Magnus’ words break the silence surrounding them and Alec glances up at him with a quizzical look on his face.

They are sitting on opposite sides of the coffee table in Magnus’ living room. Alec hasn’t seen him since Magnus walked away from him at the Institute three days ago.

It’s been a busy couple days, trying to catch both Valentine and Jonathan before they destroy the world, but despite that, Alec had immediately made his way to the loft, when Magnus texted him to come see him.

“You can’t,” Magnus says, almost daring Alec to try.

So he does.

He tries to think of someone he knows to be a great leader, someone who’s happy. But all he finds is heartbreak and sadness. He thinks of Luke, a well-respected pack leader, who’s lost not only his old life but also his long time partner. He thinks of his parents, of their messed up marriage, of all the lies their entire family has been built on. He thinks of Lydia, who was so close to having both, when the love of her life was killed.

He looks at Magnus and thinks of how much grief and betrayal he’s gone through in his long life, and he has to swallow the lump in his throat before answering.

“I can’t.”

“I know. They never let you be successful AND happy.” Magnus stares off into the distance for a moment before looking back at Alec. His eyes are sad, but there’s something else in them as well.

Before Alec can figure out what it is, however, Magnus is out of his seat, legs carrying him slowly around the table and towards Alec.

“I’ll tell you a secret,” Magnus says, kneeling in front of him.

Alec almost stops breathing. The fact that Magnus is so close to him after so long makes him overwhelmed and dizzy, and it’s very clear in his voice when he speaks, words shaky and whisper quiet. “Tell me.”

“I’m going to be the first.” Magnus takes Alec’s hand in his, looking into his eyes with a determination Alec has never seen on his face before. “Swear it.”

“Why me?”

“Because you’re the reason. Because you are going to be the first one along with me.”

Magnus squeezes Alec’s hand, and suddenly the emotion in Magnus’ eyes that Alec couldn’t pinpoint before becomes clear. Hope. Magnus has hope, he has faith in them, in their future together, and he’s asking for Alec to do the same.

“Swear it,” he repeats.

Alec doesn’t hesitate; he looks Magnus directly in the eyes, feeling the same determination he saw before. “I swear it.”

“I swear it,” Magnus echoes, a small smile tugging at his lips.

He reaches up to rest his hand against Alec’s neck, thumb slowly caressing his cheek, and Alec can help but smile too.

They’re okay. They’re going to be okay.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.

Magnus looks up from the old book he’s been reading for the past few hours and at the clock on the wall as it strikes twelve. Alec was supposed to be home by now, but Magnus hadn’t heard from him for hours - on Alec’s ‘paperwork nights’, it was rare for even half an hour to pass without him getting a text from Alec.

With a sigh, Magnus puts down the book and reaches for his phone instead. He doesn’t really know what he’s expecting. Maybe a text telling him that Alec is on his way, or maybe a heads up that he’ll be late. But the only thing on Magnus’ screen is the two texts he and Alec exchanged a few hours earlier. I only have a handful of reports left to go through - I should be done in an hour. I can’t wait to get home to you. I love you. Okay, I’ll wait up. I love you too ❤️ It’s not like Alec to be late without letting Magnus know. In fact, it has only happened once or twice in the time they’ve been together, and it’s always meant that either Alec or one of his siblings had gotten themselves into a life threatening situation.

After a few unanswered texts and a call that went straight to voicemail, Magnus gets up from his chair. He’s not going to let himself worry too much before actually checking if everything is alright, but he can’t stop the knot that’s building in his stomach.

He pauses for a moment, checking his wards to make sure he hasn’t somehow missed Alec’s presence before waving his hand to create a portal.

“Magnus?”

Alec tries to keep his voice down as he calls out for his boyfriend. His gaze flickers from the kid’s show playing on the TV in front of him to where Madzie is soundly sleeping curled up in his lap.

It isn’t the first time they’re looking after her, but Catarina has an overnight shift at the hospital last night and they agreed to have Madzie stay over.

They got up a few hours ago after a fairly long night’s sleep, but watching Winnie the Pooh and having someone lightly play with your hair is apparently enough to make a five-year-old fall back to sleep.

“Yes, my dear?”

Alec looks up at where Magnus is leaning against the doorway to the living room, looking way to good in his silk pyjamas and ruffled bed hair. “Help?”

Magnus chuckles, clearly amused by the confused look on Alec’s face, as he makes his way across the room to the couch and settles on the armrest. “What do you need help with, Alexander?”

He runs a hand through Alec’s hair, scratching lightly at his scalp, and Alec can’t help but lean into the touch. He almost forgets why he even called for Magnus, when he notices the fuzzy feeling in his thigh.

“My leg is numb.” He pouts as he says it, but instead of the sympathetic response he had hoped for, Magnus laughs. It’s light, it’s warm, and it makes Alec heart beat just a little bit faster.

“What do you want me to do about it? Magic it away?”

The teasing tone in Magnus’ voice makes Alec pout, even more, earning him a quick peck on the lips. He shakes his head, a small smile spreading on his lips.

“No, but I really need to use the bathroom and I don’t wanna wake her up,” he explains, looking back and forth between the two of them, “but I’m pretty sure my leg would give out if I stood up right now, so please?”

Magnus agrees, placing another soft at the corner of Alec’s mouth before helping him get up without disturbing the sleeping girl too much.

Alec ducks under the branch that Magnus is holding aside to clear the way as they walk through the forest.

They spent all day wandering, exploring their surroundings and enjoying the total freedom that comes with being far far away from any civilisation.

“I take you on vacation to some remote cabin in the woods and you still ask me what our plans are?” Magnus cocks an eyebrow at him, an amused smile playing on his lips. “Try and relax a little, Alexander.”

“I’m sorry,” Alec lets out a chuckle, sounding genuinely apologetic as if he knows Magnus is right.

They’re almost back at the cabin, walking on one of the main paths of the forest with a clear view of the sky above them. It’s been a hot day, almost unbearably so, with the sun shining down from a cloudless sky. Now, everything is grey, the air humid and charged, filled with promise of the rain that’ll come down sooner rather than later.