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justmypartner · 4 years ago

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Make it Work: Chapter 1

Summary: When offered a permanent position with the FBI, Hailey agrees to take it under one condition: Jay comes too. As their personal lives and work lives begin to change, the two partners find it increasingly difficult to navigate their complex relationship and manage their feelings for one another. *Picks up at the 8x03 bar scene.

Writer’s Note: I’m so excited to share my first multi-chapter fic. I really enjoyed Hailey’s FBI episode and how seamlessly she was able to adapt to that world, so I thought it would be fun to explore how Jay might fit into that world and how different the adjustment may be for him. When writing the first chapter I was really inspired by the song (what i wish just one person would say to me) by Lany, because I felt like it fit Jay’s perspective perfectly. As much as our guy loves Hailey, he was always going to put her wishes above his own. That’s what the song is all about, so you can see a few lines inspired by the song sprinkled throughout the chapter (the title is also taken from the song). Please enjoy Chapter 1 of Make it Work!

Read on AO3 or below

“Alright. Let’s do this, rip the bandaid off. What did the FBI offer you?” Jay said straightly, trying to hide the worry that coursed throughout his entire body.

Earlier that day he had discovered the FBI had Hailey on their radar, and he hadn’t stopped thinking about it since. After what went down with his last partner, simply hearing someone say “FBI” left a bad taste in his mouth. He wouldn’t openly admit it, but he was worried about Hailey taking the offer. Ever since she had returned from New York, she had been fairly quiet about how it went. Her feelings seemed indifferent, but part of him had to wonder why she would hide the fact that they were sending her job offers. He hated the idea of being left alone again, but ultimately he just wanted what was best for her, even if that meant moving thousands of miles away.

Jay had been seeing Hailey differently for a while. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly when his feelings shifted, but he knew things were different. If anyone asked, she was his partner and his best friend, but he knew deep down that she was more than that. There were even a handful of moments when he almost told her how he felt but Jay, never a man of openly expressing his feelings, failed to get a single word out every time. He had fought those feelings for so long, keeping them hidden deep in the depths of his closed-off heart, but her time away in New York proved this impossible. He had picked her up from the airport when she got back in Chicago, and the second he saw her he couldn’t deny the way she set his heart aflame. So, hearing that the FBI was trying to steal her away permanently was messing with his head. He had sat on his concern all day, but his patience was running thin.

“Mm okay. Joint level task-force, with the HIG, all interrogations, all high-level targets,” she told him, a slight smirk on her face as she awaited his reaction.

“Sure.. Sure, sure, sure, yeah, that sounds awesome,” he said sarcastically as she chuckled. “Is it good pay?” He asked her, a sense of defeat in his voice.

“Great pay. Honestly made me a little embarrassed about what we get paid,” she said with a smile. This was not what he was hoping for, but he pressed forward.

“Well, you’d probably be really good at it,” he responded, feigning support as the words killed him inside. He knew she would be good at it, there was no doubt in his mind. The job sounded perfect for her, but he just hated where it was and what it could mean for them.

“Yeah,” she muttered, pausing briefly and looking out the window as if her next words were lingering somewhere outside and she was trying to find them. “Yeah, I hope so because I told them I would take it,” she finally said, her eyes slowly traveling back to his. The smile on her face was replaced by a look of sincerity. He felt his heart drop into his stomach as he clenched his jaw, trying to conceal the myriad of emotions consuming him.

“Well, I.. I’m happy for you,” he said unconvincingly before bringing his glass back to his mouth, taking a large swig of his drink. He couldn’t look her in the eye because he knew she’d be able to read right through him. So, he focused on the bottom of his glass, fingers fidgeting with the rim waiting for her to say something.

“Yeah, well I should be saying the same to you,” she told him. With this, he raised his eyes back up to meet hers and returned her words with a raised brow, sending a questioning look her way.

“I told them I wasn’t going anywhere without my partner, so they took a look at your file and they were very impressed by your background. They said if you’re good enough for me to bargain with, you must be worth having on their team,” she paused briefly and he watched her swallow hard before her next words. “Jay the offer is extended to the both of us.. that is if it is something you’re interested in,” she said, tilting her head to the side as she tried to read his reaction.

A moment of what felt like his world falling apart was now being strung back together with a sliver of hope for the two of them. Being a fed was never in any of Jay’s plans. In fact, he always found himself carrying an unwarranted detestation for them that made those government positions sound completely unappealing. He never imagined he’d be willing to give up Chicago, let alone his position in Intelligence, especially for a job with the feds, but if it meant being with Hailey he was going to consider it. Romantically or not he knew he needed her in his life and as he told her not too long ago, he would follow her anywhere.

“I- wha- I-“ he stuttered out, not being able to form a coherent word.

“Look, I know it is a lot to ask of you. I know it may not seem fair of me to offer you up like that without asking first, but the way I figured it, we’re good at our jobs and we’re good together. I mean new job, new city, it all sounded so crazy to me at first. I’ve never pictured myself anywhere outside of CPD, but then I took a step back and realized what it could mean big picture. My time in New York, the cases I was working, they showed me just how big and bad this world can be. I mean I was chasing after dudes that make guys like Darius Walker look like frickin saints. The whole time I just kept thinking, I could really see myself doing this every day. I felt fulfilled in a way I hadn’t in years, but every night I’d go home, especially after the bad ones, and I felt like something was missing. Then one night after a really bad one I was sitting in my hotel room, wallowing in the heaviness of that day and my phone rang. It was you calling to check up because you had a bad case too and you needed whatever this thing is between us that always seems to work. That’s when I realized what it was that was missing. It was you,” she shrugged, the corners of her mouth curling up in a shameful smile.

“Hailey..” Jay said as his eyes glossed over with tears. He sat there silently, looking into the endless depth of her eyes and hoping the right words would come to him. His thoughts were jumbled and he was having trouble grounding himself in reality. The whiplash of thinking he was losing the most important person in his life to hearing her tell him her life wasn’t complete without him left him in a state of disorient. He was relieved when she continued on before he had the chance to stumble over words once more.

“Look Jay, I don’t expect you to have an answer now. I just needed to tell you where I’m coming from so you’d have a full perspective to guide your decision. I know leaving Chicago, leaving our family at the 21st wouldn’t be easy, but I feel like this opportunity is something worth pursuing. I also think it’s something that would be made easier if we did it together,” she admitted, finishing her piece.

Her words echoed in his head as he seriously thought through the opportunity. Jay was wired to be a cop, to right wrongs, help victims find justice, and chase the highs of dangerous cases. He found his life’s purpose doing just that, starting in the Rangers and leading to his spot in Intelligence. He appreciated the fulfillment his work in Intelligence brought him, but what if he could do that on a much larger scale - with her by his side no less. All of a sudden he was picturing a life in New York and working at the FBI. He felt like it could make sense and it caught him by surprise, but it seemed clear.

“Do you remember when the unit was under siege and we thought it was the end of Intelligence? We had just gotten back from that major bust and we were talking about what would happen if we got shut down.. where we would go. Do you remember what I said to you?” He asked her, his newfound clarity allowed him to string a coherent thought together. She nodded in response.

“You told me you’re going where I go and that it’s hard to find a good partner,” she said softly, her eyes staying locked with his.

“I meant it then, and I mean it now. I’ve spent my whole life fighting to help people, and I like to think we’ve done some really great things in Intelligence. You were right when you said we’re good together, and if this job means we can make an even bigger difference than the one we do now, I’m all in,” he said, causing a big smile to form across her face.

“Yeah?”

“Hell yeah. I mean I’d like to know more about the position and everything, but if you say it’s worth it, then I trust you.. we’ll make it work. Plus, our thing just isn’t the same over the phone. You’d be lost without me,” he told her with a cheeky smile, eliciting an eye roll from her.

“Yeah, you mean you’d be lost without me,” she responded, standing from her chair to grab her coat. Jay laughed and took the check before rising to put his coat on as well. As they made their way to the door, Jay turned to face Hailey as a concerned look overcame his face.

“Wait- have you planned on how we’re going to tell Voight about this?” He asked. She returned his question with an expression matching his.

“Uh ah, I didn’t get that far. I didn’t think you would actually agree to be honest.”

“Come on, we’ve built a pretty strong partnership here, at least part of you had to think there was a chance I’d say yes,” he told her.

“Yeah, no I wasn’t thinking about that. I was thinking the fact that it’s a job with the feds and the idea of having to wear a suit everyday would have left no room for consideration,” she said with a chuckle. She pushed her body against the door, grimacing at the sudden sensation of the cold Chicago wind against her face, leaving a suspended Jay stood in the doorway.

“Suit.. everyday.. I-“ he said upon realizing that part of the job he hadn’t considered.

“Woah, woah, woah, you already said yes, no turning back now,” she teased. He groaned and dragged his feet out the door to join her in the cold. They walked shoulder to shoulder down the street in a comfortable silence.

“That doesn’t sound so bad you know,” she said, breaking through the silence as they reached their cars. She turned to face him, her eyes carrying a glimmer he hadn’t noticed before.

“Oh yeah, what’s that?”

“Getting to see you in a suit every day,” she said confidently before realizing the coy nature of the statement and bashfully looking away. Jay could feel the heat rush to his face despite the chilling wind blowing against him. He smiled down at his feet, hoping if she could notice the redness of his cheeks, she accounted it to the cold. There was a long pause before he brought his eyes back up to hers once again.

“See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” she said, placing a hand on his chest lightly before passing him to get into her car.

Jay wasn’t sure where their future was going or what direction it would take them, but he knew as long as she was in his life, he was set. His eyes followed her as she got in her car and started the engine. She gave him a small wave before pulling out into the street. Yet again there he was suppressing his feelings for his partner, but this time it felt worth it. A lot in their lives was about to change, he didn’t need to add the heaviness of his feelings to the mix. He was anxious about what was to come, but he ultimately felt content with his decision.

#upstead #jay x hailey #hailey x jay #jay halstead #hailey upton #chicago pd #upstead fic

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akillysheel · 3 years ago

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TENUOUS. ❜ ( 2 )

Summary: Kuro asks the important questions before he and Cthugha decide on a starting point for their investigation. Warnings: N/A. Notes: N/A

'I need to think about it.'

Kuro slouched in his armchair, the events of the morning playing on loop in his head. After Cthugha's untimely arrival, the Sheriff had taken it upon himself to take the rest of the afternoon off in an attempt to compartmentalise his thoughts. He seldom ever took breaks, but when he'd emerged from his office as white as a sheet, his colleagues had ultimately pulled the plug on his hopes of remaining at work, advising insistently that he should go home.

'Fine. But you just remember, every minute you sit around ruminating about your stupid little life, that's another minute that this girl is missing, and that means it's another minute closer to doomsday too.'

Could it be true? Doomsday? The end of the world? It sounded to him like the paranoid ravings of a conspiracy nut... yet he'd spoken with such calm authority, countered every one of the problems he'd had with a rebuttal of his own. Every one of his questions had an answer; everything he'd said about Raku ( at least as far as his limited understanding of Gods was concerned ) was true.

Mia Vanton's case sat on his lap. It was a thin file, one that spared details for there hadn't been many to uncover, but in that moment it felt heavy. Cumbersome. As if he'd been shackled to the floorboards.

This thing's been shut since 2001.

One calloused thumb traced over its front, teasing the corner away from the papers inside. He really didn't know whether he wanted to look at it or not. It felt oddly like picking at a scab wound, baring himself to old pain that needn't be revisited. Did he have it in him to feel as hopeless as he did twenty years ago?

He grunted as a headache set in. It had steadily been growing for the past two hours, fostered in his brain like a bad habit.

Is there any point in opening this up again? Surely if she was to be found, she'd have been found by now. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of her disappearance. In two weeks, in fact.

Was that relevant? He couldn't help but consider it. As much as he wanted to push Cthugha's prophecy aside as garbage, the fact was that he was impressed - and a little worried. He knew things that nobody could have known, and deep down he knew that his colleagues wouldn't sell some random kid information. Huron's task force was known for being small, humble and honest, and it's good service had been a near constant hallmark for the district's deep sense of peace. There had never been a recorded incidence of internal corruption-- not even with other, less composed Sheriffs in the front seat.

How else could he have known about Olivia? About Raku, even.

The Sheriff let out a deep sigh as he closed his eyes, knowing already what he had to do.

“I’ve decided t’help y’.”

“Thank. God.” The statement trembled with sarcastic frustration, Cthugha’s cobalt eyes all but grey on account of the storm that had entered them. He sat in Kuro’s chair, his feet propped up on his desk. The rubix cube-- the one that had previously been half-completed-- sat in his hands, its coloured faces now perfectly arranged. “While you were busy jerking off to the end of all life in this realm, I was busy compiling resources that might help us stop it.” He paused to reach inside of his jacket, retrieving a file of his own, before he dropped it unceremoniously on the desk. “You’re welcome.”

“Where were y’keepin’ that…?”

“Just look at it.”

Kuro hesitated briefly before dragging the file closer, opening it up to find himself staring at a myriad of newspaper clippings, interview transcripts and photographs. It was makeshift work, by no means tidy, but the sheer wealth of information was staggering to him. Even so, as he skimmed over them briefly, he realised that there was nothing there that he didn’t already know.

Of course there isn’t. Why would there be?

I don’t know. Maybe I assumed he was an agent of God or something.

“Aside from all that,” Cthugha started, rising from his commandeered seat. In what felt like a flash, he’d moved from the desk to the far corner of the room, grabbing a hold of a whiteboard on wheels before reappearing where he had been. Kuro blinked hard. “We can rule out all the places you already searched in your previous hunt for her.” Feverishly, the rifter began to fill the board with haphazard notes. “That means you don’t have to trawl through Whit’s a second time, nor do you need to bother checking their home or questioning her papa. He came up clean, remember?”

“Yeah… he was so dedicated t’findin’ his daughter that he all but singlehandedly led the search party campaign despite us tellin’ him that it was dangerous. Had t’bust him outta a few compromisin’ positions fer his efforts...”

“Exactly. Also means that the tunnels are a bust too, so you don’t have to waste time trawling through the underground like a family of sewer rats. Wherever she is, she’s somewhere ya didn’t think to comb through.” He paused when he found his whiteboard pen beginning to run dry. “Damn it--” Much like before, he flickered away, a brief rummaging sound filling the quiet office before he reappeared before the board. “Okay, so-- here’re all the places you don’t gotta worry about that I can think of off the top of my head. There’s… what? Why’re ya staring at me like that?”

“How’re y’doin’ that?”

“You can write too, Kuro.”

“I mean the… disappearin’-’n’-reappearin’ thing. Obviously.”

“Oh, that. Yeah, I guess that makes more sense…” It was the closest to sheepish that he’d seen Cthugha thus far; a break from his smug attitude was certainly refreshing. “It’s just a teleportation shtick. Think of it like… instead of macro-leaps, I’m performing micro-hops in time.”

"Huh," said Kuro, deciding not to question it.

In truth, the more they talked about the Vanton case, the more he began to recall. Kuro seldom ever forgot a victim - even though he'd been the Sheriff of Huron for over three centuries, and a police officer for even longer than that - but he wouldn't say that the details were as long-lasting. There were simply too many nuances in too many cases-- too much information for him to store everything tightly away. His brief read over the case file before he'd come back to the office that following morning hadn't helped much either, if only because there hadn't been much for him to garner in the first place.

"I do have a question though," Kuro spoke up as he handed Cthugha a cup of coffee. He wasn't sure whether he was trying to placate or subdue him. "... or a couple."

"Are they constructive?"

"Maybe. I mean-- y'mentioned parallel timelines 'n' shit. Couldn't y'just… hop into one where I found her 'n' tell me where she is?"

"Parallel timelines are born out of choices, dummy. Unless you're admitting that you purposefully didn't find her, that isn't gonna help at all." A swig of his drink was taken, the rich flavour seeming to soothe his annoyance somewhat. "Nah. You're thinking of alternate timelines."

"Then what about that?"

"We're not really supposed to dip into those if we can help it. Definitely a last resort sort of deal. It creates the possibility for people to run into themselves; fractures the separation between realities. Doppelganger action is a one-way ticket to hell for the Universe. Also the fact that, like parallel timelines, there are MULTITUDES of alternate timelines where everything's the same except one little thing, meaning it'd take a shit-ton of time to comb through 'em all-- most likely more time than we’ve got. There're several versions of you out there, Kuro, but you're this one. You should focus on that."

"This's all real confusin’…" the Sheriff mumbled, deflating a little. He was so sure he'd had a good idea under his belt, but hell, what did he really know about the way that reality worked?

"Mm. Anything else?" Cthugha asked tersely, eager to move on.

"Just one more thing," Kuro affirmed, shifting in his place for a moment before deciding that brevity was more favourable than kindness. "... how does this girl stayin' missin' end the world? People go missin' all the time. Some come home, some're found dead. Some’re never found, yet the world keeps on spinnin’. 's just a cruel fact’a life."

For the first time since their meeting, Cthugha fell silent. A harrowing emptiness entered his eyes as he thought about the bleak future that awaited them if they did nothing. A hazy field of fire, the once clean air ashen and thick. The destruction spread like cancer, first exploding in Huron before it gradually spread outward. What was perhaps even more frightening was that the one responsible for it seemed impervious to the herculean effort required to topple a district; by the time he was done with Huron, he was already looking for a bigger, more developed fish to fry.

It wasn’t the first time he’d seen the Universe in ruins by far, and he doubted it’d be the last.

That didn’t mean he was accustomed to seeing it though.

“Well,” he said softly, whiteboard pen twirled absentmindedly in between his fingers. “... let’s just say, grief does things to people. Do you have any clue who Mia’s father is?”

Slowly, Kuro squinted. “Aside from knowin’ his name ‘n’ his daughter’s case? No. Should I?”

“No. That’s exactly why ya should be worried: he’s got nothing left to lose. Do you think he’s going to care about hurting anyone when he’s hurting this much himself? He’s got no children to provide for; no public image to protect. When he loses his mind, he does it for real, and damned’re the consequences, get it?”

“Got it…” Kuro muttered. He knew all too well about people like Mr.Vanton. While an anonymous existence was ultimately a peaceful one, when crime was brought into the mix, it became a dangerous shield. Who suspected the nobody? Nobody, that’s who. “Then we gotta get movin’.”

“I have to ask,” Cthugha started as he stepped towards the chair he’d been sprawled in, reaching for his jacket and shrugging it on. Now that he had a little time to look over him properly, Kuro noted its strange cyan decals and the symbol that he’d never seen before adorning the right side; two parallel lines with a small triangle beneath the centre point of the bottom one. It looked vaguely like a seesaw with two slats on top instead of one. "What made you change your mind?"

“Well, I guess I never got over the fact that I couldn’t solve it. D’y’have any idea how hard it is t’look a parent in the eye ‘n’ tell ‘em that the search fer their child is over? There was nothin’ else I could do, but I still felt guilty. I figure, even if yer full’a shit ‘n’ this really is some heartless stunt all fer yer own amusement, I can at least make sure that there really was nothin’ else I could’a done fer the Vantons.”

The rifter hummed softly as he adjusted his tie. “Heh. Ya really are a good person.”

“Y’had doubt?”

“Who doesn’t? Much easier to expose a bad person who’s pretending to be good than to find an actual good person these days. I guess it’s just an unfortunate byproduct of evolution.”

“Yer wrong,” Kuro said firmly, pulling his black coat closed. The gun at his hip was touched briefly before he pocketed his hand, satisfied that he had everything he needed. “There’re a lot more good people in the world than bad. ’s just that the bad leave behind their messes t’clean up.”

“Well, whatever the truth is, it’s clear we’re dealing with a bad person here, huh? So, got any bright ideas?”

Already were the gears in his head turning. With the compiled notes to aid him, he knew of the place that he wanted to start with. It may have been a dead end-- wishful thinking more than anything-- but he wouldn’t be able to progress until he knew he’d upturned every stone on this property. “We should head t’the Valerie Vineyard first.”

#writeblr #original story #fandomless oc story #writing #novel drafts #tenuous ;

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bellatrixobsessed1 · 4 years ago

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Kissing Dead Pearls (Part 9)

The first time she had gotten in trouble, that she remembers is when she had wandered down to the beach without asking first.

It probably wouldn’t have been so bad had she not wandered away from the beach and onto the boardwalk as well. She couldn’t help it, the sights, the sounds, the smells...they were all so enticing. There was a cacophony of them and they each called to her. The first sense that had enticed her to wander further from the lighthouse was the smell of cotton candy and an aroma of grilled hamburgers. This was a time before La-bsters had truly been established. She’d been able to resist until the scent of ice cream added itself to the mix. At this, a five year old Azula was sold.

On stubby and wobbly toddler legs, she shuffled alarmingly fast towards the bustle of the piers where she was greeted with an almost overwhelming bombarding of sensory cues. The clang of a bell on the hour as sailors changed shifts and docked and hustled about. She heard the spray of water on wood as teenage boys hosed and scrubbed the piers down and the ruckus of rope sliding and frustrated cussing while a team of girls and boys helped anchor and clean newly home boats. She could hear waves smacking against the columns holding the boardwalk up and the shouts of merchants as they fought for tourist money. She could hear the bickerings of lost tourists and the cheerful yelps one one of them spotted a dolphin that had swam too close to the summertime traffic. She heard the sizzle of a grill and the rush of a bike as it whizzed past.

It was a myriad of brand new sights as well. Palm fronds, she first heard the earthy rustle of them brushing against one another, flapped in a hot breeze. Strings of light in all colors, but mostly a golden-yellow illuminated restaurant patios and curled around palms. There were dancers in beaded skirts with shell anklets and men and women eating fire. There were fireworks that blotted out loud reggeaton music and a large and slowly turning faris wheel. There were bikes and rollerskates of many brands and toned teens carrying surfboards, discussing final summer plans and how they weren’t quite ready to go back to Port Tui-La High. Vendors sold rapidly blinking, flashing lights of blue, green, and red. The LED contraptions were hats, wands, and cheap jewelry. The same vendor sold glow sticks and wore two arms full of them and several necklaces of them. All across the boardwalk she spotted kids with them and she wanted one of her own.

But she hadn’t the money, she hadn’t even the conception of money. Not that it was much of a problem. The vendor patted her on the head and handed her several glow sticks. He told her to thank her father for running the lighthouse and looking out for the sailors. His son was a sailor.

In retrospect, it was probably he who’d phoned the lighthouse to let her parents know that she was wandering the boardwalk unattended. He bribed her to stay put with a large ice cream cone and a plate of onion rings. She’d sat their kicking her legs on a stool that was much too tall for her.

That was how she met Toph. Evidently, the girl also stumbled away from her parents. Though this was an accident. The three year old, born blind, had lost hold of her father’s hand and then lost all bearings.

The poor vendor had his hands full that night. Azula doesn’t remember what they’d talked about but she remembers not quite grasping what it meant to be blind and kept trying to show the girl lights with different brightnesses, hoping that if she found something bright enough, Toph would see it.

Ursa showed up before Poppy BeiFong and refused to let her stay and talk, because she was in a lot of trouble. Once home Zuko chuckled as she received her second scolding and Ozai sent her to bed with a promise that she’d be spending the next several days in her room instead of on the beach with Zuko and Ursa.

She probably wouldn’t have gotten in so much trouble had she chose to take her excursion in daylight hours.

.oOo.

His arms are folded over his chest and he wears a decent scowl. Zuko can tell that she wants to shout at him, to tell him that, maybe if he’d been home she would have been able to tell him that she was leaving. She knows, as well as he does, better than to talk back to him.

“When was I supposed to have done that?” She mutters despite her knowing. “Perhaps when we had lunch?”

Their father’s face is split between hurt and anger.

“I’m going to find Sokka. Zuko can’t stop me and you can’t stop me either.” She pulls out of his embrace. He is reminded again of how close she and Ozai used to be, it is in her posture and on her expression. They fold their arms the same way, they shoot the same glare at each other, with the same creased brows and the same frown. The same, sturdy and stubborn stances.

Stand offs between the two, though rare, never end well. Especially not for Azula. Zuko firmly grips her shoulder and mutters, “please just let him have the last word for once.”

She shrugs him off. “No. Not this time.” Azula grumbles. “I’m tired of doing his job for him while he goes off and fucks around in some soddy bar! I don’t want to spend another summer upkeeping the lighthouse instead of going to pool and beach parties. I don’t want to manage his finances…”

“Azula.” Ozai growls. It is a warning. The one Zuko usually receives before earning himself a solid slap.

“You made me a promise.” Azula declares. “You said that we’d spend the day together, like we used to.”

He can hear the hurt in her voice and suddenly he understands why she is so eager to leave. He doesn’t think that it is just about Sokka. If things can’t be how they used to, she’d rather forget them entirely and start something new.

“I am your father, I give the orders. You life in my house and under my rules.”

She gives a sarcastic and bitter laugh. “Is it your house?” She asks. “I work for it, I pay the bills.” She looks to him, “we pay the bills. Right, Zuko?”

Zuko swallows, he doesn’t want to get on either of their bad sides. No matter what he says he will find himself on someone’s bad side and if he says nothing at all, both of them will look down on him. So he supposes that he might as well state the truth. He nods, “we’ve been keeping the lighthouse together.”

Ozai’s upper lip twitches into a scowl. “The both of you wouldn’t have that lighthouse to live in if not for…”

“Great grandfather Sozin.” Azula cuts him off. Both he and Katara flinch as Ozai’s hand lurches forward. He must not have had that many drinks because he doesn’t strike her. Though he grabs her wrist with a much stronger grip than necessary.

Katara seems to relax but he is no less tense. He has seen Azula take on their father before. She’d done it when he was in one of his drunken rages. And she’d done it on his behalf. Mostly Zuko took the brunt of Ozai’s drunk aggression. That time Azula had taken it for him. They’d gone to a party...snuck out to it. At first he’d claimed that he had been worried when he’d come home to an empty lighthouse. But that worry turned to anger all too quickly. Words that he can’t quite recall had been exchanged. But he does remember one thing. He remembers Azula yelling, “maybe if you did make her mad, she wouldn’t have gone sailing that day.” Something had snapped and soon Azula was on the floor, the corner of her mouth split and her jaw already swelling. Zuko remembers her shaking and Chan coming to step in front of her as Ozai loomed closer. Chan could only do so much, he found himself on the floor next to her before she was yanked to her feet and practically dragged across the beach in front of the entire party.

Azula hardly ever cries. And never in front of people. That night she was weeping as he tugged her along, she’d stumbled and tripped in an attempt to keep him from dragging him any further.

He was arrested that night and he’d very nearly lost custody of them.

Everyone knows better than to talk about it. Azula likes to pretend like it hadn’t happened at all.

Zuko knows that this is why Azula has gone quiet. Why her hand his shaking in their father’s hold. Why she is looking up at him with dread and anger. Something flickers in his eyes and he drops her hand. She hastily retracts it and rubs her wrist with her other hand. Zuko can tell that it is already reddening, that it will probably be bruised by tomorrow.

He can now tell that their father is at least a little intoxicated. But not enough for it to not register, that he’d hurt her. “Azula…” he begins.

She is athletic. She is fast. When she runs, she won’t be caught. Zuko has never seen her run so fast, even the sand doesn’t hinder her as she kicks up clouds of it. He doesn’t know where she is going and he isn’t sure that she knows either. She just wants to get away from Ozai.

Katara wraps her arms around Zuko, her eyes are tearful.

.oOo.

Ozai watches her bolt down the beach. He thinks to give chase but decides that it is better if he doesn’t. He rubs his hand over his face. He was only angry because he thought that he was going to lose her. He couldn’t lose her. But he has.

He loses everything he loves and maybe he should just let her go.

He tries not to think of the night that he was arrested, but that night is etched into his mind. He thinks about it more often than not. Her face; how utterly shocked and horrified she had looked, staring up at him from the floor.

There was no sense of pride or power in seeing that terror on her face. There was only shame. But at that time, shame turned to anger and he was yanking her across the beach as she kicked and screamed. He is certain that she had pleaded with him to stop, told him that he was hurting her, but most of the night is a blur.

He recalls having dragged her across the beach.

It was after that night that she began looking at him differently. With mistrust and sometimes barely concealed fear. She mostly avoided him in the months to follow and she hasn’t entirely warmed back up to him, not that he has made it easy.

“I can go after her.” Katara offers.

Zuko nods, “Yeah it’s probably better if you do it.”

Ozai rubs his eyes with the heels of his hands. He wishes that things could be the way they used to be. He wishes that his children wouldn’t look upon him with dread. Katara makes her way in the direction that Azula had fled.

“Zuko.” He begins.

Zuko only shakes his head, “I’m going to visit Mai or TyLee.” He doesn’t look him in the eyes as he stuffs his hands into his pockets and starts for the pier.

Ozai looks at the boat bobbing in the water. Is he really so bad that they had to run?

#Avatar The Last Airbender #Azula #Zuko #Ozai #Sokkla #Sokka #Katara #Fanfiction

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malecsecretsanta · 5 years ago

Text

Merry Christmas, @the-prophet-lemonade!

Read on AO3

*****

Of Lights And Shadows

Alec had always known Magnus Bane was his soulmate. Just like he knew he was older than he looked – and not only because of his upbringing.

Soulmate magic was tricky, but powerful. And unfortunately, nothing could ever come and cut that connection between two people. Which means that whenever you are in mortal danger, your soulmate comes to the rescue.

You didn’t choose your soulmate, and you certainly didn’t choose if it was a platonic one or a romantic one. Alec only cared because in the Shadowhunter community you had to make your soulmate public, and that could expose him.

In most cases within the Shadowhunter’s community, platonic soulmates and parabatai were one and the same, giving the whole soulmate concept some higher status and because non-platonic soulmates were for the most part connected to other Shadowhunters, everything was going well.

That is, until Alec finished his training and his first – unofficial of course, he would never admit to it having happened – hunt included saving Magnus Bane’s life.

Now, at the time, he had been thirteen and freshly out of the academy, so he didn’t know how to react. He had vanquished the enemies threatening to sneak up on him and then disappeared into the night, shaken up after discovering who his soulmate was.

So he researched everything on the topic for months, even years, as soon as he had free time.

You can only have one soulmate.

One soulmate, one chance. Which is why no matter wherever they are, if they are in danger, you instantly find yourself at their side.

And apparently, whenever they are too. Though that wasn’t part of the deal!

Alec had only just discovered rescues that his freaking Soulmate Magic made him time travel – but then again, maybe it was logical that it happened NOW cause if it had happened before? He wouldn’t have been ready to help his soulmate – and he could already feel the migraine coming.

Just as he always did, he activated his soundless rune amongst others, scanned the area for threats and got confused when he found none.

Then he saw Magnus.

Standing on the bridge, looking down. And logically, he knew. Magnus’s life as an immortal hadn’t been easy, but he had at least the reassurance that Magnus was alive in his time, so it would be fine right?

Didn’t mean the magic wasn’t expecting him to do something though, or he would still be in his room at the institute.

He walked slowly, taking in his surroundings and mulling over ideas.

Show himself? Wouldn’t that be dangerous for the future? He had never met Magnus after all…Who knew what kind of repercussion it could have?

Getting closer, he heard a few voices from the other side of the bridge and came to a decision. He wouldn’t show himself today, but he could ask for a passer-by’s help.

Acting like he was looking for a friend, he was relieved to see the man advance onto the bridge and upon closer inspection find Magnus there.

Alec disappeared before he could call for him, not wanting to risk anything.

And in a myriad of colours, he found himself in his room again.

That had been he first time, but not the last time he had been tasked by fate to take care of Magnus.

He had seen him happy or sad, but always oblivious to the danger lurking, the monsters creeping after him, only needing a minute of inattention to strike.

They didn’t get any, not with Alec as a bodyguard.

As invisible as he was efficient, Alec slowly homed in his skills as a Shadowhunter, travelling to times and places he had never even dreamt of but never losing sight of his main goal: keeping magnus alive.

He became Jace’s parabatai, had a bit of a crisis over his newfound sexuality – he had hoped he had one of those platonic soulmate, but fate seemed determined to torture him – but promised himself he would never put himself in a situation where Magnus would be the one who would have to run to the rescue.

So far, he had been exceptionally good at it, keeping his knowledge of the warlock his little secret, and obeying every order the rest of the time.

So of course, everything had to go to hell soon after.

By the time he officially met Magnus Bane High Warlock of Brooklyn for the first time, he had spent over 6 years watching over him sporadically – not that he would ever confess to it.

Having a male soulmate was frowned upon – you had to pretend it was platonic to be accepted, no matter how untrue that could be – but a Downworlder? He would probably be seen as a traitor or a disgrace.

And Magnus didn’t have to know a poor little Shadowhunter was his soulmate either – he was immortal, Alec could just pretend he was merely a blip on his radar, no reason to inflict him even more pain when he knew very well he only had a few years before dying on the job.

By the Angel, caring about the warlock was turning out to be so exhausting and confusing already.

But back to their first meeting.

Alec found it ironic how this time, he didn’t have to be teleported to his soulmate because he was already right where and when he needed to be.

Huh, maybe if he made sure to ask Magnus for help in an official capacity, he could bypass the whole portal thing soulmate had going on? Surely if he was in mortal danger, calling for a powerful ally would make sense, Magnus would be altruist enough to help without seeing anything amiss and Alec could keep going the same without altering his whole life. And fate wouldn’t need to teleport Magnus to him if Alec was quicker.

Yeah, it sounded too complicated to work, Alec would just have to stay the best and keep himself away for any mortal danger – you know, even if Valentine was apparently back.

Spending time with Magnus felt good. Despite what he knew was looming on the horizon, he could not help but be even more interested in the warlock.

Bad ideas, he had to remind himself every day. It would only bring pain in the long run, to the both of them.

And yet …

“You unlocked something in me”

“I trust you”

Magnus even came to convince him to not get married to Lydia. Alec wished he had that choice but everything he had ever done was for others, for his family and his name, so that his siblings could have the life they wanted because Alec?

Alec would never get a happy ending.

Not as a gay Shadowhunter, and not a Magnus Bane’s soulmate.

Not even as the head of the Institute if he didn’t marry Lydia. They would take everything he had, what he had sacrificed himself for all those years and what would remain of him then? A bitter cold shell, a soldier with a soul of iron.

He couldn’t do that. Not to his family, not to his future self.

And yet, fate had other plans.

The very same morning, he sat in his room waiting for Izzy of Jace when the tell-tale colours of a teleportation starting appeared. He sighed but did not resist in any way.

He was expecting the scene he found. Magnus alone against the circle. Against his parents.

And he had no hesitation. He couldn’t obviously kill his parents, or Valentine, but he could slow down the others and let Magnus get away. Before he lost his warlock mark as a trophy for Valentine’s goons.

This time, he stayed far longer than necessary.

Magnus had portalled away but still, Alec kept listening, hidden behind a tree and his runes, for any scrap of information.

We’ll get him, promised Maryse with steel in her voice despite her ragged breaths. He lives in New York, where we should soon have power over the institute. It’s only a matter of time.

Cold dread filled Alec at hearing those words.

He hadn’t protected Magnus from anything like that so far – but then again, his time jumps were more than random – and although the warlock was more than capable of defending himself, he couldn’t imagine his mother breaking the accords so carelessly.

He’s always been arrogant, confirmed Robert. He might even come to us, and we’ll just have to snap our fingers to have him dead.

Valentine looked pleased, having forgotten for now that an ally seemed to have helped the warlock escape.

Except Alec stayed there long after everyone was gone.

He stayed there hours, playing the conversation on loop in his mind. It seemed so far from what his parents sounded like usually, and yet, he could still recognise their coldness and efficiency as warriors here.

He was still a bit shaky when he found his way back to the present – no even a second after he left, as usual – but had to put on a smile.

He was getting married after all, and even Magnus would not dare do anything to anger the Clave today.

Oh boy.

Seemed like he didn’t know Magnus all that well, he thought sarcastically before stopping right then and there as he looked at Magnus.

It was so much more than what he had felt for Jace and knowing that was his soulmate right here, willing to interrupt his wedding, because either he knew Alec wouldn’t be happy or because he thought they could have something?

That was a lot to take in. Especially because Alec hadn’t slipped once about the soulmate thing, and Magnus should still have no idea. No social or magical expectation, just him wanting Alec.

Enough, he snapped at his mother before kissing Magnus.

He was probably a coward for keeping secrets of that importance but right now, it was time to take a page out of Magnus’ book and make a statement.

It still didn’t stop his Randoms rescues, although with Valentine back and a treat, he had to be careful about what he was doing and how much danger he was putting himself in. That was quite a weird change for him. He had always been the one to take hits meant for others, his siblings mostly – though never to the point of needing more than an iratze. He was good, excellent even, and could without any problem compete with Jace for the title of best Shadowhunter of his generation.

He kept that part of him under wraps to keep an ace up his sleeve, and to avoid any awkward conversation. As much as he believed Jace and Izzy to be supportive, how was he supposed to say that he had found himself in danger so often without his angelic weapons that he had to improve in order to help his soulmate? And across time and space, please.

Alec laughed quietly, imagining what the conversation would sound like.

He had been joining Izzy, Jace and Clary to get the book of the white from Camille when another teleportation happened.

Fuck, cursed Alec, recognizing the bridge the moment he saw it.

But what he was surprised to see was that this time, Magnus did not seem to be in immediate danger. No, someone had already helped him.

Alec bit back his bitterness. It wasn’t his place.

He understood very quickly why he had been sent here when was left to pick up a clearly drunk and miserable Magnus Bane.

He didn’t mind. From what he was hearing, Camille had just betrayed him. Maybe he was only supposed to protect Magnus while he was clearly too weak to do so himself, but Alec thought the other might ned the company too.

Ah, Darling, thank you but I can manage, slurred magnus before fainting.

Chuckling under his breath, Alec guided him to a mansion nearby, checking his pockets for an address or some money. He thought he recognized the man – Ragnor Fell – that opened the door and threw him a fireball that burned part of his jacket when he saw his runes.

Alec quickly dropped Magnus before disappearing in a side alley, where a colourful portal was already waiting for him.

Did you fight a demon in the way here? Asked Izzy when she saw the state of his jacket.

Alec shrugged, eyes focusing entirely on Camille. He didn’t trust her at all, and he wouldn’t let her play them.

Unfortunately, one attack from Valentine and a mindfuck from Camille later, Alec was ready to kill them both for taking his parabatai and making Magnus vulnerable again.

And things didn’t calm down for him. Between Aldertree, the hunt for Valentine and his jumps on the past, Alec could barely find the energy to push himself out of bed some days.

Which was how he broke his promise to himself and under Iris’ spell, prepared to jump from the rooftop. Too much had happened, too much that he didn’t understand. Izzy kept secrets, dangerous ones, Jace was always on the verge of breaking down, he could feel it through his bond, and after failing to save Jocelyn, how could Alec think he was up to the task of saving Magnus?

So he jumped, always the coward.

And Magnus saved him. Gave him hope.

So he had decided to do the same.

He was back at this depressing bridge, the last place he wanted to be and yet, the place it might be the easiest to get a hold of Magnus.

Dear Magnus,

You don’t know me, yet. I am your soulmate. I have been helping you once or twice already, and I thought it would be polite to introduce myself. But because I am a Shadowhunter, a letter seemed like the best way to tell you what I wanted to say.

I know coming from a stranger, someone you don’t trust and an enemy maybe those words might mean nothing to you, but I promise you that you will be happy again. And I’ll do my best to make sure you get there, from the shadows.

Until the day I feel brave enough to confess everything, my identity and story, I’ll ask one thing from you.

Please keep this letter.

It is proof that someone cares, someone other than Ragnor.

Take care,

Your soulmate.

He left the letter addressed to Magnus Bane at Ragnor’s house. He trusted him to give it to him, once assured it wasn’t dangerous.

It wasn’t. It even had a protection rune on it.

Not a second after he dropped the letter, he was back at Magnus’ loft.

Only this time, it was Alec who needed to make Magnus feel better, and not a mysterious soulmate. Because Alec had hurt him, by not recognizing him in Valentine’s body. And Alec had almost killed him. So he’d be there for him.

Starting with all the cuddles his boyfriend wanted, staying the night so he could watch over his sleep and keep the nightmares at bay.

Of course, their repaired relationship was not exactly an equal one.

No matter what experience Magnus had that Alec didn’t, Alec had seen enough of Magnus’ past to be able to have a clear – and unfair too – view of his character.

The public persona versus the man he got to know, past and present.

And Magnus had no idea.

Funnily enough, while not much changed in their present, every time Alec found himself in the past, he had that silly habit of checking the date to see whether Magnus would try to creep up on him or not. He had almost managed once too!

Never underestimate a determined High Warlock of Brooklyn, he could always surprise you.

But secrets were hard, and Alec was so busy keeping his that he didn’t realise he was also lying to Magnus about the soul sword until it was too late. It had been a silly mistake, but now he had to deal with the consequences.

Alec even thought for a while he had fucked up completely his soulmate business when he stopped seeing Magnus completely. No present or past. No random transportation.

And then, the soul sword massacre happened.

He had feared the worst. He wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if he had been the reason for Magnus’ death, not after years of saving it, falling more in love every time.

And maybe that was one last cruel joke.

He was exactly where and when he needed to be to stop it, and he was absolutely powerless.

To say he was relieved to discover Magnus alive and well would be an understatement. But before he could make him understand fully how much he came to mean to him, Valentine launched one last attack, and Jace died, taking a piece of Alec with him.

No matter what his parabatai said, Alec knew that pain had been real. But he’d deal with that later.

He took a quick shower, changed and joined everyone at the bar to celebrate the end of the war. But to be honest, he only wanted to see Magnus.

It felt like too little had been said, and some things needed to be cleared up before they could really think about stating over their relationship.

So, for once in his life, Alec downed his drink, bottoms up, and headed to the door. He caught up easily with Magnus, letting him lead the way.

What do you know about soulmates? Asked Alec when the silence didn’t seem too welcoming anymore.

Magnus mostly repeated what Alec already knew.

It is said that warlock have soulmates too, commented Magnus, but I have never heard of one who met them. Or rather, had the chance to meet them and find out they were immortal. Many think it’s not worth the heartache.

Do you have one?

Alec bit the inside of his cheek at the precipitation with which he had asked the question.

He had always been curious about how it worked for the immortal ones.

Alec himself had spent a good part of his life chasing after monsters, to save people or to save Magnus’ life. But over the few centuries he had been alive, it was expected that he would be needed on more than one occasion. Especially once you added the “time travel” bit to the magic.

Alec still couldn’t quite wrap his head around the whole thing. How did it work? Did it just summon whoever version of him was the best suited to the situation? Definitely seemed like it most of the time, although sometimes, it felt like Magnus needed the company more than he needed saving.

Then again, isn’t apathy one of the dangers of an immortal life? The one leading to a… untimely death?

But how does it feel to have nothing? No portal taking you the angel knows where, no soulmate to save that you know of?

Not knowing whether you were worth having a soulmate.

I don’t know. Some people said I was theirs. Can’t quite believe it since you are supposed to only have the one, laughed Magnus bitterly.

There was so much Alec wanted to say to that. He should have started with the letter he had left so long ago, to prove to Magnus he was who he pretended to be, but then Magnus cut him off.

Alexander, if it is your way of letting me know you have found your soulmate and want to be with them

No!

Alec shut his mouth with an audible sound then winced. That was not the plan.

I mean yes. But no. Let me start again please?

He was desperate to make Magnus understand, and visibly relaxed against the cushions when Magnus nodded.

This might sound crazy, but I’ve got proof. It started when I was thirteen, I had my first transportation.

He summarized as efficiently as he could how he discovered who his soulmate was, what had happened, how he felt and why he kept silent all this time about him knowing his soulmate. He hesitated sometimes, not sure if he should be entirely honest, then decided that Magnus deserved the whole truth.

The thing is…

Alec took a deep breath, meeting Magnus’ curious gaze as confidently as he could.

You’re my soulmate. The one I sent this bizarre letter to over a century ago even if it was a few months ago for me.

Magnus raised a hand, stopping Alec in his tracks and asking for a bit of quiet. Alec obeyed, too nervous to even try and defend himself. Soulmate were almost sacred for Shadowhunters. Platonic soulmates especially.

Since he was parabatai with Jace, Alec was well aware that Magnus had thought for the longest time that they were platonic soulmates too – they weren’t, and they had known that from the very beginning. Jace’s soulmate was Clary as Alec had discovered earlier that day.

And hadn’t that put a lot of things into perspective, Alec thought bitterly.

Why? Finally asked Magnus looking at Alec from the corner of his eye. Why did I never get to rescue you? I can’t believe you didn’t get into any near-death experience.

You did save me plenty of times. I just made sure you were already there so there would no light show in case… you know…

In case I didn’t want to be your soulmate.

Mine, a mortal’s, a Shadowhunter’s… Take your pick.

Alec was grumbling by the end, but it was something he had thought about many times. He still felt like he didn’t deserve Magnus, and the heartache for him wasn’t worth the mess that Alec’s life had become.

He couldn’t shake the image of Magnus looking down that bridge out of his head.

He probably can’t shake your image jumping on his roof out of his, a snarky voice replied in his mind.

It was so complicated at first, to have you as a soulmate, and then Time travel!

Alec tried to laugh it off but didn’t quite manage it. It sounded more like a wounded animal.

I didn’t know what to do and it got so out of hand.

He really hoped Magnus would understand. The fiasco with the soul sword had shown him honesty was necessary, but he wasn’t used to that much communication. He might need a bit of patience on that front.

I think I understand. I did wonder about what I’d do if I ever met my soulmate, can’t say a few million possibilities didn’t cross my mind.

Magnus turned to face Alec completely, and gripped Alec’s hand, squeezing them gently. But Alec still wouldn’t look up, eyes staring at Magnus’ purple nail polish instead.

Ragnor did mention a tall, dark and handsome Shadowhunter as a possible soulmate, mused Magnus to lighten the mood with one of his stories. But it was eighty years ago, so it that was you, I need you to tell me about your skin care routine.

Alec laughed weakly. Trust Magnus to make him feel better in any circumstances.

Yeah, he threw a fireball at me once.

Magnus raised a curious eyebrow when Alec dared look up at him. He didn’t seem mad about the secrets or the soulmate thing. He just seemed to be enjoying talking about his old friend. Taking a chance, Alec asked if they could go back to the loft. Magnus accepted easily, keeping at least one of Alec’s hands in his while strutting the rest of the way.

His good mood seemed to be contagious because Alec could feel a smile forming on his face, making no efforts whatsoever to hide it. He was happy, or at least, really close to happy and it felt too good not to enjoy the moment.

Coffee, tea, hot chocolate? Offered Magnus as soon as they were inside his loft, enjoying the warmth surrounding them.

Hot chocolate.

Alec put down his coat, then helped Magnus take two mugs out of the cupboard, enjoying this simple moment. Soon enough, he found himself on the sofa, leaning on Magnus while they drank in silence.

No one mentioned the soulmate business again. Instead, Magnus did what he did best and told embarrassing stories about Ragnor to Alec, who was laughing more freely now than he had in a long while. Alec shared a few funny ones of Jace and himself when they started going on missions alone.

He had just finished retelling how he discovered that his parabatai had a phobia of ducks when he caught Magnus yawning discreetly. He forced himself to get up, and helped Magnus do the same so they could go to bed.

I love you, whispered Alec later when Magnus had finally drifted off in his arms, exhausted by their battle.

It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep too after that.

Waking up was a more complicated affair. He had barely opened his eyes that a maelstrom of colours took him on the other side of earth.

Falling back on his Shadowhunter training, Alec snapped to full awareness and examined everything around him. Magnus was apparently at a party somewhere in an Asian country, the oh so lovely Camille on his arm.

Alec was glad to see him looking better than he had the last time, and he seemed relaxed but not entirely unobservant. Which puzzled Alec.

Keeping to the shadows – he hadn’t changed out of his nightclothes which meant he only wore sweatpants and a tank top – Alec looked for a weapon, or anything he could do. There was probably a reason he had been transported without weapons or gear, and no matter how stupid the whole soulmate magic sometimes appeared to be, Alec had to believe it wouldn’t mess with Magnus’s timeline.

He found some clothes to cover himself with in an adjacent room. He swapped his sweatpants for leather pants that seemed strong enough, put on a complicated looking but easy to wear jacket and finally covered his neck rune with a scarf-mask looking piece of fabric. No need to advertise the fact that he was a Lightwood in case things went south.

Jace would give him so such shit for looking like that.

But he found no real weapon he could use, the only thing a baton. Which, yes, he knew how to fight with, but that wouldn’t do much damage in a real fight.

Speaking of, where was the danger?

The answer arrived a bit later, when a tall man entered the room, and Camille’s hand on Magnus’ arm tightened to the point where it was keeping him prisoner. Everyone scattered when the man barged in, but Alec had never seen him, and did not recognize him.

Seeing Camille offering Magnus – why wasn’t he fighting her? – like that was making him furious, but he had to stay calm and analyse the situation.

The baton was in his reach, and no one should be able to recognize him, covered head to toe as he was.

So he took it, attacked Camille first, forcing her to release Magnus and when he saw her hesitate between attacking him and running away, he understood the man was not such a threat after all. Otherwise, she would have been bleeding him dry already, but instead, she seemed more than happy to get away.

Typical, Alec scoffed before facing the intruder.

I’ve got him, announced Magnus next to him while moving his hands around, already preparing his spell.

Alec took a step back, giving him room to breathe and watched in awe as Magnus got rid of the intruder. He then clapped his hands and turned back to him.

Alec panicked and took a few steps back where there was less light.

I am afraid Camille got help to immobilize me, he frowned. You wouldn’t happen to know who helped her?

Alec dig through his memory but shook his head. Prior to the man’s entrance, nothing suspicious had happened. Camille had probably been smart enough to come here alone. She was sneaky enough to do it.

He didn’t have time to hear the next question, he felt the tremors preceding the appearance of a portal. Magnus seemed to feel it too, because he turned his head to locate the newcomer, and Alec used this opportunity to flee, his own transportation happening as soon as he was outside Magnus’ view.

He arrived exactly where and when he left, on Magnus’ bed, except Magnus was awake.

Guess you really are my soulmate, Magnus mused when he saw Alec’s attire.

Sorry, Alec winced. I’ll go get changed.

He fled the room, locking himself in the bathroom to give him time to calm down. But when he was clean and changer, he had no choice but to face Magnus.

Magnus patted the bed next to him, and he stepped forward until he could sit. He fidgeted, unsure what he was about to hear.

Alexander, I love you, started Magnus. And despite how… incredible your time travel story may seem; I do believe you. I am so happy you’re my soulmate.

Thank the angel. Alec sagged against Magnus, feeling the relief wash over him. I love you so much.

He had been so scared of rejection. He sounded crazy every time he even thought about his adventures, how was he supposed to make others believe him?

But Magnus did. He always believed in Alec.

But before we start examining this, o soulmate o’ mine, how about breakfast? Magnus offered with a smile and a wink.

They were going to be okay, Alec promised himself.

Soulmate magic was tricky, but powerful.

And fortunately, nothing could ever come and cut that connection between two people.

#the-prophet-lemonade #malecsanta19 #*fics19 #*gifts19

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