A New Tale from the Shadowhunter Academy

1. Going

"But I want to go!" Max cried in a mixture of screaming and sobbing.

Alec closed his eyes and sighed deeply to calm himself: "This isn't the place for you."

"I already packed my bag."

"That doesn't matter."

"But Rafe was allowed to go, too. Why not me?"

"Your case is different."

"I'm also the son of the Consul and you said to Rafe yourself that the son of the Consul should go, to show everyone that there's no special treatment for the Consul's family."

"But you're not like Rafe."

"Because my skin is blue?"

"What? No! ... Well, it kind of has to do with it..."

"I knew it! This is discriminating!"

They were near shouting now.

"How do you even know such a word? Did you watch mundane TV again?"

"That's not the point here!"

"Indeed. The point is that you'll not go. End of discussion."

"Fine." Max threw his backpack onto the floor. "But don't expect me to ever talk to you again, Dad. I hate you."

With that he stomped into his room and slammed the door shut with a flick of his hand. The crash was so loud that Ofelinia fell off her sleeping spot on the windowsill with a disapproving meow.

Behind him Alec heard Magnus, who lay on the couch, close his book audibly but Alec did not turn. He knew his husband well enough to know he did not approve. But what could he do?

Alec sighed again and joined Magnus on the couch. Magnus put the book away so Alec could snuggle himself chest to chest into Magnus's embrace. This was the best way to calm him down. The world could shatter, overrun by all demons of hell, but Alec would always find rest in Magnus's arms. And rest he could need. Being Consul of the Shadowhunter-community was nothing compared to coping with two pubescent sons.

"He can't go," Alec whispered half to Magnus, half to himself. "He would be an outsider. A curiosity at best. Even though the Cohort has officially been resolved, their values still linger in many minds. I spare him pain." Magnus said nothing.

"I know that I always wished for our boys to be able to be anything they want. I taught them that there are no limits to their individual fulfilment. But... Rafe does have Shadowhunter blood. Max doesn't. He has to understand that." Magnus remained silent.

"Perhaps we shouldn't have trained him like a Shadowhunter. This will make it so much harder for him to accept that he'll never become a full Shadowhunter." Not a word from Magnus.

"I hate myself for not letting him go. I so much want him to be able to fulfill his dream. To be who he wants to be. I never wanted to be the kind of dad who puts stones in his childrens' way." Alec heard nothing but Magnus's steady breaths, felt them with every lifting of his chest.

"Is it right of me to hold Max back? Should he just make the experience? Should I give him the chance to prove himself, not only to himself or to us but to the whole world? He could be a pioneer, an example for many after him. Just like ourselves." Alec lifted his head smiling. As always Magnus smelled of sandalwood and the burned-sugar flavor of magic. Alec cupped his warlock's face with one hand to draw him nearer and place a kiss on Magnus's lips. A dampened moan escaped Magnus's throat, a sound that invited Alec to deepen the kiss, to let himself get drunk on it, while Magnus stroked over his arms, his chest, his waist with both hands longingly.

After a much too short symphony of joined movements and soft moans Alec was able to think again and asked with a husky voice: "Shall we go into our bedroom? Just in case Max decides to leave his room after all. You know how embarrassing it is for him to... interrupt us."

Magnus started to grin and replied: "I don't think that we have to worry about him interrupting us."

Alec squinched: "Do you think he's that mad at me?"

Magnus's grin broadened: "No, I think we succeeded in raising two very independent and headstrong individuals."

Alec did not get the point and asked in bewilderment: "Why?"

"Well...," Magnus protracted the word and raised his brows. "Max's backpack has magically disappeared from where he dropped it and I saw light flickering beneath his door during our... stimulating preoccupation. So I assume that our beloved Blueberry took the opportunity while we were distracted to portal away."

"What?!" Alec sat straight up hastily and took a deep breath as if to shout after his runaway son. After a few motionless seconds he simply deflated and sank back into Magnus's arms.

"You don't seem angry." Alec mumbled against Magnus's shoulder.

"How could I be angry at our son going his own way?" Magnus kissed Alec's hair, which sent tingles down Alec's spine.

"You would have sent him there in the first place, wouldn't you?"

"Ever since Rafe left last year Max yearned to follow his brother. We could never have stopped him. So why take the trouble to try?"

"Because it'll be hard for him. He's not like the other students. He's no Shadowhunter or Ascendee."

"He'll get along," Magnus reassured him. "After all, as a baby he was left on the stairs of this very Shadowhunter Academy. I believe he's kind of destined to be there."

Alec rested his forehead against Magnus's and murmured: "I trust you."

"And you can trust Max. Rafe is at the Academy, too, to support him. Now, about heading to the bedroom..."