Magnus was asleep. The worst sleep he had in weeks. He felt in his gut that something was wrong. He tossed and turned, until he finally got up out of bed and picked up his phone, dialing Alec's number.
A shaking breath answered his call.
"M-Magnus..."
Magnus' heart skipped a beat.
"Alec? Alec, darling what's wrong?"
Only hitched breaths answered him.
"Alec, I'm going to be right over. Just breathe ok? I'll be right there."
Magnus hung up the phone, pulling on a shirt and some pajama pants. He drew up
a portal, not wishing to waste time with a taxi. He landed at the steps of the Institute. He banged on the gates, but nobody came. He ran as fast as he could around to the room for downworlders and burst through the doors, running all the way to Alec's room, not caring who he woke. He opened the door, and saw Alec curled up on his bed, head on his knees, shoulders shaking. Magnus shut the door and sat on the bed with Alec. The moment Magnus sat down, Alec leaned into him. Magnus recognized these symptoms; Alec was having a panic attack. Magnus pulled Alec close, so the shadowhunter's head was resting on his chest. Alec's face was wet with tears and sweat, his eyes bloodshot and puffy. Magnus soothed Alec with gentle words, rubbing his back with calming circles. The warlock was worried for Alec, the last time this had happened, Alec had resorted to harming himself. Very gingerly, Magnus pulled up Alec's sweater sleeve, revealing angry red cuts. He looked looked Alec in the eyes, but Magnus seeing his arms only made the young shadowhunter even more upset.
Magnus uttered a spell, and clean white bandages wrapped themselves around Alec's forearms. Magnus pushed down Alec's sleeves, and went back to soothing the boy. He lay down and pulled Alec towards him, untill black locks rested on his chest. He ran circles over Alec's back, and gently whispered kind words in his ear. Alec's breathing slowed to a steady rhythm as he listened to the beating of Magnus' heart. His bloodshot eyes stung as he tried to resist closing them. Magnus' other hand drifted from beside him to wrap around Alec and hold him close, his fingers playing with the tips of Alec's dark hair. Magnus watched Alec's eyes close, and his body relax, and finally, he snuggled into Magnus and gave up to sleep. Just as Alec fell asleep, Mayrse came in, opening the door carefully and quietly. Magnus untangled his arm from Alec's hair, pressing a finger to his lips and mouthing "panic attack". Mayrse nodded and closed the door again. Magnus wrapped his arm back around Alec, still running circles around his back. They stayed that way for a while, and eventually Magnus fell asleep, never letting Alec go.
