Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sometime late in the 1920s, Ragnor Fell and Tessa Gray worked together to create a machine that would detect unregistered Warlock magic. Once all the warlocks currently alive had placed their magic in the system, it would stop registering them and only register new warlocks.

The first century after its creation, it was a mess of magic pinging off the system when it shouldn’t have. For a while, it was registering warlocks who never placed their magic in the system, some of which were too recluse to have received the message, most of which had ignored it. A while after that, someone had broken it (no one would name names but Ragnor was positive it was Malcolm) and it started registering every trace of magic as a ping. In the process of fixing that, the system had stopped detecting magic all together.

But nine years later, the system was working perfectly. They ran a few test trial, made sure it was working all across the globe and it was declared finished. Personally, Ragnor couldn’t be happier to see it done. He had been pulled into the project with an average amount of enthusiasm. The system couldn’t detect warlocks the second they were born but it could locate them when their magic finally came out. Which, generally, is when a child's warlock mark(s) appear and start causing problems. It was a good idea to solve a problem they’d been struggling with for centuries and it seemed simple enough to create.

Ragnor had agreed under the premise of working on it for one, maybe two years. After almost a decade of working on it, Ragnor declared himself banished from the Spiral Labyrinth (where the machine itself lay) and stated that any further complications involving the machine go to someone else, anyone but him. It was also very implied in his parting speech that he wanted no involvement in the actually gathering of the new warlocks.

Which is why on July 9th 1970, when the machine pinged for the first time ever, on the first day Ragnor had entered the Spiral Labyrinth in well over 30 years, he thought it was a joke. He actually stopped and looked around to find whoever was left in the building that thought it would be funny to torture him but there was no one. Not a soul in sight. Then, Ragnor walked over and took a look at the map and saw that it had pinged twice. Two times, one right after the other in fucking Indonesia.

Of course, not a single person was answering the phone. He called Tessa, Elphas, Catarina, he even tried calling Aldous. Not. A. Single. One. Answered. Ragnor groaned out loud and threw the portal open with as much sass as he could muster. He walked in, intending to take at least 100 years off after this.

When he stepped out of the portal, he was standing in front of a small farmhouse. He had been wearing a thick over shirt with dark leather pants, perfect for the weather at the Spiral Labyrinth (which was a nice 50 degrees all year around) but now, standing in the blazing heat of the Indonesian summer, he realized he was going die of heat stroke before he managed to die of overwork. Really, if the Warlocken Scholars or the great mighty being above wanted to kill him, there were much simpler ways to go about it.

The farmhouse was very run down. It was obviously the family that lived here didn't have much money, the crooked state of the house showed that but even the lack of money didn't account for how dreadful the place looked. The area was a plain of dead grass and drooping flowers. It practically reeked of abandonment and sorrow. Off to the side of the house there was a small barn, with gaping holes in the wood, allowing enough light to shine in to show that there were no animals inside. There was a small pen in front of it with a few cows, that looked as if they were about to keel over any second.

For no particular reason, the place gave Ragnor an overwhelming feeling of dread. Even on the off chance that the child here was well taken care of and fine, there would need to be some serious improvements on this situation (by someone else, whom he would call the second he could before going home and taking a nice bath).              

Ragnor sighed and started walking towards the door. As he reaches out to knock, his magic shivered and Ragnor had to resist the urge to fix the peeling paint on the splintering door. It really was dreadful.

He knocked, sighing as the paint chipping onto his hands. “Hello?” Silence. Of course, because nothing in the world could be quick, fast and easy. “Anyone home?” He asked to the nothing listening, as if it would somehow call it out.

There was something here. Most likely, something small with an animal feature or two that had just learned how to use magic. Ragnor called again, counted to ten and then sighed. He already hated his new companion. Maybe in a couple of centuries, when the warlock had grown up they could reconnect and discuss their first meeting over a cup of tea. Now though, Ragnor wanted nothing to do with them. 

He stepped back and willed his magic into his palms. It came instantly, in a well of green light, shimmering and sparking calmly from his hands. He was trying to be as obvious as possible. If there was a small warlock watching him from some crevasse, it might see his magic and decide to trust him. Or it might see his magic and decides to stay far far away. Really, it was a 50/50 shot but after ten minutes Ragnor’s patience was already wearing thin.

He called the spell forward and closed his eyes. The locating spell worked quickly, showing him in almost like an infrared red camera where any living creatures were. The cows pops up instantly, there was a deer in the field behind the house, a small cat sleeping on the trunk of a tree a few yards away from him and two little figures, crouched at the top of the barn, peeking out at him.

Ragnor opened his eyes. Fucking perfect. Two of them, already loyal to each other and distrusting of the outsider. Of course, the system at the Labyrinth showed two different flares of magic but Ragnor had just assumed it was a mistake. It was rare to find a warlock child let alone two at the same time. They were running a rate of about one new warlock every thousand years (technically about two or three, but their survival rate wasn't the best. Hence, the new location system) and somehow today, on the day Ragnor was the only one available to deal with it, they had been graced with two.

Of course.

Ragnor sighed and dropped his glamour, begrudgingly starting to make his way towards the barn. Instantly, his green skin and horns bursts into the sunlight. There was no reason to hide it now. He could tell both of the children in the barn were warlocks. One's magic was shinning bright and blue and the others was shimmering calmly in a royal purple. He might as well let them see him. Maybe they’d trust him more. Maybe not. He probably wouldn't have.

The barn itself was a faded red color, with holes and gaps in almost every single board. As Ragnor got closer, he was surprised the support beams holding the barn were even still up. The walls were practically nonexistent and the sections of wall that did exist looked like they'd collapse in the second the wind picked up in the wrong direction.

He grumbled, stepping over the boards below his feet, ducking under the ones above his head to step into the barn. The light was streaming in through the gaps, filling the barn with glowing rays of light, illuminating the millions of specks of dust floating down around him.

“Hello?” Ragnor called softly, looking up to the top of the barn. It was a small platform, that looked like it was once used to hold hay. It couldn’t be larger than a couple yards. Ragnor sighed, his eyes finally falling on the flimsy ladder leading to the top. “I'm going to climb up there and then we’re going to talk, okay? Unless you’d rather come down?” He offered hopefully, feeling no surprise when he was met with silence.

The ladder creaked as he stepped on it. Ragnor could almost see it bending under his weight. It was obvious no one older than ten had stepped on it in a while, which begged the question, who had been taken care of them?

He started up the ladder slowly before sighing, using his magic to stabilize it under his feet. He wasn’t going to fall to his death and lay rotting in this heat. Almost half way up the ladder, Ragnor saw a little face peek over the edge before quickly ducking back again. Ragnor sighed.

When he reached the top, the first thing Ragnor saw was two children, one standing in front of the other protectively, the other peeking out from behind him. They both looked terrified but the one in front looked enraged. Ready to attack Ragnor, if he needed too.

Ragnor stepped over the ladder, onto the floorboards and slowly raised his hands.

He was standing in a makeshift bedroom, the ceiling so low to the ground he actually had to crouch down to avoid hitting his head. There was a pile of blankets one corner, arranged to look more like a nest, where it seemed the children had been sleeping. There were a few books scattered across the floor and a homemade teddy bear thrown on the floor in front of them, like one of the children had dropped it moments before Ragnor came up.

Neither of the children could have been older than nine. Both of them were covered in dirt and wearing clothes that resembled rags more than anything else. Ragnor scanned the first child for injuries and then tried to look at the second but his view was blocked by the older child, standing protectively in front of him as he stared Ragnor down. Ragnor’s gazed flickered to his eyes. They eyes were glowing; deep gold and green hues with the iris’s split like a cats. He couldn’t see the other child's marks from where he was standing but the first child saw him trying to look again and backed up, pressing the smaller child further into the wall. Regardless, the smaller boy peeked over his friend's shoulder, peering out at Ragnor’s horns curiously.

He took a step forward and instantly a string of angry words shot out of the taller child's mouth, making Ragnor freeze even before he saw the blue magic welling in the small boys hands.

“Berani menyentuhnya, dan aku akan membunuh kamu!

Indonesia.. They were in Indonesia, of course the children wouldn’t know English! Ragnor’s thoughts raced to catch up with the obvious truth he had missed before. That's why they didn’t answer before, they couldn’t understand me. Hearing me speak English probably scared them even more, but even as Ragnor thought this his mind was focused on something else.

The boy's hands were filling with magic, pure defensive magic from someone who hadn't been taught to channel it into anything, but magic nonetheless. Was that too young? Eight or nine, was that too young to know how to do that? Even the warlocks Ragnor knew that had been horribly abused hadn't known how to channel their magic that young.

After a second of hesitation, Ragnor dropped to his knees, still holding his hands out in front of him, defenselessly. The boy was breathing hard, the magic in his hands slowly dwindling with in use. He stared at Ragnor cautiously, his hostility slowly bleeding into fear as the seconds went on.

Slowly, Ragnor dropped his hands, laying them palm up on the cracked wooden floor before slowly pulling his magic through his hands, letting the green energy rest calmly in his open palms. Looking up, he saw the older child staring at him nervously but much less defensively. The smaller boy looked out at Ragnor, his dirty face almost lighting up in a smile.

“Magnus..  Lihat! Seperti kita juga!"

The older boy turned and glared at the smaller one before turning his attention back to Ragnor, snapping a few harsh words Ragnor couldn’t understand.

"Itu mungkin trik, Alec!"

This wasn’t going to work. Ragnor watched them for a moment, before nodding down to his hands, giving the best warning he could. Slowly, he raised them and moved them back in a quick motion, the magic of the spell vibrating through the air, making the two boys jump. The older boy raised his hands, startled, obviously ready to fight. Ragnor hastily raised his hands in surrender, not moving from his spot on the floor.

“I was making it so you can understand me.” He spoke gently, the English words moving through the spell and coming out in Indonesia to the children. “Did it work?” He asked, despite knowing that it did.

The older boy watched him wearily but the younger one stepped forward, staring at Ragnor curiously. He grabbing the other arm and nodded, “Yes.” Ragnor glanced down and saw the younger boys warlock mark resting there. There were deep black claws sprouting from the boys fingertips and scales all down his hands, slowly fading into skin on his arms.  Even from where he was crouching, Ragnor could see the scales on the boy's arms, cracking and flaking away with damage.

The older boy glanced down, saw the others mark showing and quickly shoved him back in a flash of panic, turning to Ragnor angrily. “What do you want?”

“My name is Ragnor Fell." He said calmly. "I'm like you.” He raised his hand and flashed a gently spark of magic. “I'm here to help you.” He offered softly.

Instantly, the older boy rebutted, “We don’t need help.”

Great then, I can leave, Ragnor thought bitterly, dropping his hand again. “Wouldn’t you like to know what that is? That thing you can do?” He nodded towards the boys hands and then looked to the younger one, flashing a gently smile. “I have food at my house too.” He offered, watching both their faces light up at the mention of something to eat. “I promise you, no one will harm you.”

Ragnor expected the small boy to agree instantly, but instead he glanced towards the other boy, obviously waiting for him to say something. Already loyal to each other and distrusting of the outsider. Called it.  “You can come over my house, we can talk, have something to eat and if you’d like and then I can bring you back.” There was no way either of them were coming back but Ragnor was almost positive they wouldn’t want too. He would find someone to take care of them.

The larger boy glanced to the other, his face softening as he stared at him. They both looked starving and Ragnor could tell they were both thinking about how long it had been since they’d eaten. Finally, he turned back to Ragnor, his face hardening as he said, “If you hurt him I’ll kill you. Amir tried to hurt him and I killed him, so don’t think I won't.”

Ragnor stared at the boy for a few moments and then nodded. He believed him.

It took twenty minutes for them to take what they wanted (the smaller boy picked up the teddy bear from the floor and grabbed a book in Indonesian. The taller boy grabbed some smooth stones from the corner, stuffing them quickly into his pockets) and for Ragnor to convince them that the portal to his house was safe.

Standing side by side, the younger boy looked a lot less younger. The other was still slightly taller but they looked like they were about the same age. Ragnor couldn't help but noticed that the smaller boy looked considerably healthier than the other one, though that still wasn't saying much.  They held hands as they stepped through the portal and Ragnor landed a second after them, watching them at they looked around his house in amazement.

It was rather magnificent, especially to a small child who had probably never seen anything besides a farm house. The kitchen floor was a beautiful marble, alternative white and black with gold borders that Ragnor had gotten back in the Victorian era. The counters were dark swirling black opal. One whole wall, spanning across the kitchen and living room, was taken up with a bookshelf. A beautiful grand piano sat in the middle of an semicircle of windows, peeking through the books. It had taken Ragnor years to build his home, filling it with beautiful things he’d picked up over the centuries.

Both of their eyes seemed to catch on the books.

They sat at the table, never letting go of each other hands as Ragnor conjured them something to eat. Chicken soup with bread dipping, a bowl of apples in the center of the table, orange juice, a platter of pastries, conjured all in one quick motion. After a moment of hesitation, they both began eating quickly. Ragnor could see through their clothes that they were both horribly thin. He let them eat for a few long minutes before joining them at the table, asking once they’d finally slowed, “Do you have names?”

He expected hostility from the larger boy but instead he ducked his head, seeming embarrassed to have not said it before. He looked up at Ragnor, seeming much more like a child than he had a half an hour ago. “My name is Magnus.” He said softly, his eyes flickering down to the table with the twitch of a smile.

The other boy smiled when Magnus spoke his name, as if it was a secret they were both sharing. “Alec.” He said quietly, nervously tugging at Magnus’s hand where it was placed in his. He was surprised the boys claws hadn’t bore a hole in Magnus’s hand with all the nervous fidgeting, but he had the feeling that even if he had, Magnus wouldn’t have minded.

“Well.. I don’t know what you two plan on doing but you can stay here, if you want. Until we find someplace more permanent for you to go... There are other like us.” He added looking up at them. “They would love to meet you.”

“Why?” Magnus asked quietly, looking up at Ragnor shyly.

“The Downworld is like a family.” He said, thinking back to the insufferable people he considered part of his. “We take care of each other.”

Catarina and Tessa came a week later. They stood with Ragnor in the doorway, already discussing where the children would go, where would be safest, who was able to take them. “They could stay at the Labyrinth. Someone's always there and they could..”

Ragnor looked out at them. They were sitting in the living room, arguing about something, Alec gently shoving at Magnus’s shoulders as he giggled. They had spend the week going over the Downworld. Ragnor started off telling them the basics but when they asked, he answered them honestly. “How come the Shadowhunters killed her? How come no one can know where the Labyrinth is? How come you live in the middle of nowhere? ” Ragnor had answered them honestly each time.

‘Sometimes, Shadowhunters are very mean. All of them? Not all of them but a lot of them. They like to think they’re better than us. But they’re not? Of course, not. They don’t have magic.’

‘Because we don’t want bad people finding it. Like Shadowhunters? Yes.’

‘Because I don’t like people.’

He delivered the last line with a glare that had sent both of them into a laughing fit, that didn’t end until Ragnor had finally joined them.

“They’re fine.” He muttered, not taking his gaze off the children as he did. Alec had fallen into Magnus’s lap now and he was peering up at him happily, sticking his dark forked tongue out before ducking out of his grasp, laughing as Magnus tried to chase him.

“What?” Tessa turned to him but he didn’t look at her.

“I said they’re fine. The children. They’re fine here.” After a few beats of silence Ragnor broke and glanced over, catching both of them smiling at him with those infuriating smiles. “It’s safest here!” He snapped quickly, protesting as if they had said something outload. “I have the strongest wards in the world. This is just the safest place for them! It makes sense and that all.”

“Okay.” Catarina said, all too agreeably.

“I mean it!” He snapped again, growling at her. “I’d feel guilty if something happened to them and that's it.”

“Alright.” She said again.  

Ragnor scoffed and stormed into the kitchen, grumbling as he snatched a glass off the counter. Alone, he smiled softly, listening to Alec and Magnus laugh in the other room.

Chapter Text

Even before Ragnor knew what happened to them, he could tell it was something that Magnus was much more affected by than Alec.

By the second week at his house, Alec didn’t seem to remember his old life at all. He certainly didn’t act bothered by it. He was excited to greet anyone who came to the door (hoping to meet a vampire. He hadn’t met one of those yet but Alec thought they were the coolest Downworlders). He wasn’t bothered at all to bound into Ragnor's study and ask him any questions he had thought of in the night. He had even asked Ragnor if he could call him ‘papa’, looking up at him shyly as he asked, “Ragnor? Can I call you-” He had pondered for a moment. “Ayah- what's the English word for that?”

Ragnor thought for a moment, translating it quickly in his mind and trying not to look too startled as he responded. “Papa?”

Alec nodded, looking pleased with the English word, “Yeah, Papa. Can I call you that?”

Ragnor faltered for a moment, so honestly shock by the question before nodding quickly, “You and Magnus can call me whatever you want.” He knew Magnus was listening from the other side of the couch, where he was curled up, his head resting on Alec's lap, as he practiced shooting magic from his hands (‘practiced’ though he really kept doing it over and over again to make sure he still had it, rather than actually stopping once he had mastered it).

The next day, Alec sat down at the kitchen table and looked up at Ragnor, slyly calling, ‘Good morning, Papa.’ To which Magnus echoed a, ‘Good morning, Ragnor.’

It wasn’t that he wanted the boy to call him Papa. He didn’t mind what either of them called him. He still found it rather jarring, in a delightful way, every time Alec did but it was a perfect example of closed off Magnus was. Alec would run up and hug Ragnor, while Magnus was reluctant to touch anyone at all, who wasn’t Alec. Magnus would flinch away whenever anyone moved too fast. He still stared hesitantly when Ragnor set their food down, like he thought Ragnor was going to change his mind and take it from him. He watched, always a bit surprised when Ragnor said goodnight to him as well as Alec; Like he was expecting Ragnor to say goodnight to Alec and forget about him.

Alec was the one who finally talked about it. He mentioned it one morning, while Magnus was still upstairs sleeping. It was the first time that had happened (Magnus normally woke up the second Alec moved from his side, where they slept every night, curled up against each other). They were taking sips of their respective drinks; Ragnor sipping his coffee. Alec sipping his hot cocoa and he just said it, the words bursting from his mouth, like he had been waiting for the chance to bring it up for weeks. “Did Magnus tell you what happened? About how we became friends?”

Alec launched into the story sporadically, starting somewhere in the middle, talking about random details long before he gave Ragnor enough context to understand, randomly dropping one memory to emphasis another he had decided was more interesting. He mostly wanted to tell Ragnor about him and Magnus, about the adventures they went on, about the creek behind the barn but slowly they started to talk about their family and what happened. 

Ragnor learned that, Magnus’s warlock mark had been visible since he was born. His parents had loved their child so much and then loathed him just as much when he opened his eyes and he looked like a monster. Alec on the other hand, had been born with his hidden.

This wasn’t too odd. There was about a 50/50 chance of a child's warlock mark being visible before their magic came out. Magnus was lucky he survived it, though. Most born with their marks showing didn’t last long enough to even realize why they were being killed.

Alec’s mother had died when he was born (probably due to the claws resting on the child's hands. He'd probably ripped something inside of her as he'd come out) and Magnus’s family, still reeling from the abomination their actual son had been, took him in instantly. They must have moved Magnus out to the barn right away, when he was still an infant because Alec didn’t remember seeing Magnus at all.

He told Ragnor that he wasn’t supposed to know Magnus existed. He said it happily, like him and Magnus had overcome their parents tricks and met each other despite the odds. “I couldn’t sleep, so I was looking out my window at the barn and I could see his eyes. He was peeking out at me through the boards and his eyes were glowing. They scared me..” He muttered, seeming a bit embarrassed. “I ducked down super fast and when I looked he was still staring at me. I thought maybe there was a monster out there. With giant teeth to rip you apart and eyes that could see you, no matter what! I went out there the next day, anyway. I brought a stick for protection and I brought water and some snacks, even though I probably wouldn't need them. I was trying to be an adventurer! I thought I would go out there and there would be a big demon I could slay! I didn’t find anything scary, though.” He shrugged. “ I just found Magnus.”

After that, Alec snuck out to see Magnus every night.

Ragnor could imagine him, curling up at Magnus’s side, falling asleep with his little claws clutching Magnus’s chest. Magnus, staying awake all night to make sure Alec left before anyone noticed he was gone.

Alec said it was raining the night it happened. He said this first, looking up at Ragnor to make sure he was listening, like that was the most important detail of the story. He snuck down the stairs, stealing exactly three cookies from the kitchen. “Only three! One for me and two for Magnus because I got one every morning and Magnus didn’t.” Then he crept outside. He slowly close the door behind him and then raced down the wet steps, looking to see if he could spot Magnus in the barn, instead of looking where he was stepping.

He slipped on the top step, his feet flying out in front of him, his back falling hard against the stone steps, bright purple magic shooting from his hands for the first time. The glamour shattered, the claws and scales Alec had seen his whole life bursting into the thundering rain. He started crying and his mom ran outside, the rain blurring the image of her child until she was already holding him. She looked down, trying desperately to check her son for injuries when she saw it.

Dark claws resting where her son's hands use to be.

Alec said he cut her. He sniffled, wiping at his nose as he muttered, “I was just scared.. My back really hurt and I was cold.. Mom grabbed me and I hugged her and my nails scratched her arm.” Alec paused for a moment, not looking up at Ragnor as he said, “She started screaming, like I hurt her really bad but I know I didn’t. Then she dropped me in the mud again and she ran inside, yelling for Ayah. So, I got up and I ran to Magnus.”

“When Magnus saw my hands, I thought he was going to say something mean.. I started crying so hard.. Even harder than I was before.” He looked up at Ragnor, for the first time in a few minutes. “I told Magnus about my claws before. Of course, because I tell Magnus everything. But.. I don’t think he believed me until he saw them. He had to come carry me up the ladder.” Alec said, giggling softly at the memory, even with tears in his eyes. “He put me on his back and he kept yelling at me to hang on better but I was crying so hard and I wouldn’t. I thought he was going to be mad at me when we got to the top but he just hugged me..”

“The next morning, Ayah came out to the barn.” Alec fell silent for a moment, the story halting to a stop just as suddenly as it started. Slowly, he turned, pressing his little face into Ragnor’s chest. When Alec spoke again his voice broke, an audible expression of the tears welling in his eyes. “I thought he was going to give me the cookies.. That's what he said. He said.. Said, ‘I brought some cookies. Since you dropped yours last night.’ and I went to go grab them. I-I wanted Ayah to give me the cookies and tell me to come inside. I didn’t really wanna leave Magnus but I wanted Ayah to tell me too. Is that bad?” He asked, tears streaming down his face as he looked up at Ragnor. “That's really mean, isn’t it?” He said, deciding that it was as he asked.

Magnus must have been listening the whole time because the second Alec started crying, he was there. He didn’t say anything, he just sat on the couch next to Alec, his arms going around his shoulders perfectly, like he had done it a million times. Ragnor looked down at them, watched Alec bury his face in Magnus's neck, and he suddenly felt like he was watching something he shouldn’t have. Like he was peeking in on some private moment he shouldn't have been able to see.

Magnus told him the rest of what happened when Alec left the room. Their step father came up the ladder. He called Alec over and the second he saw Alec's claws, he moved, grabbed Alec by the neck. He tried to snap it quickly before Magnus could do anything. There was magic pouring out of Alec’s hands but it wasn’t doing anything, not like Magnus's did. The magic welled in his hands instantly and before Magnus knew what was happening, he was burning him. Alec fell to the ground and their father was screaming and screaming but Magnus didn’t stop.

When he stopped screaming, Magnus told Alec to stay in the barn. Then he walked outside and for the first time since he was an infant, he entered their house. He found his mother sitting in the kitchen, gnawing at her nails, anxiously waiting for her husband to return after killing both of her children.

“I burned her before she even said anything.” Magnus said evenly, not looking away from the wall in front of him, where his eyes had been fixed the entire time he was talking. “Then you came, four days later.”

Neither of them moved. Ragnor wanted to hug him. He wanted to tell the boy that it wasn’t his fault and that he did nothing wrong but Magnus looked at him before he could. “Please, don't make Alec cry again.” He whispered, fleeing the room before Ragnor could even move.

They were in the bedroom the next night.

Magnus and Alec had claimed the attic as their own. It was a small room, with a balcony overlooking the rest of the house. At first, Ragnor had gotten them two bed but when he walked up there the next day, he found Magnus and Alec curled up against each other, their two twin beds crammed together in the center of the room. “Super bed.” Alec said sleepily, when he woke up and saw Ragnor watching.

The next time they entered the room Ragnor had a queen bed resting in its place. They were curled up on that. Ragnor sitting at the foot of the bed, while Magnus and Alec curled up together at head. Magnus was reading Alec the book he had taken from the barn. It was completely in Indonesian but Magnus and Alec smirked and said if they had to practice English, he had to practice Indonesian too.

So there he was, trying to understand the story without using the translating spell. Every few pages Alec would look up at him and say, “Did you get that?” When Ragnor shook his head no, Alec would sigh and then translate a single word for him, as if that word would make the whole story fall together. “Pedang means sword, Papa.”

Eventually, Ragnor stopped trying. He noticed something weird though.

At first, he thought they were talking to each other but then he looked up and paid attention the next few times it happened. Magnus would say it, his eyes never moving from the page, his tone never changing. ‘Alec dan Magnus berjalan selama berhari-hari..'

Alec looked up at him, a little smile on his lips as he watched Ragnor, waiting for him to put it together. Ragnor remembered thinking Alec and Magnus had weird names for children growing up in Indonesia. They sounded more like names from a fairy tale or a kids story book. He remembered watching Magnus smile as he spoke his name, Alec beside him smiling too, like him and Magnus had shared a secret.

Magnus and Alec were the characters in Alec's favorite story.

Ragnor smiled and Alec looked up, not fully understanding his reaction but smiling back.

Every warlock Ragnor knew had changed their name. Even himself, who had grown up with a family that loved him despite his oddities. He had gotten a bit older and chose a new name, one more fit to bare the years of immortality.

And here were these two little boys, who didn’t even know what being a warlock was yet and they had already chosen their names. Ragnor was smiling because he knew they would keep them. With anyone else he would have thought they’d change them again. That they would get older and they would start to resent the childish names they had chosen but Ragnor knew they wouldn’t. He knew that they would keep them for as long as they were together and Ragnor had no doubt in his mind that that would be together for a very long time.

They started working on magic right away. Simple spells, controlling exercises, the basics.

Magnus excelled in it. He picked up on the spells almost instantly. He stayed in the living room practicing long after Ragnor had told them to stop. He wanted to know how every spell worked, how every ingredient changed the potion, how every movement changed the intent. Then he started finding spells on his own. He started reading through the spell books, looking for the ones he wanted to learn rather than waiting for Ragnor.

He wanted to know how to conjure flowers for Alec. He wanted to know how to use his magic to make figures, like Ragnor did sometimes, while they were reading. He wanted to know how this spell would work if he did this differently, he wanted to know what would change if he didn’t do this.

It actually worried Ragnor for a while. Magic was a dangerous thing and Magnus seemed to have too much of it for someone so young. Ragnor told him he had to ask before he tried something new and he did, for a while and then he got sick of Ragnor saying no and started doing them on his own again.

He never got hurt, though. Even when the magic blew back in his face, even when he dropped the spell halfway through, somehow, he never got hurt. He just jumped right back up and tried again, never stopping until he got it right.

Alec was different. He never said that he didn’t want to work on magic. He never groaned or complained. He listened to Ragnor every time he told Alec to try something but.. he didn’t do anything after that. The second Ragnor looked away, Alec would stop. Ragnor would leave the room for a few minutes and he’d come back to see Alec curled up reading, while Magnus practiced the spell.

For a while, he thought Alec was getting discouraged because Magnus was so far ahead of him but Alec always seemed genuinely happy every time Magnus tried to impress him. When Magnus finally got the hang of the conjuring spell (Which, was actually pretty complicated, because Magnus didn’t want to buy flowers and hide them somewhere in the house for him to conjure. He thought that was cheating. He wanted to conjure flowers for Alec that came from someplace else) Alec smiled, a small blush on his cheeks as he took the flowers from Magnus. Even when Magnus looked away, Alec kept smiling, looking down at his book, peeking over at Magnus every few minutes.

Alec just didn’t seem too interested in furthering his abilities. He’d rather curl up and read a book than practice more. Ragnor had to keep reminding himself that Alec wasn’t actually behind. They were both ahead for their ages. He had never met a warlock that young who could successfully perform a spell like they could. It was just hard to remember that Alec was fine, when Magnus was yards ahead of him, still sprinting forward as Alec slowed to a crawl.

He could defend himself, though. He knew enough magic to protect himself, if it ever came down to it. So, Ragnor let it go. He let the boy read.

They were sitting down at the table the next morning. It had become a ritual every morning, without anyone having to say it, that they woke up and sat at the table for breakfast. The sunlight was streaming in through the windows behind them, painting them in a million shades of blue, yellow and green. Magnus was slumped over, his brown hair a mess on top of his head as he peered over at Alec, watching him talk amiably about the new book he was reading.

Ragnor took his coffee and walked over to the table, setting it down gently as Alec spoke. “The main characters, they do this thing all the time, where they just kiss each other.” Ragnor looked up at him bemused and Alec face scrunched up, like he was embarrassed. “Its really cute.” He said simple, looking down his plate, suddenly very interested in his toast.

There was silence after Alec spoke, an odd silence. It took Ragnor a few moments to realize it was because Magnus hadn’t said anything, he was looking over at Alec, almost looking panicked, his face bright red. Ragnor was about to say something, ask if he was okay, move on and put the boy out of his misery, when he stood up hastily, almost knocking his chair over in the quick movement. Alec looked up at him confused but Magnus froze there for a moment, his face growing redder and redder by the second.

Then he leaned in, awkwardly, almost frantically and riddled with nervous energy, he pressed his lips against Alec’s.

Alec’s eyes were wide in shock but Magnus had his clenched firmly shut, like he was scared to open them. After a few seconds, Magnus pulled away and almost threw himself into his seat, gnawing on his cheek as he stared down at the table.

No one moved for a moment. Alec was staring over at Magnus, shocked, his face bright red. Slowly, Alec looked down at his lap, his claws fiddling nervously with his shirt as he laughed, a quiet little joyful giggle escaping his lips.

After a few seconds, Magnus laughed too and it became a trend after that.

When they were going to bed, they kissed each other goodnight. When they woke up in the morning, whoever had woken up first kissed the other and then they kissed again when they were both awake. They kissed before one of them had to go to the bathroom. They kissed when Magnus had to run upstairs to get his spell book. They kissed all of the time and every single kiss was followed by that cute little joyful laugh and two pairs of bright red cheeks.

Chapter Text

They had to go back to the Labryinth a couple of days later.

The system had a delay. That much became obvious after he heard Magnus and Alec’s story. They had been alone for four days before the system recognized their magic.

Ragnor had to weigh the pros and cons to himself. If he mentioned it, he would most likely be forced to fix it because he was surrounded by incompetent assholes. But if he ignored it, the system was basically useless. The whole point of it was that they could find the warlocks when their magic came out and protect them from whatever backlash that probably held.

Fours days was long enough to mean life or death. Luckily for Alec and Magnus, it hadn’t been the latter but it easily could have been if Magnus’s magic hadn’t been so strong.

He had to go fix it. He knew he had to go.

He still put it off for two days, though. The odds of another warlock needing help within the two days he put it off were amazingly slim but with his luck, he wouldn’t be surprised.

He finally mentioned it to Alec and Magnus with a very implied ‘we will go in a couple of days’ but they obviously missed that because, before Ragnor could even finish describing what he had to do there, they were putting their shoes on.

He should have known better than to mention it. They had been obsessed with the Labyrinth for weeks now. Alec and Magnus wanted to read every single book in the library (Ragnor told them there were some that were very dangerous and they would not be allowed to read for at least a couple of centuries but he could see their determination). They told Ragnor that they were going to translate the spells left in the Labyrinth, so old that their language was lost, forgotten and utterly untranslatable. They had been itching to get there for weeks now.

Of course, they would jump on the chance.

So they went. Ragnor gathered his overcoat and sarcastically asked if Magnus wanted to open the portal for them.

Which, Magnus instantly took offense too and started to try, the look of utter determination on his face almost tricking Ragnor into thinking he would do it. He started to make something, the cobalt magic swirling together to make something that almost resembled a portal, just before it blew open. Only it was slanted and crooked, the magic folding in on spots that Magnus was paying less attention too.

Ragnor snapped his fingers and put an end to it.

“I was doing it!” Magnus growled, looking at Ragnor with so much disdain.

“It was crooked. It was about to blow open. You would have killed us all.” Ragnor replies easily, his own emerald magic forming the portal in front of them. Behind him, Alec laughed. “If you tear a hole in space we’ll have to spend all day fixing that. Wouldn't you rather find something at the Labyrinth to destroy the world with?”

Magnus sulked, only looking a tad bit happier when Alec took his hand. “I was going to do it.” Ragnor heard him insist, somewhere behind him. 

“I know.” Alec replied and without even turning Ragnor knew he kissed Magnus on the cheek.

They were rather cute.

It was almost worth returning to that damned project to see the amazement on their faces when they stepped into the Labyrinth.

They could feel it, the magic of the Labyrinth thrumming through their own. It was a wonderful sensation, being so connected to something so large, like feeling the magic of the universe flowing through you. “I know.” Ragnor said softly and they looked at him, their eyes wide with wonder.

For a moment, neither of them moved… and then they spotted the books.

They were gone before Ragnor could even tell them they could. “Fine! I'll just be here, trying to fix this!”

“Okay!” They both yelled in unison, already darting out of sight to explore.

“And don’t touch anything!” They didn’t bother to answer him that time.

He was about an hour into fiddling with the system when Isaac came around the corner. His antlers were high on his head, his hands holding a couple of heavy books. He watched Ragnor for a moment, obviously waiting for a greeting that would not come.

“You shouldn’t let them do that.” He said finally, when it became obvious that Ragnor was ignoring him.

Sighing, Ragnor responded. “Do what?”

“Kiss each other.”

Ragnor didn’t move for a moment. He hesitated, his hands still wrist deep in coils and sparking mixes of magic and electricity. “And why is that?” He said, his tone obviously indicating that Isaac was crossing a line, though he didn’t seem to take any mind.

“You don’t want them to grow up thinking that it's okay to kiss other boys like that.”

Ragnor stood up. The magic fizzled out in his hands and he was left standing their with oil slathered up his arms.

Isaac looked at him mildly.

“Why? Is there something wrong with children kissing each other?” Ragnor asked dangerously, his tone indicating the threat without him needing to say it.

Isaac shrugged easily. “No but you don't want them to grow up to be a couple of fag-”

Ragnor’s hand was on his throat before he could finish the sentence, his magic coiling around the other's neck, snaking down his body, sparking and burning lowing. “Isaac..” The warlock scrambled to clutch at Ragnor’s hand, staring up at him in shock. “You will not say anything like that around my children and you will most certainly not speak of them like that. Alec and Magnus are allowed to kiss anybody they want too and if that's each other, you will not say a damn word about it.”

Isaac was choking now, clawing desperately at Ragnor's hand, magic coming useless from his fingers.

“Is that understood?.. Hmm? Is that a yes?” Ragnor dropped him, watching as he scrambled to sit up the second his body hit the ground. “Leave my presence, Isaac.” Ragnor growled, turning back towards his project without a glance in the others direction.

He sat up, watching Ragnor stunned for a few moments before practically fleeing the room.

After a moment, Ragnor growled again, dropping the bit of metal back into the machine before turning and stalking out of the room.

He found Magnus and Alec in the archive.  Magnus was sitting on the ground, a tattered, most likely forbidden, book open in his lap. Alec was standing in front of him, a bow, almost the size of his body, clutched in his hand.

It was a beautiful weapon. It was made of a silver, almost translucent fairy metal with dark runes carved on it. It was perhaps the only thing the Fae and Warlocks had ever successfully collaborated on and it had sat in the Labyrinth for the past millennia.

Alec froze when he spotted Ragnor, his tiny hand clutching at the weapon protectively.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Ragnor asked as he walked over, his eyes flickering to see what Magnus was reading, through he tactfully tilted the cover away.

Alec nodded cautiously, pulling the bow a little bit closer.

Ragnor smiled, kneeling before Alec and gently placing his hands over the younger boy's. “Your magic, Alec. Try it.”

He stared at him for a few seconds before looking down at his hands, his face scrunching up in concentration. After a few second his magic came out, flowing effortlessly into the weapon, like it was designed to do. The runes on the weapon started to glow, bright purple and shimmering with Alec’s magic.

“The arrows are over there somewhere.” Ragnor said, nodding towards the cabinets in the back, gently dropping his hands from Alec’s. “If you’d like to take it.”

He looked at him for a few moments, watching hesitantly, trying to decided if Ragnor was being serious and then he grinned, turning and running towards the cabinets, the giant weapon swaying awkwardly in his hands.

“They’re sharp! Be careful!” Ragnor sighed. Is this good parenting? Do parents allow kids to have dangerous weapons with breathtaking magical properties? He turned to Magnus, who was sitting with his book, still watching Alec with a little smile on his lips. “Well, what did you find?”

Magnus frowned, glancing down at the book then up to Ragnor. “You’re not going to let me keep it.” He says instantly, his gaze tightening into a small glare.

“Why won't I? Which one is it?” Ragor watched expectantly and Magnus slowly closed the book to show Ragnor the cover.

‘Dark Magic and Dead Bodies.’

“Are you kidding?” Ragnor froze, glancing at Magnus to make sure this wasn’t actually a joke but Magnus was looking at him completely serious.

“It's a catchy title.” Magnus said after a moment. “It drew me in.”

“Yeah, probably because it knows you’re going to kill yourself with one of those spells! Dark magic isn’t something to be messed with Magnus!” Ragnor took a deep breath. Dark Magic and Dead Bodies, of course. It was one of the most dangerous books in the whole labyrinth and Magnus just happened to pick it up. Ragnor wouldn’t be surprised if there was still blood in between the pages.

Ragnor was there when they took the book. Aldous had made it before Ragnor was even born. He claimed it was stolen out of his house but everyone knew Aldous had given it to someone. They found it in a small village in Asia. Every single person had been killed, even the mundane who had attempted one of the spells.  

All of that destruction and it had been caused by someone who didn’t even have magic. Ragnor couldn’t imagine what Magnus could do with it, intentionally or not.

“You can take it but you’re not reading it. Not now.” Magnus opened his mouth to argue. “Magnus. That book is dangerous. I wouldn’t even try anything out of it and I hope you never will either but you can read it when you’re older. Find something else to take if you want.”

Magnus glared at him for a moment. He didn’t like being told he was too young for anything. That was one of the things most likely to make him defiant but he was. He was far too young. “Fine.” He snapped, standing just as Alec came around the corner.

He was struggling to carry the bow and the arrows together. The bow alone was already hard for Alec to carry but the arrows were longer than his whole arm and they were sharp. Ragnor laughed quietly and took the arrows from him before looking at them both. “Ready to go home? Someone else can fix that damned thing later.” They both nodded and Ragnor sighed, turning to Magnus. “You actually know where we’re going this time. Do you want to try it?”

Magnus looked at him surprised and then he nodded confidently, handing over the book and holding out his hands. He bit his lip in concentration and after a few seconds the portal started to form. This one at least was at the right angle but Ragnor could still see the weak spots in it. It started to pull, bending backwards with tension. Ragnor stepped in front of Alec, ready to throw himself in front of Magnus the second he lost it and it exploded back on him.

It didn’t, though. A few seconds later the portal popped open and their home was shimmering behind the magic. Magnus gasped in surprise and stumbled backwards. The portal hovered there for a second, dimming without power and then it disappeared, not exploding with lack of control but popping out of existence the same way it had formed.

Magnus stared, stunned and then he jumped forward again, his hands already swelling with magic as he raised them.

“Magnus.” Ragnor shook his head no and Magnus looked at him, his face lit with pure excitement.

“But I did it! I did it! I can do it again! I can hold it this time!”

Ragnor smiled, “I know. You did do it but that takes a lot of magic. You can do it next time. You don’t want to get sick because you used too much.”

Magnus’s mouth opened, the pure disappointment obvious on his face. “I did it, though! I can do it again, I promise! I haven't even used that much magic.”

Ragnor almost believed him. Any other child, even some adults, would have been completely drained after making a portal not only once but twice in one day but there was Magnus, standing there, magic filling his palms almost effortlessly. “I know you can.” Ragnor said with absolute confidence. “But getting sick after using so much magic is awful. Hopefully, you won't have to feel that until you’re older. You can portal us somewhere tomorrow.”

Magnus whined, dropping his hands to his sides.

Ragnor stepped forward as the portal opened in front of them. As he stepped through it, he heard Magnus whisper, ‘I'll do it for you when we get home.’ and he couldn’t help but think that it sounded oddly like flirting.

He was going to have to put magic blockers around their house before Magnus killed himself trying to impress Alec.

The house was silent when Ragnor woke up the next morning. He knew the boys were sleeping because the house was never silent when they were awake. They would be in the kitchen making a mess or blowing open the living room wall trying to practice a spell Ragnor had told them not too. So, he didn’t even think before he opened their door.

They had never asked for privacy before. They had never acted like they wanted a warning before Ragnor opened their door and he thought they were sleeping anyway. When he opened the door he froze. They didn’t notice him and Ragnor didn’t say anything, he just stared, his mind trying to catch up with what he was seeing.

Magnus was on top of Alec. They were both practically naked, each only wearing one of Ragnor's shirts, like they did every night. Alec's arms were wrapped around Magnus’s neck and they were kissing, slow, gently, exploitative kisses. Alec's mouth was open a little bit and Ragnor could see his black tongue dipping hesitantly into Magnus’s mouth.

He turned and slammed the door behind him without meaning too. He waited for a second and then sprinted downstairs when neither of them opened the door. He was in the kitchen, his fingers spinning the dial to call Tessa without even realizing that's what he was doing.

She answered after a couple of ring and Ragnor spoke before she even had the chance to say anything. “I caught Magnus and Alec kissing.”

She stayed silent for a few seconds before hesitantly replying when Ragnor didn’t go on. “So? You said they kiss each other all the time. I believe you described it as ‘adorable’.”

“They were on top of each other.” Ragnor said, his voice verging on panic. “Alec's mouth was open, His tongue was in Magnus’s. They’re too young for that!” He snapped not giving Tessa the chance to respond. “Should I not be letting them kiss each other? Is that bad? Have I already fucked them up?”

Tessa audibly struggled to say something before finally asking, “Did it look sexual?”

“Of course, it did! Alec's tongue was halfway down his throat.” Ragnor snapped, turning to make sure he was still alone in the kitchen.

“I know. Did it look sexual though?” She sighed and continued when Ragnor didn’t answer, “Were they touching each other any place else or.. grinding on each other.. Did it.. Look like something more?”

Ragnor thought for a moment before slowly answering, “No. They were just.. Kissing each other.”

“Alright, well then it probably wasn’t sexual to them. They probably read it in one of Alec’s books or saw someone kissing like that and wanted to try it. They’re young Ragnor. If you caught them.. playing with each other that would be a little different but they were just kissing.”

“So, I just..” Ragnor threw his empty hand up despite Tessa not being able to see it. “Let them make out?”

Tessa laughed and Ragnor glowered. “They’re going to do it anyway. They’re young, from what you’ve said, they’re very obviously in love with each other. They’re going to start exploring anyway and kissing each other is about the most innocent way to do that.” Ragnor huffed and she continued more seriously, “I really don’t think it's something to be worried about.”  

Ragnor sighed, obviously not happy with the conclusion of the conversation, “Okay.. Thanks, Tessa.” He said quietly, glancing towards the unmoving door of their bedroom.

Tessa chuckled, “Feel free to call me the next time they have milestone and you panic.”

Ragnor hung up on her.

Ragnor didn’t go up stairs for the next hour and they didn’t come down. He was trying to be casual. He was trying to act like he hadn’t seen them but he was probably just making them think he was mad. He sighed and slowly walked up the steps, knocking softly on their door for the first time.

They didn’t answer for a few seconds and then Magnus called, his voice tense, “Yes?”

He slowly opened the door, trying to be as obvious as possible about the fact that he was coming in.

They were sitting on the bed. Alec was curled up in the blanket hugging himself. Ragnor could see, even from across the room, that Alec had been crying. Magnus was sitting next to him and when he spotted Ragnor he glared, not the light hearted glare he normally gave Ragnor when he was bothered but a real genuine glare full of anger.

Instantly, Ragnor knew what Magnus was mad about. He made Alec cry again. When Magnus told Ragnor about how he killed their parents the only thing he said afterwards was, ‘Don’t make Alec cry again’ and he had.

Ragnor slowly walked over and sat down next to Alec gently wrapping his arm around him. “Alec..  What's wrong?” He asked softly but he already knew.

Alec sniffled, his little blue eyes looking up at Ragnor as he stuttered. “I-I.. I’m.. I-ah..” He took a shallow breath and then burst into tears again, his little arms clutching at Ragnor’s. “I'm sorry!”

Ragnor froze for a moment, watching Alec cry, his chest heaving with sobs. He snapped out of it, quickly pulling Alec into his arms. He glanced over at Magnus, who was sitting at the end of the bed, glaring intensely at Ragnor, his expressing practically saying it, ‘Look at what you did. I told you not too and you did. You hurt him again.’ In that moment, Ragnor wasn’t sure if Magnus would ever forgive him.

“Alec, it’s okay.. You didn’t do anything wrong.. You and Magnus didn’t do anything wrong..” He whispered softly, his fingers gently rubbing Alec’s back.

The boys claws clung to his shirt, tearing little holes in it. “You slammed the door!” He cried, gasping for air as his tears soaked through Ragnor’s shirt. “You- You..”

Ragnor pulled him closer, gently cooing to him. “Alec.. Alec.. Take a deep breath..You’re okay.. Everything's okay..” Alec grew up with parents that loved him. He grew up with people to hug him and hold him and the first real time he’d probably ever seen his parents mad at him had been when they tried to kill him. He was desperate for Ragnor to love him. He was desperate to make Ragnor happy and not do anything wrong. He wasn’t crying because of Ragnor, not really, but that only made him feel worse. “I wasn’t mad, Darling.. I'm not mad..”

Alec gasped in his arms. It took a few minutes for him to calm down but when he did Ragnor brushed his tears away. “You slammed the door..” Alec protested softly, his claws still clinging to Ragnor for dear life.

“I wasn’t mad..” Ragnor made eye contact with Magnus over Alec’s head. “I was just.. I was surprised to see you and Magnus kissing like that. I wasn’t mad..”

“I didn’t know that was bad..“ Alec said quietly, almost sounding like he was going to cry again.

“It's not bad.. You and Magnus can kiss each other all you want. There's nothing wrong with that.” Alec looked up at him and Ragnor brushed away his stray tears again, “You like kissing Magnus, right?” Alec sniffled and slowly nodded, “Alright then. Then there's nothing wrong with that."

Alec buried his face in Ragnor’s chest again and Ragnor pulled him closer. They stayed like that for a long moment and then Ragnor muttered, “Want some hot cocoa?”

Alec nodded softly and Magnus stood up and walked out of the room.

He didn’t talk to Ragnor for three days.

Chapter Text

Children were odd.

In all of his hundreds of years of life, the thought of having children had never appealed to Ragnor. Not as if he could have his own anyway but Ragnor knew quite a few warlocks who had found ways to achieve parenthood. Most adopted, some used spells, in weird odd cases like Tessa they had actually managed to have their own.

Ragnor certainly could have tried but children were just.. Undesirable to him.  

They were like alien creatures that could explode any moment. They destroyed without mercy and wrecked havoc on those around them. Ragnor preferred to keep his distance and reconcile with the children around him when they were older and less... unpleasant.

Which is why Tessa, Catarina and frankly himself, had been surprised when he decided to keep Alec and Magnus.  

At the moment, it had been a snap decision. Sure, he’d thought about it but he didn’t really decide until the moment it had come tumbling out of his mouth.

Magnus and Alec were just.. Different. He understood them from the moment they landed in his kitchen, peering around at what might as well have been a new world to them. Hell, maybe even sooner. They were amazing. They were brilliant, ridiculously intelligent, charming and Ragnor understood them in ways he had failed to understand children before, to understand anyone before.

When they crawled into his bed at night he knew it wasn’t because of some fictitious monster they’d made up in their heads. It was because one of them had a nightmare about their parents and curling up between Ragnor and the wall made them feel safer. When Alec wanted his attention, even though Ragnor was working on something very important that was absolutely time sensitive and couldn’t be put off for another moment.. He knew it was because Alec was terrified that he’d decided to hate him in the few moments since they’d last talked. When Magnus threw himself into perfecting his magic, Ragnor knew it was because he wanted his magic to do something better than it had been when he killed their parents.

They understood him too. When Ragnor was grumpy and untalkative, they took it in stride, choosing to talk at him regardless of if he wanted to have the conversation. When Ragnor stayed up at night working on a spell, he would always find the coffee pot full when he was done (Sometimes, when Magnus was feeling rather brave, he’d find it on his desk instead, with Magnus curled up in the chair next to it, waiting for Ragnor to come back).

He connected with those children like he hadn’t connect with anyone in his life. He understood them on some deep atomic level that Ragnor had never seemed to have with other people. 

And now... Magnus was mad at him and he couldn’t help but understand that too.

Their whole lives Magnus had to be the protector. He had to stay up at night and make sure no one noticed that Alec wasn’t in his room. He had to warn Alec not to tell their parents that they were friends. He had to tell Alec to be careful while they playing in the creek. Then, when Alec came to him wet and crying, Magnus had to pull him up the ladder because he knew what was going to happen when their parents finally came back out.

And when they did, Magnus protected Alec from that too.

But they were with Ragnor now. They were safe. Ragnor was there to take care of them and make sure they were okay. He was there to tuck them in bed at night and chase away the nightmares. Magnus didn’t need to be the protector anymore but he didn’t know that. He still thought he had to protect Alec from everything, even Ragnor and he couldn’t fault him for that.

Not knowing what they’d been through.

Though, Understanding his anger and his intentions hadn’t made it any easier to handle.

The past couple of days had been.. Awful.

Magnus hadn't spoke a single word to him. They woke up in the morning and Alec came downstairs and helped Ragnor cook breakfast and then the two of them sat and ate. Afterward, when Alec thought Ragnor wasn’t looking, he took the rest of the food upstairs to Magnus. They practiced magic like they had everyday since they had gotten there but without Magnus there didn’t seem to be any point. Alec tried what he was told too but Ragnor could tell he was just doing it to make Ragnor feel better. Without Magnus there to be excited about what they were learning, it was useless. At night, Ragnor went in and said goodnight to them like he did every night. He tucked them in and he said goodnight to both of them, pretending to ignore that Magnus stayed silent the whole time.

Of course, Magnus couldn’t stay up stairs the whole time. He came down to use the bathroom. A couple of times he curled up in the library but anytime Ragnor was near him he’d stand up and with a quick kiss to Alec's head, he’d walk right out of the room. After a couple of time, Ragnor just started avoiding them. He didn’t want to pull them apart because Magnus was mad at him.

For two days Ragnor didn’t push. He tried to give him space, he tried to give him time to process his anger by himself. It was the third day, though. It couldn’t go on forever. Ragnor wasn’t sure if he could handle it for another day. So that morning, when Alec was downstairs putting all of the dishes from breakfast away, Ragnor decided to try and talk to him. Actually talk to him, not just pretend everything was okay and then not say anything when it wasn’t.

They needed to talk about it. Magnus needed to learn how to talk about it.

The door to their bedroom was closed, like it always was and Ragnor pushed it open without a thought. He didn’t want to knock and wake Magnus up, if he was sleeping. Magnus was grumpy in the morning anyway and he knew waking him up would just be one more reason why this conversation wasn’t going to go well.

He wasn’t sleeping, though. He was sitting up on the bed and when Ragnor walked into the room he jumped, practically shoving something off his lap onto the bed in front of him. Ragnor froze, so utterly taken back by the look of apprehension on Magnus’s face. It took him a few seconds to even glance down and realize why.

Magnus was sitting there reading the book. The one he’d taken from the Labyrinth. The one Ragnor told him he wasn’t allowed to read, the one he thought was still downstairs on his desk.

For the past couple of days, everything in their house had been dead but suddenly everything was moving again.

Ragnor moved, all of his emotions from the past few days finally coming to a head. He found himself furious, so earth shatteringly furious at the whole situation. At the people who forced Magnus to be the adult, at himself for making Alec cry, at Magnus for not understanding that he was just trying to protect him and keep him safe.

There were things in that book that Ragnor wouldn’t in a million years try, words that Magnus didn’t understand, spells that could destroy the spell caster, the town around them, possibly the whole universe if they were spoken correctly but Magnus didn’t understand. He thought that he could handle everything, he thought Ragnor was keeping the book from him because he wanted to prove a point, he thought that he had to handle everything by himself but he couldn't, he shouldn’t, he didn’t have to anymore!

Magnus saw him and moved fast, jumping up and grabbing the book before Ragnor was even halfway across the room. Before Ragnor could even register the anger on Magnus’s face, the boy reached back and threw the book, magic bursting from his fingers as it sailed across the room, slamming into the wall behind Ragnor’s head.

Pages from the book scattered across the room and suddenly Magnus was screaming at him, his words ripping through the room angry and betrayed. “YOU DON’T WANT ME TO READ IT BECAUSE I KILLED THEM!” Magnus’s chest heaved with the effort to scream and Ragnor looked up startled to find angry, furious tears pouring down Magnus’s face. “If Alec wanted to read it, you’d let him but you don’t trust me!” Magnus screeched that last few words and then he stumbled backwards, tripping on the blankets still wrapped around his feet.

Ragnor darted forward instinctively, desperate to catch Magnus before he tumbled off the bed onto the hard floor below him but Magnus found his footing and shoved Ragnor back, magic busting from his hands hard enough to send Ragnor flying back onto the wall with a loud crack. “I DIDN’T WANT TO KILL THEM!” Magnus’s hands clenched at his sides and Ragnor stumbled to his feet, watching the magic in Magnus’s palms snap and flare uncontrollably. “I DIDN’T WANT TOO! I DIDN’T WANT TO KILL ANYONE!” Magnus gasped for air, sobs suddenly ripping from his throat as he stared at Ragnor. “THEY WERE GOING TO KILL HIM! They were going to kill us!” Magnus choked and fell backwards, falling onto the bed again. This time he didn’t try and stand up again, he just sat there, shaking and crying. 

Ragnor took a hesitant step forward and Magnus’s eyes flashed fearfully, flicking to Ragnor before sobbing again, clutching at the fabric beneath him. “It wasn’t my fault!” Magnus gasped, pulling his legs even closer to his chest as Ragnor inched forward hesitantly. “I didn’t want to die!” He broke off in a whimper and buried his face into his knees as Ragnor finally rushed forward, pulling Magnus's small form as close to his chest as he could get him.

Magnus clung to him, his little hands trembling as they clung to Ragnor’s neck, pulling on his skin desperately to keep him there, his nails digging painfully into the flesh. “I didn’t want to die, Papa..” Magnus’s voice broke off in a whimper again and Ragnor pulled him even closer, trying to keep him every part of him there, wrapped in Ragnor's arms. 

“I know, Magnus. I know.” Ragnor held him tight, his magic gently flowing through his hands into Magnus, trying anything to make him feel safe again. “It wasn’t your fault.. You saved you and Alec.. You kept him safe, Magnus..”

Ragnor held him for hours, even after Magnus stopped crying and when they went finally went downstairs to Alec and Magnus called him ‘Ragnor’ again, neither of them mentioned that Magnus had slipped up and called him something else.

Chapter Text

The market was just as busy as it always was.

The sky was dark and stormy but the wards (shielding the market from Shadowhunters, Mundanes and apparently bad weather) were bright with magic, rippling like water from the endless stream of people moving through them. The Unseelie had set up faerie lights high above the market, shining down piercing streaks of gold, that lit the market better than any natural light could.

Rows of tents were set up all around the square, selling anything from candy to dark magic. Bright colorful flags waved all across the market, declaring sales and loyalties. One banner directly across from them proclaimed ownership from the Seelie court and another next to it offered an exchange of gold for vampire venom. People darted around, magic of all different properties bursts from various tents and his children stood at his side looking out at the market with just as much excitement as they had the first time.

Though, today they were excited for a different reason because Ragnor had agreed to let them explore the market alone. It was far from the first time they’d been there but every other time Magnus and Alec had stayed planted at Ragnor’s side, touching things they weren’t suppose to where Ragnor could protect them from the backlash.

Despite its colorful appearance, the market was far from harmless. There was a reason Shadowhunters could only enter the first section and it wasn’t a petty sense of privacy. The market was where Downworlders came to sell and trade anything that couldn’t be sold in the mundane world. Ragnor went there to buy spell books and anything odd he needed for potions. But people also went there to sell anything illegal that Shadowhunters would prosecute them for otherwise. The wards gave them protection and the unspoken oath of the market gave them silence.

Ragnor had seen candies that caused temporary transformations, teddy bears enchanted to come to life when one calls on them, drinks mixed with spells to cause any number of feelings: All technically illegal under the Accords but for the most part harmless.

He had also seen vampires selling cotton candy spun with yin fen. Fairies selling trinkets that locked the buyer into a blood oath. Tents towards the back that sold severed body parts for dark spells. Another sold Shadowhunter weapons, still stained with something that looked far too much like their angelic blood to be anything else.

The market was a place that sold candy for children and rare trinkets for collectors, but it was also a place where children went missing and people disappeared into other dimensions.

Yet, somehow, they had conned him into letting them explore it alone.

Ragnor glanced over at their smirking faces and he almost turned around and marched them out of there just on principle. He took a deep breath. They were thirteen now. It had been six years since Ragnor found them. They talked about this. They all agreed that they were old enough to be on their own, while Ragnor got what he needed.

That had been at home, though. They were in the market now and Ragnor could already see people starting to notice them.

Despite his lack of sociability, Magnus and Alec hadn’t grown up isolated in his house. They went over Tessa and Caterina’s almost every other weekend, where they met Downworlders and Mundanes that Ragnor didn’t even know. They went to meetings with Ragnor, where they were anything but silent. Since the day they turned ten, they had sat at those meetings and felt absolutely no reservation about sharing their opinion. More than once they had gotten into arguments with people centuries older than them about Downworlder politics. At social events they thrived, with Magnus dragging Alec around the room to meet people.

They charmed people at every corner and without Ragnor even noticing, the whole Downworld had fallen in love with them. They drew attention to themselves without even meaning too and Ragnor knew the Shadowmarket was the worst place to be when you were popular and vulnerable.

“We can protect ourselves, Papa.” Alec eyed him from the side and smiled softly, sensing the inner turmoil without anyone needing to speak it outloud. “You know we can.” He insisted softly, his clawed hand falling easily into Ragnor’s.

Magnus nodded from his spot, where he was nestled against Alec’s back, his arms dangling carelessly over Alec’s shoulders. “We’re teenagers now.” He said, looking up at Ragnor with a smirk. “You have to start letting us do teenagers things, you know.”

Ragnor scoffed but walked forward, watching as Magnus jumped off Alec, throwing his arm easily over the others shoulder to keep walking. “What? Like slamming doors? Stealing things from my office when you think I'm not looking? Disappearing from parties to go kiss in the closet?” Alec flushed and Magnus practically grinned. “You already do all of that.”

“Exactly!” Magnus proclaimed, pressing an exaggerated kiss against Alec’s cheek. “So, this is a piece of cake. We’re just going to go get something to eat, while you get your.. Whatever you need.”

Ragnor sighed at the group of vampires next to them, who giggled as they watched Magnus and then looked towards him amused.

“Really,” Magnus continued, a bit more serious. “We can protect ourselves. We’re not children anymore.”

They had repeated that statement the whole walk there and Ragnor could tell they thought they had to convince him of it. They saw this as a test. If they could handle themselves alone, they thought Ragnor would believe them when they said they could protect themselves.

Ragnor didn’t need convincing though. He knew they could protect themselves.

It had been years since Alec had stood in the backyard, struggling to pull the bow back on his own. It had been years since Magnus had struggled, learning the defensive spell Ragnor had been convinced he was too young for.

They had both come so far and Ragnor had no doubt in his mind that they could protect themselves.

It had taken months of practice for Alec to land his first bullseye. Juggling the physicality of weapons and the complexity of magic was hard for anyone. The second you dropped your attention from the bow, you missed. The second you forgot about the magic, it lost its power. It was a balancing act, that even Ragnor had a hard time with while he was teaching Alec.

It had been a year since Ragnor had seen Alec miss and even the last time; he missed because Magnus had chosen that moment to start tickling his sides and he’d only missed by a couple of inches. Ragnor had watched Alec shoot arrows millimeters past Magnus’s skin, as they both darted around the yard, battling invisible foe in a fury of metal and magic.

The thigh holster carrying all of Alec’s arrows and long since become a permanent addition to his wardrobe. The weapon itself was so connected to Alec’s magic that he could pull the weapon instantly, materializing it in his hands in a second, even if he had no clue where the bow was.

And Magnus.. Magnus didn’t need to carry anything with him to protect himself. They were long past the days of Ragnor hovering over Magnus to make sure he wasn’t going to hurt himself. Magnus had perfected some of the most dangerous defensive spells Ragnor knew. He had learnt all of the most basic healing spells (only feeling inspired to do so, so when Alec scraped himself, Magnus could heal it with a kiss). He had even started to write his own spells, when he became particularly annoyed with the limitation of one that was already written.

Ragnor knew that Magnus would have no problem defending himself, even against someone centuries older than himself and with Alec at his side? Ragnor knew they would be okay.

They thought Ragnor was worried about them not being able to defend themselves but that wasn’t it at all. He knew they could and that was terrifying. To see them go from the fumbling children that had landed in his kitchen to where they were now. To go from Alec, struggling with the string on his bow for the first time and Magnus, forming lopsided portals to impress Alec. It was a horribly amazing feeling to wake up and realize that your children no longer needed you to catch them when the fell.

“Yeah, I know.” Ragnor laughed wetly and Alec squeezed his hand before letting go. He nodded towards the marker, “Go on, then. I’ll see you in an hour.”

Magnus let go of Alec and grabbed his hand, both of them darting forward with a laugh. “We’ll be fine, Papa!” Alec called over his shoulder, laughing as Magnus pulled him through the wards.

Just before they turned the corner, Magnus looked back at him and grinned cockily, “Call us if you need any help, Ragnor!”

He couldn’t help but laugh along as they darted out of sight.

He saw them a few minutes later. They were both sitting in a little shop run by some members of the local wolf pack. Alec was sitting comfortably in Magnus’s lap, cuddled up against the other's neck, sipping something out of a mug while he watched the couple in front of them reenact a story that Ragnor was too far away to hear.

Magnus’s arms were wrapped around him, holding Alec close as he nuzzled into his hair and talked amiably to the people around them. Even from across the aisle, Ragnor could see Magnus’s hand rubbing gentle circles into Alec’s back.

He felt better after that. He walked around and collected the supplies he needed. He didn’t even worry about them, up until he heard Magnus screaming.

He had actually been going to find them when it happened.

He bought all of the supplies he needed for the spell he was working on. He even relaxed enough to socialize with a few Downworlders that he hadn’t talked to in years. He was drained, though. One could only socialize for so long before wanting to go home. He left the shop he was in and stepped into the bright Faerie light, casually, but intently looking around for his children.

Despite their sociability, he was sure they were about ready to go home too. They had enough time to spend all of their money on whatever they wanted and start getting bored. Magnus and Alec loved meeting people but he knew that even they got drained being in public for so long.

He passed by the shop he had seen them sitting in earlier and noted that they were gone, with little urgency. He wasn’t even getting worried ten minutes later, when he still hadn't found them. The market was a big place, there were a lot of people there-

Ragnor froze.

Somewhere far behind him, somewhere far behind everyone in the market, Magnus was screaming. Not yelling. Not the angry sound Ragnor had gotten use to when Magnus was arguing with someone or defending Alec. He was screaming. The terrible sound of someone screaming, not to draw attention to themselves, not for help, but out of pure and utter horror.

Everyone in the market turn to look at the sound in shock but Ragnor started running.

Magnus was too far away. His screams were echoing down the aisles, through the market. He was too far away, he was outside the wards, he was-

Ragnor burst through the wards, throwing himself into the sudden darkness. Everything was too silent, Ragnor’s heart was pounding in his ears and everything was too silent, Magnus was silent.

It was too dark. It was well past daylight now and the wards just behind him were trapping any light from the market. He couldn’t see anything, he couldn’t see Magnus. It took a few panicked seconds for Ragnor to remember that he had magic.

His hands lit instantly, bursting with a harsh uncontrolled flash. There was something on the ground, something dark and glistening but there was too much of it, it couldn’t be- Ragnor’s head snapped up as he heard it, rushing forward even before he saw them.

Magnus was sobbing. They were on the ground, Ragnor could see them curled together. “Magnus!” He ran forward, freezing in nothing but pure shock when he got close enough to see them. He should be moving, he should be doing something, anything but Alec- He was laying in Magnus’s arms, limp and still.

Magnus moved slowly, his yellow eyes piercing through the darkness as he looked up at Ragnor, tears pouring down his face.

Finally, Ragnor ran forward.

Chapter Text

There was too much blood. Far too much.

Ragnor ran across the dirt, towards his children, and his mind raced with all of the things he knew he should be doing; Check for intruders. Check Alec. Check Magnus. Heal them. Fix it. But his mind kept catching on how much blood there was.

Puddles of it slapped under his feet as he ran towards them. He felt it, wet and warm against his knees as he knelt down next to them. He reached out for Alec and he felt it, dripping between his fingers, soaking through his pants, covering him in the most intrusive way that only blood seemed to do.

Check for intruders. Check Alec. Check Magnus. Heal them. Fix it. But.. Ragnor couldn’t even move. He couldn’t even reach out and touch him. He just kept staring.. It couldn’t all be Alec’s. It couldn’t be. That didn’t make sense. No one could lose that much blood, at least not someone who was still alive. It looked like.. Like the crime scene of some who’d bleed out. Someone who laid there for hours and bleed out completely before anyone found them but that didn’t make sense. It was Alec.

His body was so small. Could that much blood even come from him?

Magnus pushed Alec towards him and Ragnor watched sickly as Alec’s head lolled against his leg, lifelessly. “Magnus-”

“Heal him!”

Ragnor’s magic reached out and he could feel it instantly. There was a gash across Alec’s chest, deep and ruinous. His magic worked quickly, pulling the wound together, stitching each piece of flesh back to the other side. It was already healing itself, slowly, like Magnus had been trying to do the same thing before he found them. Magnus had never healed something that big though.. Magnus had never even heal a serious wound, not one this big, not one severe enough too..

Ragnor closed his eyes. He could feel everything. Alec’s shallow breath.. His pulse, beating weakly, far too weakly. The wound was almost closed, the blood had stopped pouring out but.. It wasn’t doing anything. Nothing was changing. Ragnor waited.. One. Two. Three. Four.

Nothing was happening. The wound on his chest was completely healed. Ragnor was replenishing Alec’s blood, barely even thinking about the spell before it was happening, but even that wasn’t making Alec’s pulse any stronger. His breath was shallow and Ragnor felt it as his lungs pulled air in and… back out.

It didn’t make any sense. Ragnor had healed him.. His body was fine, physically. He should he healing, or getting better, at the very least he should be staying the same. His pulse shouldn’t be weakening.

“Magnus-”

“Heal him!” Magnus looked up at him, his eyes wide with panic, his hands holding Alec’s limp head on his lap. He was covered in blood. It was splattered across his face and Ragnor could see it glistening from the light of his tear filled eyes.

“What happened?”

Magnus faltered, his eyes going even wider for a moment before looking down and seeming to realize that they didn’t have time for that, Alec didn’t have time for that. “There were these people-”

“What did they do to him? Did they give him anything? Did they use a spell on him?” There was something else. There had to be. There was something else stopping him from healing, something else that was killing him.

“I don’t..” Magnus shook his head and looked down at Alec, his face reflecting all of the regret that he was feeling. “We got separated. I-I found him like this.”

Ragnor felt the cold chill of panic dawning on him. He was fine. Alec was fine, physically he was fine. Ragnor had healed everything he could, so why wasn’t Alec okay? Why wouldn’t he be okay?

His hands ran over Alec, desperately searching for anything he had missed before, there was nothing though. He knew there was nothing. There was no way he missed anything. Alec was healed. His body was fine but his heart rate was dropping with every frantic second that Ragnor spent trying to find something else. He-

Alec choked, his chest constricted and his body jerked where it was, laying between him and Magnus. Blood spilled out of his mouth and bright bursts of it bubbled to the surface before spilling over, like foam.

Beside him, Magnus choked and reached forward, cupping Alec’s face with shaking hands as he pressed his palm over Alec’s mouth, like he could forced the blood back in and stop whatever was happening in the same motion. “Papa..”

“I know, Magnus. I know. ” The panic in his tone was obvious. They were under no pretense that Ragnor could heal him but the glaring fact that he didn’t know what to do now was becoming more and more obvious.

Someone was coming up behind them. They had all heard Magnus scream and they watched Ragnor run out of the market. It was a matter of time until someone found them. How long had they been sitting there? How long had Ragnor been trying to heal Alec? He didn’t even notice anyone else was there until the light spilled over them.

People far back gasped as they caught sight of Alec. Someone knelt down beside them.

The light should have helped. It should have make it easier to fix Alec, it should have cast light onto whatever Ragnor had missed before, whatever was killing him. It didn’t help though. It made it a million times worse.

Ragnor had seen a lot of dead bodies. Friend, family, enemies.. It didn't matter how you felt about them while they were alive. Bodies were always the same. They always held the same unmistakable vacancy of someone who wasn’t alive anymore.

Ragnor looked down at Alec, bathed in the bright light of the cell phone far above them, and all he could see was a dead body.

Alec was laying between him and Magnus, bathed in now drying blood, his eyes staring far past him and Magnus, completely unseeing.

Magnus gasped next to him. He was crying again and Ragnor listened to him, gasping to pull air in and sobbing it back out, as he stared down at Alec.

Alec wasn’t unconscious, like Ragnor had assumed. He wasn’t knocked out. He hadn’t lost too much blood. He was.. He looked dead.

Ragnor trembled as he reached out. He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to check. Minutes had gone by since he last checked Alec, lost in the frantic chase to try and save him. A few minutes was long enough for so many things to happen. Children had been born in the time since he last checked. Wars had started, fires had burned, devastation had shook the globe in the few minutes since he last checked. People had died, since he last checked. Children had died.

He didn’t want to check. He had to.

His magic shook as it came from his body and Ragnor watched, wondering idly how that was possible. Wondering how long it had been, how many centuries had gone by since his magic had felt so weak.

Ragnor closed his eyes as he felt him and nothing in the world could stop the tears from spilling down his face.

Alec laid under him, completely still as Ragnor’s magic slid into him and not even his heart twitched at the feeling of it.

There were many things that Ragnor felt in that moment, but none more crushing than disbelief.

There are moments in life, where it feels like things have gone wrong. Maybe after making an important decision, or walking away from something that you debated staying in, or maybe just when you’re walking down the street one day and for no reason other than your own intuition, you know that things have changed. That your life has been shifted off the path it was on moments ago, and into something that you no longer know how to navigate.

That’s how Ragnor felt. He felt like his world had been shifted off the path it was on and now he was left sitting here with his child, dead in his arms.

It wasn’t supposed to happen that way. Somewhere, there was a universe where Ragnor had saved him. Where Ragnor had found him a few minutes earlier. Where Ragnor had said, ‘No. You can’t go alone.’ and they had stayed at his side the whole time before going home, annoyed with how protective he was. Somewhere, there was a universe where they never went to the market. Where the market never existed. Where Ragnor hadn’t been the one in the Labyrinth that day and he had never gone to get them and he lived the rest of his life, unsatisfied and alone, but never having to feel the pain of losing his child, of losing Alec.

Somewhere, there was a universe where Magnus wasn’t realizing that his soulmate was dead.

Or was he realizing it? Because he wasn’t reacting, he wasn’t screaming, he wasn’t doing any of the millions of things that Ragnor expected him to do, he wasn’t doing anything. He was just sitting there, his hands running through Alec’s hair like he had done a millions time, so long ago, in another world, where Alec would wake up and they’d crawl into Ragnor’s bed, where Magnus would sit and run his fingers through Alec’s hair until he went back to sleep.

He didn’t know. He didn’t understand how universally their lives had just changed. He didn’t understand that nothing was ever going to be the same again. He didn’t understand that they would be going home alone and that Magnus would sleep alone at night and wake up alone, without Alec’s body curled around him.

He still thought that they were going to save him. He still thought that any minute now, Ragnor was going to figure it out and he was going to save him. He was scared, of course, he was scared, but Alec couldn’t die. Of course, he couldn’t. Not here. Not with Magnus still clinging to him.

And what could Rangor say to that? What could he possibly say to that?

Seconds had gone by, minutes, years but Magnus was looking up at him now. He was waiting. Waiting for Ragnor to try something else, waiting for Ragnor to tell him what to do.

Even with the light shining over them, from whoever had found them, Magnus’s eyes were still the brightest thing there and Ragnor wished, for the first time ever, that Magnus had been born with a different warlock mark because he didn’t want to see his eyes when he realized that Alec was dead.

Ragnor had lived through terrible things but none of them were as painful as the look on Magnus’s face, when he realized why Ragnor wasn’t panicking anymore.

“I’m sorry, Magnus..” Even his voice sounded wrong, lifeless, distant.

“Papa..” Magnus was crying and Ragnor couldn’t remember if he’d been crying a moment before. “Papa, Please…”

We can protect ourselves, Papa. “I'm so sorry..” You have to start letting us do teenager things, you know. “I'm so sorry, Magnus.” We’ll be fine, Papa! “There's nothing I can do.”

Magnus looked down at the ground and Ragnor watched as his tears splashed against Alec’s face, running down his pale skin in a mess of blood and water. His shoulders shook soundlessly and Ragnor watched for a long moment before moving forward.

Alec body was light in his arms. His head rolled against Ragnor’s arm and Ragnor flinched at the feeling before looking away. He was so small. His legs rested limp in the crook of Ragnor’s arm and he stared at them. How could he have possibly been this small before?

How could he have been this small that morning, when he’d sat at the table, laughing at whatever Magnus had whispered in his ear? Ragnor tried to imagine it. He looked down at Alec’s chest and he imagined it filling with air. He thought of his heart, pushing all of his blood again and he shook his head. Even then. He was too small. He was far too small to be laying in Ragnor’s arms.

Someone moved forward. Ragnor stared, confused before remembering that there were other people there. The man opened his arms and Ragnor watched, thinking impulsively that he couldn’t hand Alec over to a stranger, before realizing that it didn’t matter anymore. Magnus needed him now.. Alec didn’t anymore.

Magnus scrambled to stand behind him, his hands grabbing desperately at Ragnor's shirt. “Papa! Papa, stop!” Magic sparked from his finger tips, burning right through Ragnor’s shirt as he pulled. “You can’t take him! STOP IT!” Magnus watched in horror as Ragnor handed Alec over and then he fell, landing hard on the ground as Ragnor turned to him.

Ragnor watched, almost in slow motion as Magnus’s hands filled with magic. The blue light lite the area around them and Ragnor watched it, reflecting off the tears in Magnus’s eyes. He didn’t even think to move. He just stared.

Magnus looked up, his tear filled face sobbing as the magic shot out of his hands. It came precisely, flashing out in powerful defensive attack, just as Ragnor had taught him too.

Ragnor landed hard, yards back from where he’d been sanding. He watched in pure terror as Alec tumbled from the stranger’s arms, before realizing that it didn’t matter. Nothing now would hurt Alec more than he already had been.

Magnus darted forward, his magic fizzled out in his hands as he caught Alec, both of them slamming hard on the ground. Alec laid there limp, his eyes staring unseeing beyond them and Magnus curled around him, protecting his body with his own. “Alec!” Magnus shook, his hands holding Alec desperately, sobbing, deep and pained, into his neck. “Please! Please, Alec! Please, come back..”

Ragnor watched for a long moment and then he buried his head in his hands and wept. Silently at first, and then louder the longer he listened to Magnus wail over Alec’s body, pleading for him to come back.

Ragnor wanted to go to him. He wanted to hold him, he wanted to take care of him, he wanted to find his strength and stand up, to stumble the few steps left to his only remaining child and cry until neither of them could anymore. But Magnus didn’t need that. He didn’t need Ragnor. He needed Alec.

They stayed there for a long time. Ragnor’s tears had long since dried and Magnus sat, yards away from him, silent as he clung to Alec’s stiff body. Whoever had come to help before had left long ago and Ragnor couldn’t blame them. There was nothing to be done. There was nothing to help.

They had sat there for so long that Ragnor almost didn’t notice when Magnus sat up. He watched, uncomprehendingly as Magnus trembled, his hands shaking as he moved Alec in his lap. His blood stained hands pulled, ripping the tattered remains of Alec’s shirt until he laid there, his bare chest, layered in so much dried blood that Ragnor couldn’t see his skin.

Magnus’s hands sparked. The magic filled his palms, hesitantly at first and then growing stronger.

Ragnor watched, dumbly as Magnus pushed the magic into Alec’s body. He was muttering to himself, Ragnor realized all too suddenly. He was chanting, whispering the incantations of a spell.

Even yards away, Ragnor could see that it was too strong. Whatever Magnus thought he was doing, it was too strong. The magic was warping, cracking in warning of the power that Magnus couldn’t handle. He stumbled to his feet, watching for a few more seconds before darting forward when it cracked again. “Magnus!” He was going to kill himself. Ragnor had expected this day since Magnus and Alec had decided to stay with him; The day that Magnus hurt himself for Alec. Trying to impress him, trying to protect him, trying to do whatever he thought he was doing now.

Ragnor reached him a moment too late.

Magnus looked up at him, his bloodshot eyes wide and determined as he spoke the last line. He kept staring at him as the spell exploded, not with the finality of a spell completing but with the destruction Ragnor had been waiting for ever since the day he met Magnus. The spell blew out, the power slamming into Ragnor chest, sending him flying back for the second time.

He landed gasping for air. His head cracked against the dirt beneath him and Ragnor opened his eyes to the world spinning around him. Someone was screaming.

Ragnor’s mind flashed to the market, standing there, listening to Magnus screaming, running to find him, Alec dying. 

“Ragnor!”

Ragnor stumbled up. Dirt was flying around them, he could feel the singe of magic in the air and Magnus.

He was on the ground, crouching over Alec, blood pouring out of his nose, out of his hands, splotches of it running out of his eyes. “Ragnor! Papa!” He screamed desperately, his hands clutching Alec's body.

Ragnor ran forward, bile rising in his throat at he reached him. “Magnus!” His hands grabbed Magnus’s shoulders, his magic already winding into him, healing him-

Magnus shoved him away, falling backwards into the dirt. “Alec! Papa, heal Alec!”

Ragnor looked down, confused, to the place where Magnus’s frantic hands were pointing.

And there was Alec. Sprawled out in the dirt, his chest rising weakly and then falling with a sudden collapse of air, but rising again nonetheless.

Chapter Text

Ragnor stumbled on uneven feet and landed on the hard chair behind him. He stared down at the cold tile floor and after a moment of resignation, he closed his eyes, for the first time in hours.

He was exhausted. Not the kind of exhaustion that came from exercise or hard work but the kind of exhaustion that came when someone died, and you were left dealing with the consequences… or not- not dealing with the consequences, but sitting there after everything's already been dealt with and you just want to go to sleep because you’re so exhausted but you can’t. You can’t sleep, you can’t get away from all of it and you can’t even do anything because there's nothing left to do.

Only, Alec wasn’t dead. He was alive and Ragnor was left sitting there with nothing to do but wait to see if he was going to die again.

The machine came to life next to him and Ragnor jumped at the sound, before sinking back into the chair, cold sweat sticking his skin to plastic. There were a lot of machines now. Alec was hooked up to four of them. Magnus was hooked up to two.

They were laying on the hospital bed together. Ragnor had fought with Catarina for a moment, after Alec and Magnus were both stable and left on two different beds, and finally they’d moved them. It was a mess of machines and wires but they hadn’t slept without each other in years. If Alec died, Ragnor didn’t want it to be without Magnus at his side. He wasn’t going to be the reason that Alec died alone. Not again.

Alec was sprawled out on his back, wires running all of his body. There was a mask around his mouth and nose, pushing oxygen into him, forcing him to breath. There were wires on his chest, projecting his heart rate on a monitor, set to go off if it slowed again. There was an IV in his arm, tapped into his life force and pushing energy into where his magic should be, keeping his body alive.

Magnus was curled up next to him, his head nuzzled into Alec’s shoulder, two simple wires running to his arm. There was a small heart monitor hooked onto his finger and the same IV that Alec had, running into his wrist.

With Magnus they could at least tell that his magic was coming back. It was replenishing itself. He wasn't going to be able to cast a spell for months but he was going to survive.

With Alec they couldn’t tell. They didn’t know what spell Magnus used. Ragnor had poured through the spell book and he narrowed it down to two. Magnus had either brought Alec back to life or he brought him and Ragnor back in time. If he brought Alec back to life there was the chance that Alec’s magic was never going to come back. There was the chance he’d never wake up or if he did wake up there was the chance that he would never be the same and if Magnus brought Ragnor and him back in time there was the same chance, only slightly less so.

It wasn’t very good odds.

The next morning, Tessa came in, forced a cup of tea into his hands and told him to take a shower. He didn’t realize how bad he looked until she finally convinced him and he’d stood in front of the glaring lights of the hospital bathroom and stared at himself in the mirror.

He was still covered in Alec’s blood and Magnus’s too, he supposed.. Magnus had been bleeding a lot too.

Ragnor noticed that, over the past day, Magnus had been coming to him as an afterthought. He didn’t love Magnus any less. He knew he didn’t, like he knew that he was breathing right now. So, why wasn’t he thinking of Magnus too? Magnus had been on the verge of death, just as Alec had. Magnus’s magic was nonexistent when they finally got to the hospital. He’d practically ripped his soul in half doing that spell. So, why did Ragnor keep thinking of Magnus second?

The water turned on next to him and Ragnor jumped, his hip slamming into sink in front of him as he turned, his hands half raised in defense.

Tessa smiled softly, “You have to turn the water on, you know. Come on. Take a shower... You’ll feel better, I promise.” She reached out and touched his arm before turning towards the door. “I’ll watch them.”

The door closed softly and Ragnor stood there for a long moment before finally turning towards the shower. He stood under the water and he let it pour over his back, watching as the blood trickled down the drain. When he finally looked up again, he realized that the water had run cold and he was shivering, hard, not the kind of shiver that started after only a few moments in the cold. 

He waited in the bathroom, trying to stop shaking long enough that Tessa knocked on the door, twice. 

Magnus woke up the next day. It was three fifty seven in the morning and he woke up screaming.

Tessa was next to him, half asleep on Ragnor’s shoulder, holding some watered down coffee that Catarina kept bringing in every time she could spare a second from her shift. When he started screaming, she bolted up instantly. She was by his side in a second and she was grabbing him, trying to figure out what was wrong. Seconds later, the nurses rushed in and a few seconds after that, Catarina was there.

And Ragnor didn’t even move. Not an inch. Not even a reflective twitch. He just sat there and watched, limply, as Catarina stood over Magnus, her magic flowing from her hands, not even bothering to check if the nurses around her were the few mundanes that still worked there because it didn’t matter. All that mattered to her was Magnus and Ragnor sat there, listening to him scream, his mind a million miles away, listening to Magnus scream in the market, listening to Magnus cry over Alec’s body.

He only moved when Magnus finally stopped screaming and looked over at him, tears pouring down his face, his small hand reaching past Catarina and Tessa for Ragnor. He only moved then. What kind of a father did that make him?

Magnus was cold. He was shaking. He couldn’t hold a drink by himself. He adamantly refused to keep the catheter in him any longer, so Ragnor had to carry him to the bathroom every few hours. They actually had to put blockers on Magnus’s magic, just as Ragnor had thought about doing years ago, because no matter how much his hands shook, Magnus still thought he was strong enough to take care of himself.

The blocker had been in the form of a little bracelet and Catarina had given Magnus one chance not to take it off, even though Ragnor told her it wouldn’t work. He took it off in the first hour and only then Catarina had done the spell to stop him, rather than trusting him not to take the bracelet off. 

Magnus was too high on morphine for them to talk about it that day, so when he asked if Alec was okay, mere moments after waking up, Ragnor hesitated and then nodded and told him that Alec was fine. They lowered the dose of morphine a couple of days later and only then did Magnus realize that Ragnor had lied to him.

That night, Ragnor walked into the hospital room, a lukewarm cup of coffee balanced in his hand, and he watched as Magnus reached the foot of the bed, the look of absolute determination showing on his face. His hands were shaking as he struggled to hold himself up and Ragnor watched as Magnus took another step, letting go of the bed completely, looking intent on making it across the room. Magnus stood there for a brief moment before stumbling on weak legs.

This time Ragnor ran. The coffee hit the ground behind him and, as he and Magnus hit the ground together, he realized why Alec kept coming to his mind earlier and Magnus hadn’t.

Everything with Magnus had always been a struggle. From the first second he met him and Magnus had shoved Alec behind him and refused to take help. The first time Magnus threw up because he’d used too much magic. The first time he and Ragnor had fought. That damn book..

Everything with Magnus had always been on the verge of a catastrophic. Ragnor had been expecting it. He tried to stop it. He tried so hard to make Magnus slow down, to make him take a break but he never would.

Ragnor watched him walk away every time. Ragnor watched him smirk as he kissed Alec’s head and tried the spell one more time than Ragnor told him was safe. He watched as Magnus pushed himself too far, past him limits, time after time. He watched as Magnus raced ahead, pulling Alec into the market, his eyes already catching on something in the shop before them and every single time Ragnor thought, He’s going to fall someday. He’s going to fall hard.

He never expected it to be Alec but he had been waiting for the day that it would be Magnus. How awful was that? To expect something bad to happen to your child and be blindsided when it happened to the other? How awful of a parent did that make him? 

Things didn't change with Alec until a week after Magnus woke up. He hadn't expected what happened then to happen happen either but life is full of surprises, whether or not you want them and you're still a father, whether or not you think you deserve your children. 

Chapter Text

Everything was better with Magnus awake.

Magnus was still extremely sick, but with him awake, everything seemed a little bit clearer. The world stopped crumbling, at least around the edges. The irony didn’t miss Ragnor that he was supposed to be the grounding force in his children's lives, not the other way around but even then, that thought was forgotten in a matter of seconds, when Magnus called for him.

No one was happy. Alec was still unresponsive and that didn’t seem to be changing but they were at least all there and for the first time since they got to the hospital, that seemed like enough. For now, at least.

Magnus hated the hospital. He didn’t understand why the care that was happening for them there, couldn’t happen at home. He didn’t understand why Catarina couldn’t check on them there. He didn’t understand why Ragnor couldn’t take care of them.

Ragnor had tried to explain many times, that he wasn’t a healer, that he barely knew how to take care of them, even if he wanted too, that there were qualified people at the hospital constantly, ready to rush into their room if needed.  

Magnus’s only question had been if the hospital was warded or not. Ragnor told him that it was and he seemed to accept that they were staying there after that. Ragnor assumed that he asked simply because of what had happened to them. He didn’t really think about it until later, when Magnus started ducking his questions.

After that first day, Magnus had many requests that he informed Ragnor needed to be met. He demanded that Ragnor bring him and Alec some of his comfy sweaters, so they could get out of the scratchy hospital gowns. He demanded that Ragnor bring them food every day, rather than making them eat what the hospital provided (Alec, of course, wasn’t eating but Magnus told him to bring some for Alec anyway, incase he woke up and Ragnor hadn’t said otherwise). He wanted their favorite blanket from home, the book Alec had been reading and a million other things he thought would make Alec more comfortable.

Just the next day, Alec and Magnus were curled up together, snuggling in Ragnor’s sweaters and their favorite blanket from home. Magnus’s cheeks were flushed with a fever and his eyes were glazed over the smallest bit but he kept lifting his head, almost obsessively, to make sure that Alec was still tucked in.

It was just about the only thing he could do to take care of Alec, without using his magic, and he kept doing it for almost an hour, until he finally fell asleep, with his head curled against Alec’s chest.

Ragnor brought it up three days after Magnus woke up.

He had hinted around it, to see what Magnus remembered but Magnus hadn’t offered him anything. So, Ragnor waited three days. After that, Alec couldn’t wait any longer, no matter how sick Magnus was.

So, he just asked. He didn’t hint around it like he had been. When Tessa and Catarina had both left and it was only Magnus and him left awake in the dim room, he just asked, “Magnus. What happened before I found you?”

Magnus didn’t answer right away and Ragnor didn’t push him. It had been a traumatic experience for all of them but none more than Magnus.

When he finally answered, he did so with a nervous glance up at Ragnor’s face and then he had hardened, like Ragnor had seen him do many times when he was talking to people he didn’t like. Ragnor hadn’t been on the receiving end of that look since they were eight and he had made Alec cry. “Why?” He demanded, his hand tightening in Alec’s.

This time, it was Ragnor who took a moment to respond.

They both knew why. Magnus had been acting as if Alec would wake up any day, but neither of them believed it. Alec wasn’t waking up and Ragnor had the sinking feeling that Magnus knew why.

“You know why.” He said quietly, his gaze unwavering in Magnus’s shielded look. “He’s not waking up, Magnus.” He said eventually, when Magnus didn’t respond. “I need to know what happened. Who hurt him? What spell did you use?”

Magnus looked away, his eyes flickering to Alec’s limp hand, clamped in his. “The time one.” Magnus said quietly, not looking up. “At least thats.. That's the one I tried to do. I don’t know if…”

“Alright.” So, Magnus hadn’t brought him back to life. That wasn’t why Alec wasn’t waking up. Ragnor let himself feel a brief moment of relief before the realization hit him, that he had no clue why he wasn’t waking up then.

It made sense if Magnus had tried to bring Alec back to life, that Magnus could have only brought his body back to life and not his consciousness. The thought had been haunting Ragnor since they reached the hospital and Ragnor had a free moment to worry about it but if that wasn’t why, then the possibilities were endless. Ragnor couldn’t even guess what else could be stopping him from waking up.

“What else happened? Who hurt Alec?”

Magnus glanced down at the bed and then to the wall across from them, staring for a moment, before looking up at Ragnor, his eyes filled with tears. Only… They were blank. Magnus was staring at him, his eyes that normally reflected every emotion he had, even when he didn’t want them too, were completely empty.

And then he opened his mouth and cried, “Papa!” Before sniffling and wiping at his face pathetically, “I don’t feel good.”

That's when Ragnor knew that he was being played and along with that came the sinking realization that Magnus was hiding something from him, something that he wanted to keep from Ragnor, even at the expense of Alec’s life.

Magnus became clingy after that.

Before, he had resented the moments when he had to ask for help but now, he was asking Ragnor for help with everything. Suddenly, he couldn’t feed himself anymore. He needed Ragnor’s help to sit up. He’d call, weakly, and point at his drink when he was thirsty. He even went as far as to wet the bed, pretending that he was too sick to notice that he had to go and ask Ragnor to bring him to the bathroom, like he had been the day before.

He was damn good at it too. He had the nurses wrapped around his finger. They’d glance, sympathetically, when Magnus cried for Ragnor, anytime he left the room for more than a second but Ragnor could see it and so could Tessa and Catarina.

The second Magnus thought no one was looking at him, he’d drop the act and he’d sit there, completely fine with tears still streaming down his face.

“Magnus..” His head was curled into Ragnor’s shoulder. Magnus had, almost shyly, pulled Ragnor onto the bed with him and Alec before he curled up there and nuzzled into Ragnor, in one of the first genuine moments they’d had since the night before when Ragnor had asked him. They’d been like that for hours but Ragnor knew that Magnus wasn’t asleep.

Magnus stiffened against him and his hand tightened on his sleeve but he didn’t respond. Ragnor hadn’t expected him too.

He spoke carefully but his words were firm and he said them without wavering because Magnus needed to hear them. “You understand that Alec could die, if I don’t know what happened. You understand that, right?”

Magnus didn’t answer for a few moments and then he nodded, slowly, and curled closer to Ragnor, almost hiding there.

Neither of them spoke for a long moment and then Ragnor asked, his voice a mere whisper in the quiet room. “Why do you think you can’t tell me?”

“I can’t.” Magnus whispered instantly, with enough conviction that Ragnor knew he believed it.

“Did someone tell you not too?” Magnus didn’t answer, so Ragnor knew that someone had. “Could you tell Catarina? Or Tessa?” His voice was rising now, the intensity of the situation escalating, as they finally broke the surface of whatever had been keeping Magnus silent.

“I don’t-” Magnus’s voice broke and he shuttered, his hand tightening in Ragnor’s as he spoke. “I don’t know.”

Ragnor squeezed Magnus’s hand back and pulled away, looking down at Magnus’s terrified face as he spoke. “Were you told not to tell me or were you told not to tell anyone?”

Tears were starting to drip down Magnus’s face and Ragnor could tell that he was going to answer whatever Ragnor asked him now, but they had to be careful because whatever Magnus had been told would happen had scared him enough to risk Alec never waking up. Ragnor couldn’t imagine what Magnus thought was worse than Alec never waking up. “You.”

“Then you can tell someone else.” Magnus whimpered and tried to look away but Ragnor caught his wet face and pulled it back up. “Things like that are very specific. If you were told not to tell me and only to not tell me, then you can tell someone else.”

Magnus stared for a moment before quietly choking out, “Okay.”

“Magnus.” Ragnor spoke quietly and stared down at Magnus, trying to calm him without showing how panicked he was on the inside. He was doing something now. He had been sitting stagnant for a week but he was about to find out what happened and he was about to fix it or find out that he couldn’t and even finding out that nothing could be done seemed better than the limbo they’d been trapped. “I know you’re trying to protect Alec. I would never tell you to do something that I thought would hurt either of you. You’re going to tell someone and then we’re going to try and fix this, okay?”

Magnus nodded and looked up at Ragnor, “A-and then Alec is going to wake up?”

They both knew that Ragnor couldn’t promise him that, so he hesitated for a moment and then said, “He’s not going to wake up, if we don’t know what happened.”

Magnus nodded and Ragnor wiped his tears away with the pad of his thumb, “Everything’s going to be okay. You’re going to tell Tessa what happened and then we’re going to fix it. Alright, Magnus?”

Magnus stared for a few more moments before nodding, as Ragnor pulled Magnus against his chest and cradled him, like he hadn’t done in years.

Ragnor turned and looked through the smudged glass window of the hospital door and watched as Magnus shuttered and pressed a gently kiss against the back of Alec’s hand. Tessa had gone into the room seconds ago. She slowly walked over to him and then sat down at the foot of the bed, watching Magnus cautiously, like she didn’t want to scare him.

They stared for a few moments and then Magnus lunged, clinging to Tessa’s hand as a round of new tears started pouring down his face. Magnus glanced up, through the door, and Ragnor smiled at him for a moment, probably more of a grimace, and then he stepped out of sight and sighed as he sunk down to the ground.

Magnus couldn’t tell him but if Magnus didn’t know that Ragnor was listening, the conditions weren’t broken.

On the other side of the door Ragnor could hear Tessa saying, “Sweetheart.. Tell me what happened.” And he could tell by the tone in her voice that she was holding him and cooing to him. She was always better at comforting people than Ragnor was. In the beginning, he’d been jealous of her ability comfort his children and then he’d realized that he wasn’t bad at it either.

Now, Ragnor was happy that it was Tessa in the room instead of him. Ragnor was Magnus’s father and Ragnor knew that Magnus was going to have an easier time admitting to Tessa what he’d done, than if he had to say it to him.

When Magnus spoke, his voice was faint and broken and Ragnor had to lean closer to make out what he was saying. “I-I didn’t mean too. I thought it was easy, I thought. I..” Ragnor could feel the instinct in him to stand up and run to Magnus’s side but he couldn’t. They needed to fix this. They needed to fix Alec and they needed to reverse whatever Magnus had done.

Ragnor hoped it wasn’t too late.

It took ten minutes for Tessa to coax Magnus into saying it and when he did, Ragnor was struck by the simplicity of what had happened. Magnus had brought them back in time. For a while, they thought that Magnus might have brought Alec back from the dead but it all started with.. Magnus summoning a demon.

Something, he had seen Ragnor do a million times. Something, Ragnor would have even let him do, if he was there to watch.

“It looked so easy in the book.. I thought it would be fun and then I-I could close it and-”

It did look easy in the book because it was. Summoning greater demons was by far the simplest spell in that book but the hard part was what wasn’t written. It was making sure the summoning circle was exactly right, so that the demon couldn’t get out. It was knowing how to banish the demon when you were done and it was knowing how to close the link between Edom and their world. All things that the book left out because they were implied and all things that Magnus didn’t know how to do.

“Alec and I talked to it for a bit and we were asking it questions and then.. I didn’t know how to close it and the demon just disappeared, so I thought that it was gone and I didn’t have to tell Papa. I thought it went back but then- then it-” Then it had showed up at the market, the second Alec and Magnus strayed from the protective wards of the area and it had wanted payment because it had given Magnus and Alec answers.

It had taken Alec’s life as payment and it told Magnus if he told Ragnor, the same would happen to him because the demon didn’t want Ragnor to close the link.

Only, Alec hadn’t died. Magnus brought them back in time, probably seconds after the demon had disappeared and moments before Alec died and they had saved him. They rushed him through a portal into the protective wards of the hospital, before the demon could do anything about it. Except.. The link had never been closed. The demon had never been banished. It still had a hold on Alec and Magnus was confessing everything that had happened, to a warlock who could fix it, inches away from where the demon was listening.

Ragnor was on his feet before Magnus could finish his sentence. He wavered, debating whether or not he should run into the room and tell Magnus to stop speaking or if he should just run to fix it, before the demon realized someone was already doing something. He decided on the second and he hoped that when Tessa realized what he had, that she would let Magnus keep talking and let the demon think it still had time.

Hopefully, It wouldn’t matter either way. It was simple, banishing demons. The only tricky part was that it was attached to Alec’s life force but there wasn’t even anything to be done about it. There were no protective measures that Ragnor could take. He couldn’t be careful with it. Either, he would banish the demon and Alec would wake up or he would banish the demon and Alec would die, for good this time. It was as simple as that and Ragnor didn’t have time to dwell on their odds.

Chapter Text

The London Bridge hospital was built in 1986 with the intent of being a hospital that could treat Downworlders. The majority of their patients were Downworlders or Mundanes with the sight that had been affected with some supernatural affinity but they still took average patients when wandered in.

Because of the hospital’s specialty a lot of modifications had been made to the building. Like a rerouting system that portaled people into the lobby, regardless of where they’d been trying to go and a basement completely void of protective wards, for instances like this one, in which things needed to be summoned and banished accordingly.

The basement was designed much like the rest of the hospital, with white tiles and soft blue walls, but the basement had very obviously been used much less. The floors were grimy and dirty and the pipes above them whistled and dripped every few seconds.

Catarina darted past him, already familiar with dimly lit room, starting to gather everything they needed before dumping it all on the ground and starting to quickly draw the summoning circle in the center of the room.

When the demon had hurt Alec, it had left a trace of its energy in him and when they had brought Alec into the hospital, the wards had stopped the demon for manifesting but they hadn’t expelled any of the demonic energy in Alec. Most likely, the demon was resting in Edom, drawing energy from Alec’s body, waiting for them to take Alec out of the hospital, so it could come and wreck havoc again.

They needed to summon it before they could banish it and the demon had left them a quick link right to it through Alec. They didn’t even need to identify it, in order to summon it. It was easy. It was all going to be easy, until it came to Alec.

Ragnor didn’t even feel bad, standing at the back of the basement, watching as Catarina drew the protective runes around the summoning circle, because it was going to be that easy. Ragnor would almost make it harder, if he moved forward to help.

He had been avoiding the thought in his own mind but standing, with nothing to do but think about it, Ragnor debated whether he should have said goodbye or not. If he should have told Magnus to say goodbye, just incase. If he should have found a way to warn him, silently, without the demon hearing, that Alec might stop breathing in his arms.

Neither choice seemed right but since Ragnor has chosen not to warn him, that one seemed essentially more corrupt and earth shatteringly awful.

“Ready when you are.”

Catarina looked up at him. She was still kneeling next to the summoning circle, with white chalk smudged up her arms and her cheek. She stared at him for a moment and Ragnor got the familiar feeling that she was trying to access where he was emotionally, then smiled at him, soft, calm and so much like the twenty three year old warlock he’d met centuries ago. Ragnor thought of her, seconds away from burning alive. He thought of Tessa, visiting Will’s grave every month. He thought of Alec and Magnus upstairs, laying in a hospital bed, where they never belonged and he wondered why so many wonderful people seemed to fall into his life and why so many terrible things seemed to happen to them.

“Yeah, I’m ready.” Suddenly, Ragnor was thankful that he hadn’t told Magnus anything because Alec was going to wake up. There was no other option. Without Alec, there was no way either of them could go on, Magnus or him, and so, Alec was going to wake up. He had too. Any other option was unthinkable.

“We’ll be back to them in ten minutes.” Catarina said and Ragnor smiled because they would be and his children would both be awake, alive and safe. Hopefully.



Catarina stepped back and stood behind Ragnor, ready to help if needed but not expecting that she had too. Ragnor could see her out of the corner of his eye and he watched her for a moment longer before turning towards the circle. He’d done this a million times. Possibly more. Summoning demons was mundane for a warlock but Ragnor found that his hands were sweating when he lifted them and he found that his arms were shaking as he started the spell. Even his magic flowed out nervously, jumping and rushing before calming and coming out normally.

Alec was going to be fine. Alec was going to be fine. Alec was going to be fine. He better be.

The summoning was easy. A normal summoning spell was more complicated. There were specific things that needed to be done in order to summon specific demons. You needed to research the demon you were summoning before you did, unless you were just summoning any demon, as Magnus and Alec had. With this one, none of that needed to be done. They were going to use the link Magnus had already created and that the demon hadn’t closed, to pull the demon into the circle. It was like skipping all of the steps that made summoning demons complicated. Then, they just had to banish the demon and go upstairs. Catarina was right, it would take less than ten minutes.

Ragnor closed his eyes, as his magic welled. He could feel the link already. It was pounding through the network of magic in the hospital, sucking and draining any energy that it came into contact with. It was obvious. He had barely even looked for it and it was there, impossible to miss.

They should have noticed the second they brought Alec inside. Ragnor should have noticed or Catarina, someone should have noticed it. They hadn’t though. No one had even looked.

Ragnor could feel his magic slipping through the link, being dragged in and he knew that the demon would notice, if he gave it a second to realize what was happening. So he didn’t hesitate, he pulled, hard.

His eyes flew open, as the room around them shook. The lights above them were flickering and they sputtered for a moment before blinking out with a loud pop of energy. Somewhere deep in the hospital the generators came on but the basement stayed dark. Ragnor hoped, briefly, that they hadn’t blown all of the lights in the hospital. Catarina’s magic lit behind him and Ragnor watched through the dim blue light as the summoning circle started to spin.

Where the floor had been clean moments ago, the wind inside of the circle was picking up dust and dirt, until the only visible thing inside the circle was a whirlwind of gray. Ragnor had a moment of feeling that something was off and then the dust exploded out of the circle, in a way that it shouldn’t have been able to do. Behind him, Catarina gasped and her magic faltered, flickering out in surprise.

The basement was silent and Ragnor stood in complete darkness, trying to make sense of the catastrophe and the sudden stillness before him. It took a second for him to realize what had happened and pull his magic into his hands, lighting the room.

He didn’t flinch, only because he was still struggling to understand what was happening.

The demon stood in front of them and Ragnor heard Catarina gasp, as she caught sight of it. They had all assumed, without a word, that Magnus had summoned a greater demon. It was the only thing that made sense. Anything more than that and Magnus wouldn’t have been able to do it. He didn’t know how to summon specific demons. He didn’t know how to summon anything more powerful.

They had built the summoning circle to hold an average Greater Demon but the being before them was far too powerful to be held by it.

Magnus had summoned Asmodeus. The Prince of Hell, The Fallen Angel, The Fati, The Ruler of Edom. Ragnor knew, more than anyone else, that Magnus was powerful. There were very few things that he imagined Magnus was incapable of but summoning Asmodeus was one of them. Which, implied something much darker than an accident from the curious mind of a thirteen year old.

When Asmodeus spoke, his voice was calm and far to human sounding to have come from his body. Asmodeus was once a fallen angel. They, Shadowhunters, Warlocks, the whole of the supernatural world, knew very little when it came to celestial beings but they knew that the Princes of Hell were once all Angels and they knew that hell itself changed their appearance.  

Sketches of Asmodeus angelic form were few and all of them contradicted each other. Some of them showed a being who looked like a mundane, with large angelic wings of his back. Some of them showed tangled masses of limbs, circled around with energy.  Some of them showed runic circles, resembling nothing at all that looked alive.

Either, Hell had changed Asmodeus’s appearance dramatically or none of the sketches had been right. Asmodeus’s body vaguely resembled a human's. His limbs extended too long to look normal and his feet ended in a gnarled shapes, that resembled the mangled root of a tree more than anything on a living creature. His skin was dark black in an unnatural way, more void of any color than darkened by generations in the sun. There were horns curling large on his head, spiking off in three distinct sections that couldn’t be compared to any animal horn and there were spines running across his shoulders in such a way that Ragnor couldn’t tell if they were part of his body or not.

But Ragnor didn’t look at any of those because his eyes caught on Asmodeus’s hands, which were curled into dark claws, much larger and more frightening than Alec’s but strikingly similar.

“I was starting to think you would never notice that I was draining that one. Though.. Hmm. What was it he named himself?” Asmodeus pause for a moment and pondered it, before looking at Ragnor and grinning maliciously. “Ahh. Yes, Magnus. He was rather obedient, wasn’t he?”

Ragnor’s mind raced for a way to get out of the situation they were in but on the outside he stayed passive. Demons latched onto any weakness. Asmodeus and Ragnor both knew that he had expected a weaker demon. They both knew that Ragnor had no way to banish him now but Ragnor couldn’t show that, so instead he asked, “Why did you go to Magnus? When he was summoning a demon? He wasn’t summoning you.”

Asmodeus laughed and stared at Ragnor amused, in a way that made Ragnors's stomach turn. “I thought that was rather obvious. I expected to have to wait centuries to meet both my children. Your lack of educating them allowed me to meet them in a few years.” Asmodeus smirked up at Ragnor, his expression sending chills down Ragnor's spine even before he spoke again. “And they are something, aren’t they?”

“You tried to kill Alec.” Ragnor spoke calmly but he could feel the anger in him welling with every casual word that was spoken and he could tell by Asmodeus’s leer that he could see it.

“No, I didn’t. I killed him.” Asmodeus said it like one would share a fascinating fact and Ragnor could see the approval shining in his eyes, even before he said it. “And Magnus brought you and him back in time to save him.”

Asmodeus paused and Ragnor opened his mouth again but the demon spoke before he could. “I killed Alec, just to see what Magnus could do and he certainly proved himself, didn’t he?” Asmodeus chuckled to himself and he looked up at Ragnor’s angered expression and smiled, “I want them, eventually. They would be very powerful pets to keep. They’re young though. I don’t mind waiting. Although, I do hope you will keep them alive for me.” This time, Asmodeus tilted his head back and laughed before turning back to Ragnor, grinning, “He's what? Thirteen? Fourteen? He summoned a demon without having any clue what he was dealing with or how to protect himself. He brought both of you back in time and almost ripped his body apart doing so. He’s not going to live very long, is he?”

Ragnor stood, his jaw clenching as the demon smiled at his reaction, “No matter. I don’t mind taking his soul, should he kill himself early.” Asmodeus turned, glancing around the room before turning back to Ragnor, his face face lighting up in a final, cold smile. “You should teach him how banish a demon, if you don’t want that day to come soon.”

Asmodeus disappeared seconds later and he closed any links from Edom that had been left open, including the one he’d been using though Alec. Catarina and Ragnor made sure of it and then they’d made sure of it again.

Neither of them said anything as the picked up what absolutely needed to be taken care of before they left. Ragnor thought about how years ago, he'd found it odd that two warlocks had been born within the same year, in the same town. He remembered thinking that it felt like there was some larger scheme he couldn't see and now, he found himself wondering if he could protect his children from it or if it was too late. Asmodeus was gone. He had no way of getting to Alec and Magnus but they had caught his attention now. Asmodeus had only left without them because he was fine waiting for his next chance to take them.

They were still downstairs, when they realized that Asmodeus could have taken Alec with him, if he wanted too and they’d raced upstairs, Ragnor already envisioning Alec laying dead on the hospital bed but when they burst through the door, Tessa, Magnus and Alec were all still sitting there.

Magnus didn’t seem to notice that anything had happened. Alec was still asleep but Tessa seemed to know what happened with anyone needing to say it. Not for the first time, Ragnor wondered if Tessa and Catarina had done something to read each other's minds, but then they’d started checking on Alec and he forgot about it.

Finally, Alec’s magic was replenishing itself. With nothing stopping it, his body was finally healing. Catarina said that he was going to wake up within the day. He was going to be exhausted and he probably wasn’t going to be able to do much on his own but he was going to wake up and eventually, he was going to be fine.

Ragnor knew that they needed to have a conversation, Alec, Magnus and him. They needed to talk about Asmodeus and how even centuries from now, they needed to watch out for him. Magnus and him probably needed to have a conversation too, about how he needed to come to Ragnor the second he thought something was wrong, instead of not saying anything when he thought everything was okay.

But.. Seeing the relief on Magnus’s face when he heard that Alec was going to be okay blew any thought of a serious conversation out of his mind. Alec was going to wake up. Magnus was okay. Everything else could be thought about later.



Alec woke up seven hours later. He was curled against Magnus’s side, as he had been for almost their entire stay at the hospital. Magnus had his arms wrapped tightly around Alec and he was snuggled against the top of Alec’s head, fast asleep.

Ragnor was sitting in the chair next to them, dozing off, when he saw Alec’s fingers twitching against Magnus’s chest. They flexed, pulling weakly at the sweater Magnus was wearing and then Alec whined, low in his throat, as his wet eyes fluttered open.

Ragnor jumped out of the chair and fell to his side, instantly.

He looked so weak. He was struggling to keep his eyes open and Ragnor could tell that even looking up at him took an enormous amount of effort. “It’s alright, Alec..” Ragnor reached out and brushed Alec’s matted hair back on his head. “Everything alright. You and Magnus are fine.” Alec’s eyes flickered to the shoulder that he was curled against and then his mouth twitched in a smile.

“Yeah.” Ragnor laughed quietly and he was thankful that no one else was in the room to see the wetness in his eyes. “He has you... He hadn’t let go of you since we got here.”

A quiet little laugh bubbled out of Alec’s throat. He was so weak that it sounded more like a breath but Ragnor grinned nonetheless. “Go back to sleep. We’ll both be here when you wake up.”

Alec struggled to stay awake for a few more minutes but his eyes fluttered shut again and he went back to sleep clutching Magnus as tight as his he could.



The next morning, when Magnus woke up and Ragnor quietly told him that Alec had woken up the night before, Magnus got so excited that he jumped up, jolting Alec where he was, still cuddled against Magnus’s side.

Alec grumbled quietly, a soft displeased noise coming from his throat.

Instantly, Magnus was sobbing, with no buffer or build up. Ragnor looked at Alec for a second and then looked back up to find Magnus holding Alec tightly with one hand and sobbing uncontrollably into the other.

Alec’s eyes fluttered sleepily and he stared confused for a few moments before his eyes settled on Magnus. He struggled, his hand rising weakly off Magnus chest. Ragnor was sure that if he had the strength, Alec would be brushing away Magnus’s tears. It didn’t matter though because Magnus saw him and he caught Alec’s hand in his and he pressed his wet face into Alec’s hair.



Now that Magnus didn’t need to pretend to be delirious in order to avoid Ragnor's questions, he was fine. He was still forbid from doing magic of any kind but his body had enough magic in it to function smoothly. He could get up by himself and he didn’t need help with much of anything.

Which, was a wonderful thing. It really was but with Alec awake and sick it also meant that they needed to keep an eye on Magnus, much more than they had when Alec was unconscious. Now was right about the time that Magnus was going to find a way to use his magic and do something stupid to make Alec smile.

Which, is why Ragnor wasn’t surprised at all when he stepped into the hospital room after leaving for only fifteen minutes, to find Alec curled up with a blue teddy bear that absolutely hadn’t been in the room before.

Magnus was sitting on the bed next to him and he was running his fingers through Alec’s hair, smiling down at him, whispering quietly. He stilled when his eyes locked on Ragnor and he glanced between the teddy bear that Alec was hugging and Ragnor before tightening his expression into a hard look, that told Ragnor Magnus had done something bad.

Ragnor started forward angrily, ready to yell at him for finding a way to use magic, ready to yell at him for endangering his life to get Alec a teddy bear, ready to yell to at him about not listening to him again, when Magnus snapped, “I didn’t use magic!”

Alec looked over at Ragnor, from his place snuggled into the crook of the teddy bears neck, and he watched with amused eyes.

“How did you get it then?” Ragnor snapped back, stopping at the foot of the bed.

Magnus’s eyes flickered to the bed and then he looked out the window, pointedly not looking at Ragnor as he shrugged. “I stole twenty dollars from your wallet and I went down to the gift shop.”

Ragnor took a deep breath and then he took another. That was better. That was a lot better than Magnus using magic to do it. “I would have given you twenty dollars, if you had asked.” Ragnor said, sitting down in the chair next to the bed.

Magnus looked up at him and smirked. “I know.” Beside him, Alec let out a happy laugh and he cuddled even closer to the teddy bear. He was staring up at Magnus, his tired eyes practically shining with adoration.

Ragnor rolled his eyes. “I know. He’s a very romantic delinquent.”

Magnus snorted.



Slowly, Alec regained his strength. He was still a long way from being able to stand on his own but he could talk now. He stayed awake for longer than twenty minutes. He was eating on his own. Which, all seemed like very small things, unless you were there for the first week, in which Alec was too weak to even lift his hand to eat.

Ragnor didn’t even care that Magnus had used the book without permission. He didn’t care that neither of them had told him what happened, until it was too late. He didn’t care that they had left the market without his permission. None of it mattered anymore.

They weren’t stupid. They knew. Any learning that they were going to get out of this experience, they had already learned. No hollow words or phrases about not being angry- just disappointed, could compare to Magnus watching Alec die. Nothing Ragnor could say would make them understand anymore than they already did. So, Ragnor just didn’t say anything. He could tell that Magnus was waiting for him to bring it up but he never did.

They still needed to have a talk about Asmodeus but that could wait until they were a little bit older. The looming threat was gone. They were in the clear and for now everyone was fine.



A week and a half after Alec woke up, Ragnor was sent down to the cafe to get glazed donuts. The whole trip took only a few minutes but when Ragnor reached their hospital room again, something made him pause.

Alec and Magnus hadn’t been alone at all, not since Alec was actually coherent and Magnus had sent Ragnor out of the room with an odd amount of urgency for a donut trip. Ragnor stood for a moment and then he very quietly placed the pastry bag on the ground and inched the door open, just the smallest amount so he could see inside.

Even before he heard them, Ragnor was smiling.

Magnus was hovering over Alec, much like he had been years ago, when Ragnor had caught them kissing in bed. Alec was under him, protesting softly, even as he pulled Magnus closer, “Papa’s going to walk in!”

Above him, Magnus chuckled and ducked in for a kiss before pulling back and smiling coyly down at Alec, “Nah. He’s only been gone for a few seconds.” Ragnor had infact been gone for twenty minutes but he wasn’t going to call this fact out.

“No, he hasn’t!” The smile didn’t falter from Alec’s face and he kept protesting, even as Magnus leaned down to kiss his neck. “He only went to go get donuts. He’s going to walk in any minute.”

Magnus scoffed into Alec’s neck and Alec laughed, squirming away from the feeling, “Let him.”

“Magnus!”

Magnus pulled away suddenly and hovered over Alec, staring down at him intensely, “Alec. I haven’t been able to kiss you in three weeks. Not when you’ve been awake, at least. Trust me, It’s a lot less fun when you’re asleep.” Magnus dropped his serious facade in favor of smiling back at Alec, when he laughed. “Please? Please, can I kiss you?”

Alec didn’t respond for a moment and then his hands tightened in Magnus’s hair and his head ducked down as he blushed, smiling against Magnus’s shoulder. “Yeah.” He said breathlessly and Ragnor watched as Magnus smiled, hugging Alec closer against him, “Yeah, you can.”

When Alec pulled away from Magnus’s neck, Ragnor closed the door. Neither of them mentioned that it took Ragnor almost an hour to get donuts and Ragnor didn’t mention that they were out of breath when he walked into the room.

Chapter Text

When it was finally time to leave the hospital, Magnus decided that he wanted to carry Alec home.

Every since the moment Alec woke up, Magnus had been as charming and romantic as possible. Not in a fictitious way, though he had shown that he was very good at that. He simply tried harder to make Alec happy and where he would normally use his magic to impress Alec, he was forced to flatter him in the more traditional way.

It started, obviously, with the teddy bear that he had bought from the gift shop. After that it spiraled, into not necessarily bigger things, but relentless things that he did constantly. When Ragnor brought them tea, Magnus took it from Ragnor’s hands so that he could give it to Alec. On the few walks that Magnus and Ragnor took (normally, when Catarina was checking on Alec and didn’t want them in the room, for leaving Alec side at any other time was blasphemy) Magnus would walk around and collect flowers the whole time, commenting on each one and why he was picking it ( It reminds me of his eyes. This one reminds me of his magic. Laughing, This one reminds me of you, he had said while holding up part of a thorn bush).

He also did things that they both thought Ragnor didn’t know about. Magnus had the nurses wrapped around his finger and at night they would leave cookies in the drawer next to the bed. They did it stealthily and every time, Ragnor closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep until they left and then he did the same thing when Magnus and Alec woke up to eat their snacks.

And now they were finally leaving and Magnus wanted to carry Alec home. That in of itself wasn’t a problem. Magnus was weaker than he had been before the day in the market but he was perfectly capable of carrying Alec. The problem was that Alec was still hooked up to four machines, two of which needed to stay connected to him, even within the brief moments when they stepped through the portal into their home. Magnus could carry Alec but Ragnor wasn’t too sure that Magnus could carry him when there were wires and machines running from his body, especially through a portal, without dropping something important.

He was adamant, though. It didn’t matter if it was only a few seconds, it didn’t matter how many times Ragnor tried to convince him to let him do it and then find some other way to be adorable with Alec. He wanted to carry him home.

And so, when the time came and there was nothing else to check, Magnus picked him up and cradled Alec against his neck and then he stepped through the portal and landed in their home, smiling at their living room as Ragnor and Catarina tried to stop everything from tumbling behind them.

He didn’t drop him and all at once Ragnor felt stupid for thinking he would. Magnus would never drop Alec, not with his muscles trembling from inuse, not with the gravity shifting under him and slamming him down again. Not ever.

“Papa!” Ragnor sighed and placed the book that he had been trying to read for the past half an hour on the table next to him before standing up.

Alec was still too sick to stand on his own and moving him was too tiring for everyone, so they lived in the living room. All of them. Alec and Magnus slept, curled up on the sofa together and Ragnor slept in the arm chair, cuddled around the soft glowing lantern and the tattered bookshelves. In the morning, they had breakfast with Alec snuggled between Magnus and Ragnor, eating soft bites of maple pancakes between laughter and small kisses. They read snuggled on the couch and they watched the sun go down through the windows of the entrance hall every night.

Except, for when Alec had to use the bathroom and moments like this, in which Alec and Magnus took baths together, their lives were centered in the living room.

Walking over to the bathroom door, Ragnor sighed, allowing both of his children to hear him before asking, “Yes?”

“Can you bring a snack?” Alec asked, the water on the other side of the door splashing as he laughed at something unseen that, assumably, Magnus had done.

“And warm the water again?” Magnus called out, “Because, you know, I’m not allowed to use my magic.”

This had become a game to him. Magnus was determined to make Ragnor’s life as inconvenient as possible, hoping that he would give in and let Magnus use his magic. It wasn’t going to work though. Ragnor would rather get up twenty times every time they decided to take a bath than let Magnus hurt himself again.

“Hmm. Escargot?” Ragnor called, turning towards the kitchen. They had learned what escargot was weeks before that day in the market. Alec had tricked Magnus into trying it and then choked on his orange juice as Magnus spit it out.

Instantly, Magnus shouted in displeasure and Alec’s piercing laugh came through the door, blissfully happy and unrestrained. They had been home for a couple of days now but Ragnor still couldn’t help that wave of contentment that came over him every time he heard that sound.

“This is stupid.” Magnus said flatly, not moving from his relaxed position against Alec’s chest, despite Ragnor’s obvious intent for him to do so.

“It’s not stupid. You need to do this.” Ragnor insisted, no more enthused by Magnus’s displeasure than he was.

“I could do this when I was eight.”

“And now you’re going to do it again or you’re not going to do anything at all.” Ragnor had, after much effort on Magnus’s part, taken down the block on his magic. He was sure that Magnus was fine to use his magic, though nowhere near as much as Magnus’s would have liked too. He was fine to start using his magic, meaning they were starting at the beginning again. “Or you could wait a few weeks and you and Alec can do this together.”

Magnus’s eyes flickered up to Alec’s. He was sprawled with his legs dangling up over the back of the sofa, his back pressed tightly against Alec’s chest as the younger warlock ran his claws gently across the others scalp.

Alec was doing much better than he had been a week ago but he was still a long way from being able to stand on his own, let alone attempt to use his magic for something other than running his body. Magnus’s magic had been drained almost completely. Alec’s magic had been gone and any attempts his body made to replenish it had been sucked away. Yet again, Magnus was yards ahead of Alec, though Ragnor had no doubt that it would be temporary.

Alec’s magic would come back and he would be powerful yet again but that could take weeks. All three of them knew that Magnus couldn’t wait that long. “Fine.” He snapped, dropping his legs from the couch to sit up and cross them. Ragnor knew that Magnus’s didn’t realize it. It had been too long ago for him, he had been too young but Ragnor sat there and watched Magnus cross his legs and look up at him and for a moment all he could see was an eight year old who wanted more than anything to control this part of him that he had never understood.

“Show me.” Ragnor said, his own magic pooling in his fingertips before Magnus, even though Ragnor knew he didn’t need to show him anymore.

Magnus stared forward and then looked down at his own hands, his brow clenching in confusion as nothing happened. After a moment it happened, not as a steady stream like Ragnor had just done but a sputter of magic, popping out and then waded back before streaming out in an even more uncontrollable blast. After a few moments, his magic stilled and Ragnor watched Alec and Magnus’s shocked expressions before speaking.

“Again.” He did.

The world hadn’t stopped while they were in the hospital. Ragnor came home to letters and summons form clients who were too Mundane to know what had happened and Downworlders who had written to him because they did. Tessa had gone through them before they’d even gotten home and she’d organized them into things Ragnor needed to look at and things that he did not (the ‘not’ pile was placed in the corner between his desk and the wall. They both knew that's probably where it would stay).

She had also gone through the presents that had been left in their home, checking for anything that was too dangerous (whether intentional or not. Someone from the seelie court had left scrying bowl apparently able to see into other dimensions, as if Ragnor needed his children to have access to that ) and pulling thing that she thought Alec and Magnus would like. The rest had been placed into a backroom to be gone though sometime when presents from the Downworld, that had been neither dangerous nor interesting, were needed.

Ragnor had mentioned the gifts offhand, not wanting to put in the effort to actually gather them, though his children had other plans.

“You’re healthy enough to help me.” Ragnor had said to Magnus and he pulled a box into the living room. None of the gifts were exceptional dangerous but most of them had magical properties. Ragnor couldn’t just wave his hand and make all of it appear in the living room, without risking an explosion.

From the couch, Magnus coughed, not even trying to look convincing.

“What’s this?” Alec asked, almost an hour into their exploration of the gifts. He held a wide box in his lap, wrapped with a fabric that had fae runes all over it.

Ragnor shrugged, trusting Tessa enough that he wasn’t even concerned by the runes that he couldn’t read or the origin of the box. “Tessa put that one on my desk. The note said it was for you.”

Magnus placed the forest green quilt on the couch next to him to look over at Alec’s box (strangely, the quilt was also from the Fae. Apparently, his children had charmed them more than he thought). “It looks like the runes on your bow.”

“It’s the same language.” Ragnor said, place the book he’d been flipping through on the table next to him. “Uakuni. Its one of the oldest Faerie languages. One of the firsts, I think. Maybe the first.” Ragnor shrugged, “It’s the oldest one I know of.”  

“What does it say?” Alec asked, his fingers trailing over the soft fabric.

“I have no clue. I can’t read it. I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t a fae that could. Old faerie languages are..” Ragnor trailed off, thinking about the right words to explain it before continuing.  “Different. They’re like the angelic runes that Shadowhunters use. They don’t have direct meanings. They have emotions, intent. Fairies are born knowing their meaning. You can certainly learn the common ones and what they mean but it's almost impossible to become fluent in it.” When he looked up both of his children were staring at him, obviously interested in what he was saying. “The runes on your bow are ones of protection and power. I.. “ Ragnor glanced at the fabric again, scanning it before saying. “-have no clue what any of those runes mean.”

Magnus stared for a few long moments before pushing gently at Alec’s elbow, “Open it, then.”

Alec glanced up at Ragnor for a few second before looking back down at the package and pulling the fabric off it. The box underneath was crafted from a dark wood that Ragnor was sure came from a different dimension. The edges on the box were seamless and the cover had three simple runes, carved in silver.

“Should I?” Alec asked cautiously, his fingers resting an inch from the cover.

Ragnor nodded and Alec pulled the cover off easily. The object inside shimmered for a moment and Ragnor caught the gleam of a blade before Alec reached forward and the object lite up in bright blazing purple. Alec’s fingers froze, still inches away from the weapon, staring in surprise as it shone with his magic.

For a moment, Ragnor started forward. His mind panicked with the thought of the blade using Alec’s magic, when he was already so weak. His mind caught up with him though and he froze, still leaning forward, ready to stand up, as he watched. There was still a block on Alec’s magic.

Magnus jumped forward too, watching Ragnor’s reaction before realizing the same dreadful thought that Ragnor had and then realizing that that wasn’t what was happening. “How is it..?”

“It’s not taking your magic.” Ragnor said softly, his fingers twitching to touch the weapon before stopping himself. The sword was Alec’s. Faeries were very particular about things like that and Ragnor wasn’t going to risk breaking it by being the first one to touch it. “The sword is connected to your life force. It's not taking it, it's just.. Connected to it.”

“Woah..” Alec reached out slowly and ran his fingers across the gleaming curve of the blade. Instantly, the weapon rippled in response, the magic inside of it cascading like Alec had run his hands through water.

Slowly, he wrapped his hand around the weapon and pulled it up. Ragnor expected him to struggle. Alec still had trouble pulling himself off the couch when he wanted to get up but the blade lifted effortless and it slid through the air as Alec moved it.

The weapon, not unlike his bow, was carved with runes, all descending down the side of the side of it and then stopping at the handle of the blade.

“What does it do?” Magnus asked softly and Ragnor paused for a moment, thinking about Magnus’s question before looking at him in confusion. “What does it do?” Magnus repeated, leaning forward to look at it in Alec’s hand. “If it was a normal blade, you would think it would have the same runes as Alec’s bow, right? Common ones. Protection. Power. These are all different.”

Ragnor glanced at the weapon and then nodded. He was far from an expert in faerie runes but he knew most of the common ones, simply because he had encountered them before. This blade was neither simple nor common and for some reason the Fae had decided that his son needed it.

Ragnor wasn’t sure if the flash that ran through him was fear or gratitude.

“I have no clue.” Ragnor said and he didn’t but the thought had struck him and now he couldn’t unthink it. Faeries, even ones charmed with Alec and Magnus, wouldn’t give a blade like the one in Alec’s hand away unless they had a reason and a motive for doing so.

Ragnor had never thought of himself as ignorant or uninformed, but sitting there, watching Alec and Magnus stare at the weapon, he couldn’t think of a single reason why they had placed that blade in Alec’s hand.

Chapter Text

“Are you getting dressed?” Ragnor look up at the closed door that lead to Alec and Magnus’s bedroom, placing his cup of tea down on the counter as he started buttoning his shirt up.

“Yes, Ragnor!” Magnus yelled loudly from behind the door, sounding more and more annoyed with Ragnor’s pestering as every second went on.

“Really?” Ragnor scoffed lightly, picking his teacup back up and sipping it casually before placing it down again, starting to button the cuffs on his shirt.

“Yes!”

“Because you said yes fifteen minutes ago-”

“We’re getting dressed!”

“-and then when I walked in you were both still in bed, kissing.” From upstairs Magnus groaned loudly and Ragnor looked down at himself to make sure that his shirt wasn’t crumpled. “We need to leave in a half an hour!”

Today, they were attending a wedding. It was going to be Alec and Magnus’s first warlock wedding and Ragnor’s third. Besides the obvious excitement of the marriage, Ragnor was happy that Alec and Magnus were going to get to see it. Warlocks very rarely get married but when they do it’s seldomly to another warlock. Often, warlocks marrying someone of a different species will incorporate some of their traditions into the ceremony but most of them just don’t work, unless done with another warlock.

Once, Ragnor had seen a warlock, Agnes (who had disappeared centuries ago), marry a Fae from the Seelie Court in the most beautiful wedding. It had been a clash of tradition but despite their infamous bad blood, Fae wedding and warlock wedding are quite similar. Both deeply rooted in the magic of nature, both involving the sharing of magic and the unity of it forever. Once, Ragnor had seen a warlock and a werewolf marry in a mostly mundane wedding.

Today though, two warlocks were getting married for the first time (that Ragnor knew of) in centuries and his children were old enough and healthy enough to attend. That is, if they ever got out of bed and got dressed.

The door swung open above him and Ragnor looked up to find Alec standing in the doorway, the shimmering blue fabric around his shoulders hanging down, unbuttoned and Magnus standing a few feet away from him in their mirror, checking his clothes before turning and meeting Alec at the top of the stairs.

“He won’t let me button it.” Magnus said, glancing at Alec’s unbuttoned shirt and then looking to Ragnor unhappily. “He thinks you can do it better.”

Alec rolled his eyes. Obviously, this was a conversation they’d had upstairs. “I trust Papa with my sacred clothes more than I trust you. You wanted to cut the sleeves off to make it look better.” Alec walked over to him and Ragnor knelt down to button up his shirt.

“It would look better without sleeves.” Magnus grumbled, picking up Ragnor half empty tea cup from the counter and sipping it.

Ten minutes later they were standing in front of the portal, shimmering green trees and deep blue light shining from the other side of it as Ragnor made some last minute checks with his children. “No weapons? Nothing weird and unclean?” He looked at Alec specifically, “No sword?”

Alec still couldn’t use his magic, so he couldn’t carry around his bow like he had done before. Instead, he had taken to keeping the sword with him, a fact that had made Ragnor endlessly uneasy. “No.” Alec looked deeply unhappy about that fact, “But you know if we get attacked by anything…”

“There will be nothing there to attack us but if we did there will be many capable warlocks there to take care of it.”

“Alec and I included.” Magnus said with a slight glare in Ragnor’s direction.

Rolling his eyes, Ragnor turned towards the portal. “Yes, yes.” He said stepping into it, “My thirteen year olds will defend the entire ceremony with only twigs.” They would too. At least, they’d try.

Ragnor landed on the other side of the portal a moment before Alec and Magnus did. The ceremony was being held in the same pocket dimension that the Labyrinth was in. It wasn’t a full realm, like the steelies had but it was completely separate from the mundane world that they lived in. It was ancient and it was entirely secure. No non-warlock had ever found a way to access it without help and most of the population, Downworlders included, were entirely unaware of it's existence.

Today, the dimension was in full bloom. The trees that they found themselves surrounded by rose high in the air, easily thousands of years old. Their limbs stretched out, creating a heavy canvas above them, only allowing streaming shards of light to come down around them, enough to light the entire forest in a soft glow. Leaves fluttered around them, drifting softly to the ground as they fell from the trees.

Magic thrummed through the forest, entirely different than the magic network that had been created inside the Labyrinth. This energy ran through the trees, connecting them all to each other and to the leaves that fell to the ground and to the soil that rain under their feet. It ran through them, completely unbothered and uncaring of their presence. Years before warlocks had existed, this magic had been here and years after they were all gone it would still be there but for now they coexisted, each respectful of the others presence.

They landed on a path. Whereas the rest of the forest was filled with leaves and grass, the path under them was made completely out of roots that came from the ground, twisting together tightly to create the walkway that led them to the place where the ceremony was being held.

Ragnor waited, watching Alec and Magnus take in the area around them before nodding softly to the rest of the path. They had been here before, of course, but they had never been this far out. They had never come to the dimension and seen the rest of it, the part of it that was completely unshaped by anything. Behind him, Alec reached out and pulled Magnus’s hand into his before following Ragnor as they made their way, quietly and in slight awe of the world around them, down the path.

They only walked for a few minutes before they came to the ceremony. Ahead of them, the trees created a wide circle, leaving the light star filled sky above them. This area had been used for many things, rituals and ceremonies, but even as often as it had been used, it was completely untouched. Glancing at it, it looked as if someone had taken the time to lay down stones creating a gleamingly dark floor under them and to shape the trees to leave them room to work but Ragnor knew that no one had done that. The forest had chosen to shape the area into what they needed and they were grateful for it.

In the doorway to the area stood two warlocks. They were dressed in stark white fabric that flowed around them as the air in the forest shifted. They both bowed slightly and Ragnor bent down to allow them to place the soft crown of flowers around his head. He stepped past them into the ceremony and then turned back to watch Magnus and Alec, nodding for them to do the same.

They stared for a moment and then they both bent, their hands clasped together as two flower crowns were placed on their head. After a moment of silence, Alec looked up at the warlocks above them and uttered quietly, “Thank you.” Before stepping forward into the circle with Magnus at his side.

The ground under them shimmered as they stepped on it, rippling as if there was a thin layer of water over the rocks though they stayed completely dry. After a moment of watching it and taking in the limbs that stretched out far above them and the flowers that grew, high on the trees around them, they look to Ragnor.

“Where are they?” Magnus asked softly, none of them wanting to disturb the peace of the world around them. There were a couple of warlocks already in the circle, some sitting and simply enjoying the dimension and all it's beauty and a couple looking as if they were trying to set up, though there was nothing else to until before the ceremony started. They were early, so for the most part the circle was empty and the world around them creaked and blew the voices of everyone else away.

“They won’t show up until it starts.” Ragnor pointed toward the other side of the circle and they all walked until they reached the edge of it again, a point where the roots had grown in, creating a makeshift bench that looked completely natural until one got close enough to see the shape of it.

Ragnor sat with Magnus and Alec next to him, answering soft questions about the world until they got bored and stood to explore themselves.

They splashed in the water that refused to get them wet and they climbed on the stones surrounding the circle, holding butterflies that came out of the woods to greet them until everyone was there and the soft chimes, that sounding like nothing of the mundane world but was unmistakably music, started.

Catarina and Tessa came from the same path that they had walked on to come in. They stood, hand in hand as they walked through the circle until they reached the center of it, where they stilled.

They both wore dresses that fluttered around them, the white color scattered with gold beads that reflected off the light above them and green beads that matched perfectly with the forest around them. Catarina blue skin was adorned with white runes, each of them glowing softly from the power within them. Tessa wore the same, each rune shining through green. Warlocken runes of peace, love and unity..  

Butterflies stilled around them, one drifting down to rest on flowers adorning Tessa’s head. The birds silenced their calls. A phoenix landed a high above them, peering down at the circle as it's body gave off soft orange light. At least a hundred fireflies, all glowing with white light, fluttered around them, each staying far enough away from the ceremony to not disturb it but close enough to outshine the stars that stayed lite far above them.

The spectators turned, falling silent the moment they entered the circle. Brother Zachariah stood towards the back, his dark Silent Brother robes setting him out from the rest of those at the ceremony. A couple of vampires were scattered about, each standing unharmed in the light of the forest (for they were welcomed guests. The forest would never harm those that it welcomed). A couple of fairies stood around the circle, attending as a sign of respect and peace rather than actually wanting to attend. There was a werewolf or two and even a couple of Mundanes that had touched Catarina and Tessa’s lives enough to be welcomed but for the most part, those attending were warlocks.

Ragnor stood towards the back, silent next to James. Magnus and Alec were standing in the front, as close to Catarina and Tessa as they could be. As the ceremony started, Alec shifted into Magnus and Magnus wrapped his arm softly around Alec. They stood there, holding each other, each watching with awed expressions as the ceremony started.

It happened quick. Some warlocks choose to do other things at their weddings but Catarina and Tessa had decided to keep it simple. They faced each other and allowed their magic to flow outward, surrounding both of them in glimmering masses of energy that spun slowly around them, shifting as magic always did. The green magic from Catarina and the orange magic from Tessa blended together in stark colorful lines.

They stood that way for a moment before taking each others hands as they recited the oath that they had memorized beforehand. They spoke in quiet latin, not speaking loud enough for anyone besides them to hear the words that they were speaking and then when they were done, their magic dissolved slowly, the light drifting farther and farther from the two of them, until the scattered specks of green and orange light blinked out completely.

Ragnor had made sure to explain it to Alec and Magnus before they arrived, so they understood what would have not been obvious watching it. Catarina and Tessa had combined their magic, as warlocks did when they married each other. Forever, they would feel each other life force and would borrow it as needed, the energy flowing and wading between them.

Mundanes think of marriage as a romantic gesture to take with someone. Often, thinking of it lightly, getting divorced only years after they’d married. To warlocks, it was something much different. It was literally combining your life with someone else's. Shadowhunters often compared it to the Parabatai ceremony but even that was inaccurate. Parabatai oaths are broken in death. Warlocks, whose death is not a certain thing, break their oaths never. Even in the case that one dies, their magic will continue to exist in the other, forever.

Ragnor didn’t know whether or not Tessa and Catarina thought of themselves romantically. He had never asked and he wouldn’t. It didn’t matter, though. When you live for such a long time, love starts to lose the strict boundaries that mundanes and even other Downworlders hold close. Someday, maybe they’d love other people. Maybe they’d cease living together and go years without seeing each other but they would forever be married and they would forever be apart of each other. The rest was all in the future.

The second the ceremony ending Alec and Magnus darted forward, throwing themselves into Catarina and Tessa’s legs to hug them. As soon as they moved, the rest of the spectators started moving too and as suddenly as the ceremony had started, it ended and the celebration began.

The animals resumed what they had been doing moments before. A couple of fairies made their way towards the back, picking up their instruments and filling the area with music that changed from fast upbeat songs to slowly melodies that resembled something to be played in the middle of a war. Endless wine was passed around and Ragnor even let Magnus and Alec have some, though Magnus seemed to enjoy it much more than Alec did.

People danced and after a couple of glasses of wine, Ragnor was even pulled into it, dancing with Tessa as Magnus and Alec spun each other around next to them. Flowers were scattered across the floor, remaining entirely untouched even though they should have been crushed under the feet of everyone dancing.

Food was laid out towards the back, a mix of food that had been brought in, grapes, blueberries and food that had come from this dimension, a bright orange berry that busts into harmless flames as it was bitten into, a large purple melon that changed color to match the aurora of whoever was holding it.

Hours later, after everyone had drank copious amounts of wine and danced until their feet started to ache, people started to filter out. Those who were not warlocks were brought home, as they were unable to do so themselves and soon only a couple of them remained there.

Ragnor walked with Magnus, each of them warm from the wine (Ragnor feeling it because he had drank more than he had in the past century combined, Magnus feeling it because the three glasses he had had been the first three glasses of alcohol he’d ever had). Alec walked a few yards behind them with Catarina, walking hand in hand as they spoke softly. Tessa strayed back, walking with James as they enjoyed the remaining time that they had before he had to return to the City of Bones.

Magnus chuckled softly and Ragnor looked down at him as he slipped his hand into Ragnor’s. “What?” He asked softly, already smiling either from the wine or simply just from Magnus himself.

“Someday, I’m going to marry Alec here.” Magnus said confidently, his cheeks flushed red from the wine.

Ragnor glanced back at Alec, who was so caught up in his conversation with Catarina that he didn’t hear what Magnus said despite only being a few feet away. After a moment, Ragnor nodded. He had no doubt that they would. “I can’t wait.”

Magnus laughed breathlessly, smiling softly at the ground before him as they walked. “Me either.”

“Can I use magic now?”

Ragnor’s mouth curled into a smile as he stared at Alec across from him. “I believe you just did.” Ragnor said, referring to the sparks of magic Alec had just made for the first time in months.

Magnus was sitting by Alec’s side, cuddled happily into the crook of Alec’s neck as he watched them practice. “That’s not doing magic.” He supplied happily, causing Ragnor to roll his eyes light heartedly.

“It is. ” Ragnor insisted, “You heard what Catarina said.”

Alec sighed softly.

He had heard what Catarina said but Ragnor repeated it anyway. “If you use too much magic you’re going to get sick again. You can’t strain yourself.” Alec’s body was completely healed and his magic was back at full supply again but Catarina had said that Alec’s body was far slower at regenerating his magic now. He was no different than any other warlock, he would just reach the point of exhaustion quicker because his magic wasn’t coming back as fast.

“It's going to be that way for the rest of my life. You can’t stop me from using magic forever, Papa. Cat said that I’m better. I might as well get use to managing it now rather than later.” Alec said patiently, reasoning with him, though he looked like he rather just start using his magic.

Ragnor sighed. Alec was right. He wasn’t in danger anymore. He just had to be careful with how much magic he used or he was going to get sick again. He had to learn on his own how much he could use. That was a hard thing though, accepting that Alec was probably going to get himself sick and there was nothing Ragnor could do about it. “I know,” Alec smiled softly and Magnus grinned next to him.

“Does that mean he gets his bow back?” Magnus asked eagerly, sitting up to peer at Ragnor excitedly.

They wanted to train again, like they use to in the yard. Ever since he’d been healthy enough, Alec had been using the sword but that wasn’t as fun as using his magic and the bow. Magnus could throw him back and use his magic to win but Alec had to try and find a way to beat him with only the sword. He did beat him many times but he just didn’t think it was as fun.

“Yeah, you can have your bow back.” Ragnor said begrudgingly as he stood up.

Instantly, Alec jumped up from the couch, racing across the living room over to the rack where his bow and arrows were hanging. “Magnus! Come on!” He yelled snatching them off the rack.

“It's about to start raining.” Ragnor said mildly, looking out at the dark storm clouds outside.

“Doesn’t matter!” Magnus said racing out the front door and down the steps, barefoot. Alec followed behind him moments later and Ragnor sighed as he watched Magnus explode his magic out to push Alec back. Instantly, Alec used his magic to shove Magnus back ten times farther.

He was going to come in sick that night. Ragnor knew that but for the moment, they were having fun.

Ten minutes later, when Ragnor looked out the window, it's was downpouring. The thunder was booming so loud that the lights inside the house were shaking every time one struck. The trees surrounding their home were swaying so hard that Ragnor half expected one to come crashing down and there was Alec and Magnus in the center of it, each of them long soaked.

Alec had dropped his bow despite being so excited to have it back. It was abandoned by the front steps and Alec was darting around, using his magic the way that Ragnor had hoped he wouldn’t do.

Magnus blinked out of existence and a moment later he appeared behind Alec, darting forward to latch onto him before Alec dove out of the way. Magnus moved forward, his expression showing how positive he was that he was about to win (in order to win their game, one of them had to get the other on the ground for five seconds).

Alec stared, looking around for a frantic moment before looking up at Magnus, sucking in a deep breath before pushing his magic out, the spell exploding from his hands in a wave of purple magic.

For a moment nothing happen, Magnus kept moving forward and then the ground beneath Magnus’s feet split open. The house shook as the ground quaked beneath it and Magnus tumbled into the deep ravine before reappearing a couple of feet from Alec, tumbling from the sky onto the ground, hard.

Instantly, Ragnor darted down the hallway and out the door but by the time he reached the porch, the ground had closed itself and Magnus had found his way off the ground and to Alec’s side. The were laying together, both of them bursting out laughing, soundless to Ragnor over all the rain. Slowly, Ragnor made his way back inside and only watched them for a few moments longer before opening the book he had started reading so long ago.

An hour later, they had both come in shivering and sure enough, Alec had used too much magic. Magnus was ordered to go take a shower while Ragnor dried Alec off and got him something to drink.

Behind him, Ragnor heard the shower turn on and he sighed as he handed Alec the mug of hot cocoa. He was curled sleepily on the couch, the fireplace blazing a few feet away from him. In a few moment’s, Magnus was going to come back out and curl up on the couch with Alec. They’d both sleep there while Ragnor slept on the chair, because that was their routine while Alec was sick.

Only, this time, they all knew that it was temporary. Alec would stay sick for a day and then he’d be okay, until he over did it again. This time, he was sick because he’d had too much fun with Magnus, not because a demon had killed him. This time, he didn’t look half dead on the couch.

It made all the difference in the world because Ragnor wasn’t even that worried as he tucked the soft blanket around Alec’s shoulders. He was sick again but Ragnor knew that he was okay. He didn’t even regret telling Alec that he could use his magic. It had been worth it, watching him and Magnus dart around the yard again.

“Papa?” Alec asked softly, his eyes fluttering sleepily as he took a sip of his drink. “You think Magnus would want to marry me someday?”

He asked it, so innocently, so completely unaware of what Magnus had said to Ragnor earlier that Ragnor couldn’t help but break out in a smile. “You know.. I think he would.” Ragnor whispered softly, unable to stop smiling even though he was trying too.

“Yeah?” Alec’s eyes were closing again, the drink in his hand was slanting second by second, slowly getting closer and closer to spilling over as Alec lost consciousness.

Gently, Ragnor reached out and took it from him. “Yeah. I really think he would.” Ragnor placed the cup down on the table behind him and gently pressed his lips to the top of Alec’s head. “Go to sleep.. He’ll be back out in a second and I’ll be right over there.”

That night, Ragnor dreamt about Alec and Magnus’s wedding and he woke up with a heart so heavy that he stepped outside and called Tessa.

Chapter Text

The years flew by Ragnor like they never had before.

Immortals often talk of losing themselves, of going off somewhere and getting lost in something and then waking up to find that half a century had gone by but never Ragnor. Ragnor could never lose himself in anything, not even the flow of time and the universe around him. Every moment was drawn out. Every year clicked by him with the slow pace of something gradual and leisurely, something that was impartial to Ragnor’s stagnant boredom.  

That had all changed when Magnus and Alec came to live with him, though he didn’t even realize it at the time. He couldn’t have. He’d been too busy. Busy with everything, with trying to keep Magnus from killing himself, with making sure that Alec felt safe, with making sure that he didn’t irreversibly mess them up. Their lives had flew by him faster than the past three centuries had combined and Ragnor knew that they still had a long time, he knew that Alec and Magnus were immortal and that they had so many years ahead of him but their childhood was fleeting and it had left Ragnor without him even realizing it enough to say goodbye.

They’d been children, whose only experience of life had been tainted. Then, they’d been a bit older and they’d been determined to prove themselves, though they never needed too. Now, they were teenagers verging on adulthood. They didn’t crawl into his bed anymore when they were scared. They didn’t even think to ask Ragnor’s permission before they did something dangerous, they didn’t need to anymore.

They helped Ragnor with his spells, not like they use too, not ‘helping’ by doing it and having Ragnor secretly fix it later, just incase they had done something wrong. They actually helped. Ragnor trusted them to take over his duties as High Warlock, when something more pressing came up and they never shows incompetence, not once. They completed spells and antidotes for hexes. They strengthened wards and summoned demons, effortlessly. They listened to complaints and problems, they sat in on the counsel when Ragnor couldn’t or didn’t want too and every time they did, all Ragnor heard was how well they had done and how professionally they had acted.

Later, they would come home and complain about the clients, how someone had acted on the counsel or how horrid a particular person was but while they were there, representing Ragnor and creating a reputation for themselves, they alway tried to behave.

That’s when the thought first flickered in Ragnor’s mind. That's when it dawned on him that his children were growing older. They were maturing and eventually, they would need their own platform and their own space to speak without their words falling under the veil of Ragnor’s authority. They were still teenagers and Ragnor still had a few years before he really needed to worry about it but they were growing older and watching them sit before a group of people that were centuries older than them, talking and debating as if they were the ones who had more experience in the situation, acting more maturely as if they were the adults, it just made Ragnor realize how quickly the end of their childhood was coming.

There were other a couple of other reasons that he started to think about it too. They were seventeen. The walls in their home were thin and Magnus and Alec needed their time together more and more often.

Ragnor had walked in on them making out when they were children but he hadn’t walked in on them doing something more until they were fifteen. The lights were dim and they were mostly covered by the bedding around them, thankfully, but Ragnor had seen enough. He wasn’t sure if they were actually having sex, fifteen still seemed a little young for that but he hadn’t cared to ask either. The second he realized what they were doing, he’d slammed the door behind them and called, “You have a lock for a reason!” Before turning and marching downstairs.

The next day, Tessa had come over and she’d push a bottle of what Ragnor thought was lube into Magnus’s hands while he blushed and stared wide eyed as she explained what it was. Ragnor stood in the other room the whole time, his teacup clenched so hard in his hands that he was actually scared that it would shatter and reveal how hard Ragnor was trying to not hear them. He didn’t think that it was necessary. They seemed to be doing just fine when Ragnor walked in on them and Ragnor didn’t know what kind of talk either of them needed to have, considering that there was no chance of diseases or pregnancies but Tessa has insisted anyhow.

After that, their sexuality only emerged more and more. At first, they’d been shy and they’d tried their best to hide it from Ragnor but as the years went on, they stopped trying to hide it, much to Ragnor dismay. Multiply times, he had caught them on the couch half naked. He’d seen the scratches on Magnus’s back, obviously from Alec’s still growing claws and he’d rolled his eyes and told Magnus that he could easily heal them. Magnus had smirked and said that he knew and Ragnor had promptly left the room.

Now, they were seventeen and they had stopped trying to hide it at all. Even with the silencing spell that had been cast on their room, blocking the sound from the rest of the house, Ragnor was still reminded of their.. Adulthood more often that he would have liked.

Then, there was the political reason. Of all of the things that Ragnor thought about in the years that their childhood ended, this was the one that gnawed at Ragnor like a guilt filled wound, festering the more and more that he thought about it.

Recently, the Downworld has started to go through a shift. A group of teenagers calling themselves ‘The Circle’ had recently started to gain attention. Now, it wasn’t really as if these kids were anything that the Downworld hadn’t been dealing with for years. They slaughtered downworlders who had done no wrong without a second thought. They killed children and left their bodies thrown in the streets to rot. They lied to the Clave, claiming some bullshit reason, some excuse about how the people that they murdered had done some wrong and the Clave listened to them, as they always had.

It was nothing new at all. Only, this time these children had decided a name for themselves and as that name spread through the Downworld, muttered with anger and fear, a flame lit. For centuries, there had been glowing embers of a revolution but with this name, they sparked into an angry raging fire. The Downworld was torn. Half of them wanted to cut all communication with The Clave, tear any sense of influence that they out from the roots and to stop following their rules and stop standing by as innocent people were killed in the name of what was right.

The other half wanted to take it a step farther and to turn around and launch an attack on The Clave. They wanted to assemble all of their forces. To turn and kill every single one of them, innocent or not, until there was nothing left of them. To kill every child and every soldier, to burn every Institute and infiltrate Idris until they were left with nothing.

Everyone wanted change and as the days clicked on that they were given none, they grew more and more restless. The pressure was rising and building with every day that things stayed stagnant.

And, of course, New York’s High Warlock had decided that now was the perfect time to vanish. Everyone was busy and struggling to remain order and some sense of peace and yet, New York had been left without a leader. Of course, there were people that were filling in and taking care of problems that needed to be dealt with but that was nowhere near a permanent solution.

Someone needed to take the position and it needed to be someone who could handle the pressure of this war that they were falling into. It needed to be someone who could make tough decisions and take care of their people above all else.

When it came down to it, there was only one person that Ragnor could see taking the position and not failing miserable and as it happened, he was just turning eighteen.

Nothing in the world terrified Ragnor more than the thought of giving it to Magnus. Nothing in all of his years of life had stopped Ragnor’s heart cold in his chest, like the thought of sending Magnus into such a crucial position of this fight that was coming.

He would thrive, though. Magnus was a natural born leader and while part of Ragnor wanted to grab him and stop him from taking it, Ragnor knew, deep down, that Magnus was the only person who would lead the Downworld in the right direction.

Magnus and Alec were at a point in their lives where they left home for days at a time. They always came back at the end of it but they left and Ragnor wouldn’t hear from them until they stumbled through that portal again.

Magnus loved going out. He’d drag Alec off to every corner of the world to go experience life with him. They went to Rome and Spain. They had lunch in France and they went swimming Puerto Rico. Alec enjoyed it, of course. He loved running off with Magnus but mostly, he seemed to just love watching how happy Magnus got when they went someplace new.

It was a Monday morning when they stumbled through a portal, laughing and kissing as they went, waving goodbye and yelling promises of being safe. They said that they wouldn’t be back for a couple of days. That was just enough time for Ragnor to find something and if he changed his mind, he never had to tell them.

He wouldn’t, though. He knew that he wouldn’t change his mind.

For the years past them, their birthday had been a grand celebration and yet, a small one. When they had been children, it had been them, Ragnor, Tessa and Catrina sitting around the warmth the of the fire in the living room, sharing gifts and laughing as they watched Alec and Magnus play.

As they got a bit older, their birthday had slowly shifted to be a more formally celebrated event but the intimacy of it had never changed. Every year, it was Ragnor and all of the other people who made up Alec and Magnus’s world spending the day together and this year was no different.

Tessa had proposed throwing an actual party with people who were more than the five of them but in the end, neither of them had wanted that (secretly, Ragnor hadn’t either but he would have let them, if they had wanted too).

Magnus loved parties and he loved meeting people more than anything but they could all sense that this world they had created together was disappearing. Alec and Magnus perhaps didn’t understand quite how soon it would but they could all feel it. This year, they were eighteen and soon, their world would be more than Ragnor’s home and the people that they invited inside. This year might be the last year for them to revel in that before everything changed and none of them truly wanted to miss out on it. For years to come, Ragnor was sure that they would throw parties but this year, it would be just them again and Ragnor didn’t think that anyone was too upset about that fact.

The night before their birthday came and went in a blur of alcohol. It took an exceptional amount of drinking for a warlock to get drunk, so Ragnor felt no remorse in letting Alec and Magnus drink half of his liquor cabinet. It was the equivalent of allowing your children to have a glass of rum with the adults. It didn’t get them drunk but they hadn’t been exactly sober when they’d stumbled off to bed to curled up for the night.

Normally, after they’d retreated, Ragnor would do so as well or he would go to his office and work on things that had been put off all day but tonight, Ragnor sat before the fire and drank more than he had in all of his adolescence combined.

That night, Ragnor had nightmares about Alec and Magnus. He dreamt of Magnus kneeling outside of The Market, holding Alec’s body. He dreamt of Asmodeus rising from the smoke in the basement of the hospital. He dreamt of Magnus leading in the face of a war and he dreamt of both of them, dying a million gruesome deaths because of what Ragnor was going to do.

He woke with cold sweat dripping down his back and fearful magic pouring from his fingers, like he was a child again.

His kitchen was quiet and empty as he walked into it. Alec and Magnus were either awake and enjoying the morning together or they were still asleep upstairs but regardless, Ragnor stood before the stove as he waited for the tea to boil, unable to help it as his mind drifted towards the thought of his life without Alec and Magnus here.

He thought of the silence and solitude that his life would be once again. He thought of the stillness of a house with only one person in it. How had he lived here alone before? How had he possibly made use of this much space when it was just him? How had he used up all of his time? How had he not noticed before that something was missing? How has he possibly not felt the emptiness of his life before them?

There would be no one to wake him up in the morning, if he slept in. There would be no one to make breakfast for and no one to sit with in the morning. There would be no one to hand his work off to, if something more important came up. There would be no one to clean up after, no one to annoy him, no one to worry about.

How had he possibly not felt the emptiness of a life without someone to worry for? To care for? To love? How had he possibly felt content before them and now that he knew what he had been missing, how would he ever feel content again?

Magnus raced down the steps a half an hour later, with Alec trailing behind him sleepily. Ragnor was sitting at the dinner table, his tea cup still warm and steaming full like Alec and Magnus’s were next to him. Ragnor had a book open in front of him, though he had been stilled on the same page for a while now, staring at the words without reading them.

Ragnor heard them the second that their bedroom door opened but he didn’t glance up. He kept his eyes on the book, though he couldn’t help his mouth flickering into a small smile. Magnus paused next to the table. Ragnor could see the boxer hanging low on his hips and the shirt that was three times too big on him, pulled to the side and dangling half off his shoulder. His hair was an unruly mess on his head and when Alec walked over to stand next to him, he looked no better.

Ragnor couldn’t help how his smile faded slightly. This might be the last time that he got to see them like this: early in the morning, completely bare and unchanged by how put together the world expected them to be. This might be the last time that Ragnor saw them how only people who lived together saw each other.

Next to him, Magnus cut through Ragnor’s thoughts by crying loudly, “No breakfast? On my birthday?”

Quietly, Alec corrected, “Our birthday,” Though, no one was under the impression that Magnus had actually forgotten. He sat down in the seat next to Ragnor, pulling the tea cup that he knew was his closer and sipping it.

Ragnor sighed dramatically and folded the page that he was on before placing his book aside. He looked up at met Magnus’s anguished look with an annoyed expression before waving his hand and setting the table with all of their favorite breakfast foods, much like he had on the first day that they had been in his home. Perhaps, Magnus’s dramatics had rubbed off on him.

Instantly, Magnus’s face lit up as he leaned forward and snatched the top pancake from the pile, falling easily into his seat next to Alec.

For a couple of moments, Ragnor pretended as if he had forgotten or perhaps, as if he didn’t care. They spoke of their plans for the day, a letter that Ragnor had received the day before, a book that Alec was reading and then, almost as an afterthought, Ragnor said, “Oh- And Happy Birthday.”

Ragnor ignored their questions of how their gift possibly involved a portal to get there. He ignored the suspicious glances and vague comments, trying to get Ragnor to slip and tell them where they were going before they actually left and instead, he opened the portal and then stared expectantly, as he waited for Alec and Magnus to walk through first.

They hesitated for only a moment and then walked through, leaving Ragnor to follow behind them.

When he landed on his feet again, he was met with the bright light of the sun shining through the windows of the room they were in. The loft looked just as it did when Ragnor had last seen it, only it wasn’t raining today and as the light came through the windows to shine down on them, it lit the dark polished wood floors in a bright glow of gold hues, casting the whole space in a color that seemed like something ethereal and otherworldly. At the very least, it seemed like something that had been planned or manipulated. Which, Ragnor knew it hadn’t been.

Magnus and Alec looked around for a moment and then they both turned to look at him, staring in confusion as to why Ragnor had taken them to an empty building in a place that was obviously far from their home. Something flashed across Alec’s face as he took in Ragnor’s thoughtful expression. Alec, more so than Magnus, had always been able to read Ragnor and he could tell in that moment, that Alec was starting to understand why they were standing here.

Ragnor looked around at the empty space once more before turning to them and speaking slowly, “You’re eighteen..” He said, almost hesitantly. “I figured that.. Now might be a good time for you to have your own space.” Ragnor turned and gestured vaguely to the room around him. “I figured that you’d want to decorate it yourself but I moved your bed here, when you came downstairs..” Ragnor opened his mouth to talk about where they were, to show them where the bedroom was and the rest of the space when Alec cut him off by speaking quietly.

“You.. bought us a house?” His tone was quiet and astonished.

Ragnor nodded slowly. “Technically, I bought you a loft.” He moved to take a step towards the kitchen, talking about how the only accessory currently in the kitchen was an oven and how they would need to bring a couple of supplies there in order to make it livable. He stopped mid sentence when he heard Magnus breath, shakily behind him.

Ragnor turned around and froze in shock as he took in Magnus’s face. Magnus’s hand was still resting in Alec’s but he had brought his other hand up to cover his mouth, as wet tears filled his eyes. He was still staring in dazed disbelief and as his eyes met Ragnor’s, he choked on a soft subtle whimper.

Ragnor moved forward instantly. His arms fell around Magnus and Magnus curled into him and clung to his shirt, like he hadn’t done since he was a child. “You bought us a house.” Magnus said after a long moment of hiding in Ragnor’s neck.

Ragnor chuckles softly and corrected again, “A loft.” After holding Magnus for a long moment, he pulled back the smallest bit and brought up the sleeve of his shirt to wipe away Magnus’s tears. He had expected Alec to cry, if either of them would but now that Magnus was, it seemed obvious that it would be him. Magnus felt things too hard, even if he was the one that pretended he didn’t.

“Where are we?” Alec asked quietly, gently slipping his hand from Magnus’s to walk forward and peer out the windows to the city beyond them.

“New York.” Ragnor stepped back to look at Alec, leaving one of his arms around Magnus’s shoulders. He expected Magnus to move away, when he had calmed himself enough to stop crying but he didn’t. He grabbed Ragnor’s hand and held it on his shoulder as he pressed into Ragnor’s side. It reminded him a bit of when they’d been children and they’d crawl into Ragnor’s bed and press their backs into him until he wrapped an arm around them. “It’s quite different from where we live..” Ragnor said, thinking of the miles and miles of forest and isolation that surrounded his house. “But, I figured you’d enjoy the change of scenery and there’s.. another reason that I chose New York.”

His eyes flickered to Magnus, “New York’s High Warlock has recently decided that his presence is not needed here.. With everything going on in the Downworld and with The Clave, someone needs to be here.” Magnus’s eyes widened. He stared, as if he knew where Ragnor was going with this but he didn’t want to say so, incase he was wrong. Ragnor’s mouth curled into a smile. “The Council has decided to let you have the position, if you’d like it.”

Silence fell over all three of them after he said it. Magnus stared at him, like he thought that Ragnor was joking, like he thought that he was going to take it back any second but when he didn’t, Magnus grinned and a joyful astonished laugh bubbled out of his lips.

“Of course, there's a trial period.” Ragnor said but Magnus wasn’t listening to him anymore. “You’re very young and you’re going to have to prove yourself, if you’d like to keep it.” Magnus nodded but if Ragnor asked him to repeat back what he said, he was positive that Magnus wouldn’t have known. He let go of Ragnor and darted forward the few steps to where Alec was, staring at them, shocked.

Magnus flung his arms around Alec and pulled the man against him as he crushed their lips together.

Startled, Alec’s clawed hands fell around Magnus’s shoulders as he was swept off his feet. They both laughed happily into each others mouths and for a moment, Ragnor let himself smile too, even as he rolled his eyes. They had time to go over everything later but for right now, they deserved a moment to breath and be happy. It was their birthday, after all.

The fireplace was blazing before them. The couch and the loveseat that had been conjured into the space didn’t match at all and they were placed haphazardly, crooked compared to the wall behind them but no one mattered.

Tomorrow, he was sure that Alec and Magnus would spend hours decorating the loft and filling it with a million things that would make Ragnor scoff but for now, the sparse seating, the fireplace, the take out and the bottle of whisky on the table was all they needed. Catarina was sitting on the floor by Ragnor’s feet as Tessa and Magnus attempted to put up half assed wards around the loft. Alec was sitting next to Ragnor, smiling over at Magnus as he watched him try to put the wards up without laughing.

Of course, Magnus knew how to put up wards but by now, all five of them were drinking and even if the one glass that Magnus’s had hadn’t gotten him anywhere near drunk, everyone was a bit too happy to focus on doing it the correct way. Tomorrow, Ragnor was sure that Magnus and Alec would put them up the right away (at least, he hoped so) but tonight, they were all safe with the partially failing mess that Magnus was only half focusing on.

Hours later, Tessa and Catarina fell through the portal to their home, yelling about how they were coming back for dinner soon. They left Ragnor standing in the vacant room which would be a lovely dining room, when they finally decorated it. Ragnor turned around and watched Alec laughing under Magnus’s arm, as they both made their way over to him.

Neither of them were looking up. Magnus was peering down at Alec, his face lit up happily. Alec was clutching Magnus’s hand, looking up at him like he was the world.

Again, Ragnor found himself thinking that this might be the last moment that he got to seem them like this. This might be the last moment that Ragnor got to see them in a while, in general. He was sure that they would still call him and he wasn’t expecting how close they were to suddenly drop because they had their own apartment but they were immortal.

It wasn’t uncommon for immortals to go months without seeing each other, even years. Before Alec and Magnus, Ragnor would go a year without speaking to Tessa and Catarina. Now, they came around more often for Alec and Magnus but they were grown up. They were adults and the fleeting nature of their childhood had already gone by. There was no reason for them to meet every week anymore.

It might be months before Alec and Magnus even called him again.

Ragnor jolted out of his thoughts and looked up at them. The smile on Alec’s face faded slightly as he took in Ragnor’s lost expression. “You okay?” He asked softly, taking a step away from Magnus to gently place his hand on Ragnor’s arm.

Ragnor didn’t lie to his children often but when he did, it was for their sake. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He needed to talk to them about Asmodeus. He needed to talk to them about him now before they were on their own. He needed them to understand the situation before something came of it. He needed them to understand the danger that that demon posed to them before Ragnor was gone and unable to protect them, before Ragnor was miles and miles away and they were here, starting their own life.

He looked up at them and for a moment, tears almost welled in Ragnor’s eyes. They looked so happy. They looked so ridiculously happy, like there was nothing in the world that could tear them down. They were in love. They had a home all to themselves. Magnus was holding a title that he had already dreamt of and but never thought that he would have, not this soon anyway.

He couldn’t tell them. Not today. Not now. Not with Magnus looking at Alec like their whole world had just come together in front of them. Besides, Asmodeus hadn’t acted as if he was in a rush to get them to join him. Demons, especially those living in Edom, held different concepts of time than even immortals did. Asmodeus could go centuries without even thinking of them again.

There was no reason that Ragnor needed to talk to them about it today. No reason at all. “I’m fine, Alec.” Ragnor met his eyes and smiled softly, “I’m just thinking..”

A couple of feet away from them, Magnus laughed, “Thinking about how you can finally have your house again?”

Ragnor thought about standing in the kitchen alone that morning. He thought about the silence of his home before Alec and Magnus woke up. He thought about the stillness of a home no longer used and he thought about Alec and Magnus’s bedroom years from now, dark and empty, covered in a thin layer of dust and something in his heart clenched. “Yeah..” Ragnor chuckled, forcefully. “I can finally relax in the morning without you two bickering about going somewhere or breakfast. I can save money on tea. I can stop coming home to the house being a disaster.” Ragnor rolled his eyes as he spoke, as if he was actually relieved.

Alec chuckles softly and his hand fell from Ragnor’s arm, comforted by Ragnor’s response. “You might still have to come help us every once in awhile.”

Beside him, Magnus scoffed, “No, he won't. If anything, we’ll have to go help him. He’s getting older, Alec.” He said softly, as if Ragnor couldn't hear him. “He’s losing his touch.”

Moments later, Ragnor kissed each of their heads and then turned towards the door to walk downstairs. Outside, he stood before their building and closed his eyes as he put proper wards up. He was sure that they felt it but if anything, they would think that Ragnor was just being overprotective. They certainly wouldn’t think that Ragnor was guarding them from a greater demon, just incase.

He stepped through a portal moments later, thinking about how long it might be before he saw his children again. As he walked through, he caught a glimpse of Alec and Magnus standing in the window, peering down at him as Magnus kissed Alec’s neck and tried to pull him away, presumably towards the bedroom.

For a second, Ragnor was thankful that they had their own home but when he stepped through the portal and landed in the center of his dark, empty house, the feeling disappeared, instantly.

Ragnor woke up the next morning to absolute silence. Nothing creaked, nothing moved, not even the air around him stirred as his eyes opened to peer into the darkness surrounding him.

For a couple of moment, Ragnor forgot all of what had happened the day before. He thought that Alec and Magnus must still be asleep before the realization dawned on him that they weren’t here at all. That Ragnor didn't have to get up to make breakfast for them. That Ragnor had no reason to get up at all, not this early, not for hours.

He could lay here all day and absolutely nothing in the world would interrupt him. The universe would go on undisturbed and no one would noticed that Ragnor had failed to be a person today but he forced himself to get up, regardless because he didn’t know what else to do.

He walks down to the kitchen and he made himself tea, only taking a single cup down even though he boiled enough for three without thinking. He sat at the table and stared at his book that he had been pretending to read day before, when Alec and Magnus came downstairs. He could read it. He had wanted too but now that he had the time, he couldn’t get himself to open it. He wouldn’t have been able to focus on the words, if he had.

He could make himself breakfast but he had never liked eating this early. Alec and Magnus had though, so they did every morning without fail. Now, Ragnor had no reason to make food this early, not if there was no one to eat it.

He sat there for almost an hour, sipping his tea and waiting for something that he knew wasn’t going to happen.

He could start working on the ley line maps that Tessa has wanted him to make for the labyrinth years ago. He could work on that book that he had started to translate and had never finished, if he could even still find it. He could go through the letters on his desk that hadn’t even been opened yet. He had so many things that he could get done today. He had so many things that he should get done today.

Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to stand and do any of it. He hadn’t had a day this open in years. Sure, Alec and Magnus had left for the night before. They’d left for a week before but even then, Ragnor knew that they were coming home. He knew that he needed to get his work done because tomorrow, they would be back and he wouldn’t be able to focus but now.. There was no reason for him to rush.

They weren’t coming back. They weren’t going to disrupt him. They weren’t going to interrupt him and stop him from doing his work. They might not even call him for months.

After Ragnor had spent two full hours doing nothing, he finally stood, walked into his office and forced himself to look at the paperwork sitting on his desk. It was only ten minutes later when his phone started ringing.

The second Ragnor picked up the phone, his ear was assaulted with noise. It took a few moment for Ragnor to even be able to process what he was hearing but when he did, his heart leap in his chest. He could recognize their voices anywhere and he could certainly recognize the sound of Alec’s laughter as he struggled to speak through whatever Magnus was doing.

“Magnus, stop it!” Alec yelled away from the phone and then said, “Papa! Did you know that we have a toaster now?”

Ragnor audibly struggled to respond for a moment before he finally spit out. “I do now?”

“Yeah! We went out and bought a toaster today!” In the background, Ragnor could hear Magnus saying that they didn’t exactly buy it but Alec kept speaking over him anyway. “So, the only thing that we can really make is toast but if you wanted to bring tea, we could make toast and tea. Which, is almost breakfast…” Alec fell silent for a few long moments before asking when Ragnor didn’t respond. “Papa? Ragnor?”

“Yeah, I’m here.” Ragnor offered weakly. For a few moments, he couldn’t understand what Alec was saying to him. He couldn’t understand what he was offering. He had thought that he wouldn’t hear from them for months or at the very least, weeks. He certainly hadn’t expected them to call him the next morning, with offers of toast and Ragnor’s tea. It was almost incomprehensible.

For months, he’d been trying to prepare himself to go weeks without seeing them. To go months without hearing from them because that was the reality of immortals when they got older but here they were, calling him not even twenty four hours since he’d seen them last.

“So, you’ll bring tea?” Alec asked, not understanding Ragnor’s silence.

Hesitantly, Ragnor spoke, “Yeah, I’ll bring tea.”

“Okay! See you soon!” The phone line hung up but not before Ragnor could hear Alec starting to yell at Magnus, ‘That’s burnt-’

Ragnor stared down at the phone for a long moment before slowly placing it back down again. Suddenly, the paperwork that he had been struggling to do before wasn’t important. The client that he had agreed to meet today didn’t matter. Everything that he had decided to work on, out of a pure feeble need to get something done, disappeared because Alec and Magnus were making burnt toast and Ragnor needed to bring the tea.

When Ragnor walked through the portal five minutes later and landed in Alec and Magnus’s apartment, he was met with the sight of them standing over the toaster arguing about why the toast burning. Almost instantly, every fear that Ragnor had disappeared. Every fear of the future, war and Asmodeus vanished from his mind. Any doubt that he was making the wrong decision, left him instantly.

The image of them in their apartment, bickering as the toaster billowed smoke comforted Ragnor far more than anything that they could say would have. In that moment, Ragnor had no doubt in his mind that everything would be okay.

Magnus was going to thrive as the High Warlock and if he ever stumbled, Alec was by his side to catch him. They had their own home together and even if Ragnor went back to his alone, Alec and Magnus would never stop being his children.

It was ridiculous that Ragnor had ever thought otherwise.