softer. He turned around and walked up to Alec.
He felt the other man's gaze trail up his body to his face:”Oh, you must be that brother she always talks abou-” He stopped when he met Alec's eyes. Alec couldn't believe it.His eyes were dark brown, Magnus Bane's eyes were a shade of brown he had never seen before. This couldn't be. Magnus on the other hand was just relieved to have the missing shades of green and brown back. He had not yet registered that his current soulmate was a shadowhunter.
When his mind finally started to understand the situation, he chuckled.
“What's so funny about this?” Alec knew he sounded too defensive for his own good but he couldn't help it. He was terrified. The High warlock of Brooklyn, his soulmate? By the angel, this was not something he could manage. Magnus looked at him:”I just realised why Isabelle wanted me to meet you for so long now. I knew she was smart but I didn't expect this.”
Alec didn't even know what to answer.Why was Magnus so calm about this? He was freaking out inside. How would he explain this to anyone? He could lose his job and his parents. What would Jace think? What would the Clave think?
“Alexander, are you okay? You look a little pale. Am I that breathtaking?” Magnus joked.
He looked at Magnus again:”We can never see each other again. Nobody can know about this.”Magnus frowned.
“Alexander, does anyone know you're gay?”
Alec visibly flinched at that sentence and he looked down.Magnus continued:”I take that as a no. I just want you to know that I'm not going to tell anyone. I'd like to get to know you though.”
Magnus gestured at the couch and Alec sat down. He noticed that the other man sat down opposite of him instead of next to him, giving him some space. He was really thankful for that.
“I'm just shocked. Sorry for being rude.”
Magnus smiled at him:”It's fine. There's nothing to be ashamed of. I don't want you to feel obliged to get to know me. I just want to get to know the guy who made me live without some greens and browns for 20 years.”
Alec knows he should bring up the thing with the gold but maybe it didn't actually have anything to do with Magnus. Maybe it was just his problem.
He smiled back at Magnus:”I think I'd like that too. I just...can't immediately tell people.”
The warlock nodded:”Noted. And you don't care that I'm a downworlder?”
“You're half human, we're half human. Why would I care? I'm not the Clave.”
Alec got up while Magnus just smiled. Mostly to himself.
“Is Izzy's potion ready? I should get back to the institute. She's probably waiting.”
He conjured up the bottle in Alec's hand and sighed:”If you really need to go then fine. Do you wanna go out for a drink sometime?”
Alec smiled at him:”Sure. That sounds good. When?”
“I'll call you.”
Alec arrived at the institute with a smile on his face. He knew he was playing with fire but it seemed worth it already. He didn't understand everything yet but he felt good. Izzy was already sitting in his office when he walked in.
“Izzy, I'm never helping you with anything ever again. You knew, didn't you?” He sat down behind his desk.
Izzy looked at him with a smug smile on her face:”I don't know what you're talking about. How's Magnus?”
“He's fine. Very pleased with having all the colours back. Here's your potion and now get out before I give you extra work for doing that.”
She got up and walked towards the door after taking her potion:”Just admit you're glad that you met him.”
He rolled his eyes again:”Maybe.”
She chuckled and left the room. What did he get himself into?The same question was still on his mind three weeks and countless dates with Magnus later. Okay, maybe not countless, they had been on exactly five dates. Not that Alec was actually counting. He was starting to fall for Magnus and he had decided to take the next step tonight.
They had decided to stay at Magnus's loft and just watch a movie. No movie night was complete without cuddling though. It was only when Alec completely stopped paying attention to the screen and focused entirely on making out with Magnus that Magnus understood Alec's intentions. He pushed Alec away a little bit to look at him properly.
“Are you sure you want this?”
Alec frowned:”Of course I am. You don't want to?”
Magnus shook his head:”It's not that. I just...need to show you something first.”
He blinked once to reveal his cat eyes and looked at Alec. When Magnus looked at him with his warlock mark exposed, Alec couldn't help but laugh. Of course, that's why the gold had still been missing. When Alec calmed down and looked at Magnus again, he looked hurt. He had really thought Alexander was different.
“Get out.” Magnus's voice was cold. Alec stared at him.
“No, I wasn't laughing about you. No no no. It's just-” Alec sat up, trying to explain himself.
Magnus didn't look at him. He didn't even open his eyes again.
The younger man moved closer to Magnus:”I wasn't laughing at your eyes, Magnus. It's just that it all makes sense now. Please look at me. They're beautiful. You're beautiful.”
Magnus opened his eyes and looked at the shadowhunter. His eyes were glamoured again.
Alec continued:”There's something I didn't tell you about the colours. I met you and I thought it was going to be fine but all I got was the dark browns of your eyes. The gold I had never been able to see was still missing. I convinced myself it was just my eyes because I didn't think about your eyes being your mark. That's why I laughed.”
Magnus features softened as he pulled Alec closer to kiss him.
Magnus pulled back a moment later and punched Alec's shoulder.
“Alexander Gideon Lightwood, never scare me like that ever again.”
“How do you know my middle name?”
Magnus smiled:”I'm the High warlock of Brooklyn, I am quite magical. I know a lot of things.”
“Izzy told you.”
“Yes, Izzy told me. And now back let's go back to your plan from earlier.”
”I like the sound of that.”
Alec smirked as he leaned in to kiss Magnus again. He was willing to walk the walk of shame tomorrow and be questioned by Izzy for Magnus. He was willing to do almost anything for Magnus.