Chapter Text
Magnus' life has been… eventful. Quite eventful, that’s for sure.
When you've lived as long as he has, you're bound to have had some odd and, generally unique experiences.
And he has. He's had far, far too many to count, to even begin to remember.
Meeting people who were famous or would later become so, knowing them personally. Getting drunk in the company of friends and Kings and Princes. Not to mention normal (and eccentric) warlock tomfoolery. Needless to say… he's gotten into quite a few different predicaments.
But these past five or so years have been eventful in a way that, honestly, was unlike anything Mangus had ever experienced before. In really, really good ways, and in equally, really, really terrible ones as well.
He's glad that those years had happened, but he's also glad to be done with all the uprising-Valentine-Lilith-Owl-Jonathon-Sebastian bullshit.
He's glad to just be… happy and exist side by side with his husband.
Speaking of his husband… Married life. Just everyday life with Alexander had been a treat, there really wasn't a better way to describe it (or if there was, Magnus couldn't think of it).
Magnus honestly couldn't have imagined how much he enjoys being a husband, having a husband.
Obviously, Magnus had enjoyed spending time with his love, his Alexander before they had gotten married and his love for Alexander hadn't changed, but after getting married, everything just got so much sweeter.
Like, waking up in the morning.
The mornings shared with his sSadowhunter had always been one of his favorite parts of their relationship.
Whether slow and sensual, filled with passion beyond belief or simply just a sleepy kiss and a quick goodbye, he loved how Alexander was in the morning.
Loved his face, slack with sleep and totally relaxed, how all his tough and rigid muscles went slack, how pliant he was under Magnus' touch. The drug of sleep making everything about their interactions even more honey sweet and loving.
Watching Alexander laze around in the late mornings of his day off has quickly become one of Magnus' favorite pastimes.
But, unlike most mornings, Magnus woke up alone, the sun shining through the window, like always, the bed sheets soft and silky on his skin, like always.
But, the bed wasn't quite as warm as it normally was when his big, 6'1” Shadowhunter was sleeping soundly beside him, or on top of him (or under him depending on the day).
Oh how he loves it when his Shadowhunter is under him, his strong chest the most perfect pillow, Alec was so warm. The beat of his heart both a good background noise to fall asleep to and a constant reassurance that his Alexander was alive and here with him.
But no. He didn't wake up with a Shadowhunter on top of him or below him.
Instead, Magnus woke up alone, but that was far from what had started the absolute chaos of this day and the weeks that followed.
No.
Instead, it started with a phone call.
A fucking phone call.
He had woken up alone, and yeah sure, it was out of place, but it made enough sense to the point that he wasn't frightened.
But the phone call.
Magnus had been going about his morning, lounging around, summoning himself breakfast and walking around the apartment to find the things he would need for his first client of the day.
But then, he noted looking at the clock, it was almost 10 o'clock.
Alexander always texted him ‘good morning’ between 5 and 7, depending on when he has to wake up for patrol if he stays the night at the Institute, that is. When he sleeps at home he simply wakes him up to say as much to his face.
So, Magnus pulled out his phone, opened his contacts and tapped on 'hubby' with two hearts and a kissy face.
It rang, and rang, and rang, and then it went to voicemail.
Magnus furrowed his brows, hung up, and tapped it again.
It went to voicemail.
He tapped again.
Voicemail.
So he tapped on another contact, 'the blonde' it said.
It rang, and rang, and then the line picked up.
So Magnus spoke, a mess of words really, but words nonetheless, he could only hope that the blonde man was able to understand what he'd meant. "I tried his cell but he didn't pick up, I just wanted to make sure he hasn't buried himself in work or something, it’s far too early for that nonsense." He spoke fondly, not a worry in his whole body, he was confident that Alexanderjust hadn't heard his call, but that all changed when he heard Jace's response.
"Uh, what? Alec's not at the Institute." Jace asked, confusion clear in his voice.
Magnus scrunched his brows, dread pooling in his gut, "What do you mean? He stayed the night at the Institute." He said, pleading really, begging Jace to tell him that his Alexander was okay.
But there was silence, just a horrible, ear-ringing silence.
Worry was growing quickly in his gut now.
And only continued to grow when Jace replied.
"Uhhh, no, he didn't. He left early." Jace sounded just about as confused as Magnus now
"Are you sure?" Magnus asked, he was grasping at straws now.
But Jace just sounded unimpressed "Yes, Magnus I'm pretty sure, you know, Parabatai and all." Jace sassed, not sounding worried yet.
And with that Magnus had had it.
Magnus took a heavy breath in and blew it out quickly. Angrily, he opened a portal with the snap of his wrist, and he stepped through, not caring in the slightest that he was topless, in only a pair of boxers. His gold silk robe hung open and loose around his body, although he didn't really register that development; he was quite confident about his body and could care less if the Institute or anyone in it saw it.
He strutted up to the blonde, it was only a few steps but it was needed for the dramatic flair.
Now that he was standing face to face with the blonde, he spoke once again, making his annoyance clearly known on both his facial expression and his voice "okay Jace, if he's not at the Institute then where. The. Fuck. Is. My. Husband?"
It was a good moment before the younger man responded, his mouth opening with a sort of sassy smirk as he spoke, "I don't know Magnus. Believe it or not, Alec doesn't exactly check with me before he goes somewhere." Jace sassed yet again, but Magnus could tell that he was starting to get worried.
It was because of that fact (and that fact only) that Magnus just stared at him, his arms crossed, until the blonde cowered and spoke again.
"I'll ask around," he grumbled, looking Magnus up and down and then speaking once again "In the meantime, put some clothes on, I'm sure Alec wouldn't mind you stealing some of his," and with that, the blond walked off, hopefully to figure out where Magnus’ husband went.
In the meantime, he might as well take the opportunity to steal some of his husband's slightly larger clothes.
He made his way to Alexander's room, near the back of the Institute, the Head’s suite. He had moved in after he’d taken the position, nearly 3 years ago now, but the room was still much the same as it had been for the duration of his entire life, at least from Magnus' understanding. It's pretty much the same plain wood and brick room as all the other rooms in this old, dilapidated church (the Nephilim do love their historic architecture), the only difference being the location (more secluded than the rest), and its size (a little larger), it being meant for a married couple, seeing as the position of Head is meant to be shared between spouses.
He continued to Alexander’s nice, secluded, large room. Alexander had given him a copy of the key about six months into their relationship, and Magnus had cherished it ever since (not that he needed a key to get into the room), but that Alexander trusted him, and enough to give him access to private space, trusting him to not misuse it.
He pushed the key into the slot, turning it and it popped open, like he knew it would.
Pulling the door open, he stepped inside and took a look around.
It felt weird, being in here without Alexander, but then again, these days merely existing without Alexander felt weird… So maybe it really wasn't anything new.
He opened Alexander's dresser, pulling out some grey sweatpants and a black tank top, both far too big on Magnus, but then again that was kind of the point.
He quickly pulled both pieces of clothing on, and pulled his robe on over then, wrapping it tightly around himself tying the tie around his waist tightly (something that he never really did) and sat down on Alexander's bed, figuring that it'd be better to wait here for Jace.
He sat there and waited for probably about half an hour, before the door opened and Jace came through.
He walked into the room and sat down on Alexander’s bed as well, taking a moment before he spoke.
"So…" he started, his hands folded awkwardly in front of himself, "no one knows where Alec is, in fact, no one's heard from him since last night, when he left." His voice shook, ever so slightly as he spoke, he looked more than just anxious, he looked just about on the verge of a panic attack.
Magnus sighed, putting his arms out in front of himself in an effort to get Jace to understand, as if it would allow him to explain better, "but he didn't come home, he was supposed to stay the night at the Institute." Magnus pressed, feeling himself get more and more emotional by the moment.
Jace sighed, turned to Magnus and spoke, "tell me about last night, about your last interaction with Alec."
Magnus sighed, getting up from the bed and beginning to pace back and forth around the room.
His face contorted as he thought back, thinking through his every move from the night before, trying to remember if something, if anything had seemed off, and trying to speak at the same time.
“We were just making dinner, it was late. I-i don't know we were just hanging out and then his phone pinged. He said he had to go to the Institute, that it was an emergency and he'd probably have to stay the night." He exhaled, "and that was the last I spoke to him." Magnus looked up at Jace.
Jace sighed, rubbing a hand across his chin, breathing out a quick breath before tilting his head up, meeting Magnus' eyes. Magnus could tell that the man was thinking hard, and most definitely blaming himself.
The blonde’s tongue darted out to wet his lips before he spoke, his hand still working hard to rub his chin raw. “It was a false alarm, we had it handled, he barely stepped foot in the Institute before I sent him back home." Magnus could feel Jace's anxiety from across the room.
They both sighed, feeling the stress of this situation.
"Okay," Magnus started, "so, what do we do now?""
He looked at Jace, as Alexander’s deputy the job as head of the Institute fell to him in his older brother’s absence. Jace looked back at him, his eyes hard, determined, and he spoke, yet again.
"We find him, we fucking find him."
Mere hours later, the Head of the New York Institute would be reported as a missing person. He wouldn’t be found for almost a month. A lot of things can happen in 32 days, Magnus and Jace could learn to tolerate each other, Izzy would temporarily take over the Institute and a lot of chaos would ensue.
But all Magnus could ever find himself wondering is…
Where the hell is my husband?