[Shadowhunter] Imagines

I care - Alec Lightwood

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You are a nephilim and live in Idris and in New York. You are pretty busy.

Characters involved: You, Alec Lightwood

Triggers: stress

Request: //

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You were walking through the halls of the institute, channeling your way to the big monitors, checking demon activities. Like always.

You just came back from Idris. On weekdays, you work there, training the little nephilim and keeping track of the teenager nephilim and even some adults. In the evenings you spend a lot of your free time helping the healers in the infirmaries.

Weekends should usually be there to relax from the exhausting and tiring work, but not for you. On weekends, it seemed like you were the head of the institute. Aldertree didn't do his job too well, so keeping everyone save was your job.

You loved being useful, being kind and caring. But in return, nobody really gave that effort back. Except Alec.

Alec Lightwood is your best friend. You immediately liked each other when you arrived here from London.

It seemed like he always got your point, that he understood your passion for being a nephilim. That working is important and making yourself a name is necessary in order to not drown in the sea of unimportance.

But lately you didn't have time anymore. Your stamina and nourishment runes got used daily. Several times. You were totally stressed over with everything that you put onto you.

On some days it seemed like the whole weight of the universe was laying on your shoulders, but you made it look like wings.

Well, people thought it was looked like wings. That you were the literal unbeatable angel. Only Alec saw the truth. He saw all the chains that were pulling you down.

Speaking of the devil. "Y/N, wait!" You turned around and saw Alec running towards you. He hugged you tight as a greeting. "How are you doing? Since when are you here? Wanna go the Hunter's moon? We haven't done that in a while. We can invite your vampire friend and Magnus too."

You were overwhelmed with questions and needed to think for a while. "Nice offer, Al, but I fear that I don't have time right now. I need to check on the current missions."

Alec shook his head in disbelief. "You never have time, Y/N. It has been so long since you had a day off. You're only working. Step down a bit."

You rolled your eyes. "Obviously I'm working. That's my job. Maybe you should do that too."

That statement came out a little more salty than intended. And it definitely had an effect. Alec turned around, shook his head hand once again, this time very disappointed, and went away.

You immediately felt guilty about what you said, but it had no use to think more about it. Your head was already filled to the top, no space for even more worries and trouble.

After activating your stamina rune two more times you decided to head off to bed. As you arrived in your simple and a little messy room, you got dressed into your pjs and sat down in front of your mirror.

Dark half circles decorated your face, your hair a bit messy and the impression in your eyes was full of sadness, guilt and a big nothing.

You know you were stressed. Too much. It wasn't bearable anymore, but nobody seemed to really understand. You needed to do your job after all.

Suddenly someone knocked onto the door. As you turned around you saw Alec standing in the door frame. "Y/N, you look like shit."

You rolled your hurting and dry eyes. "Well, thanks, Alec. If you feel better now."

He came in completely and closed the door  behind him. "I don't feel better. I feel worse. We have to talk."

Before you could answer he sat down right next to you, looking at you over the mirror. His blue eyes shimmered in the bright light of the chandelier that was in your room.

"It can't go on like that. Look at you. Look what all that work did to you. When was the last time when you slept enough? When was the last time when you just chilled with your friends? When..."

You interrupted him. "Alec, stop it. I..."

Now he interrupted you. "No, I won't stop. Listen to me. I care. I care about you, your health, how you feel. I just care. You are important to me. I don't want to imagine where I would be without you. You helped me while I was falling apart. And now I want to help you. I can see it. I can see the exhaustion behind your eyes. I see your weakened frame every time you think no one's watching. I can see you constantly rubbing your temples but willing yourself to continue. And I admire you for it Y/N. Your stubborness is admirable. But don't push yourself too far. Trust me, I made the same mistakes. Don't do what I did. Enjoy your life. Enjoy the little things that make these days memorable. Please Y/N. Don't make the same mistakes I did."

That was the moment your walls started to crumble. Tears filled your eyes.

"Y/N, just let me be with you, let us be with you. Enjoy the little things in life. You had so many hobbies. Don't give them up for your work. Of course, work is important. But it's not everything."

He wrapped his arms around you and squeezed you tight, letting the tears spill over his shoulders.

As you separated he told you to go to bed, but your body was at this point, where it wasn't even strong enough to stand up.

Alec stood up and lifted you from the floor, laying you down into your bed, placing himself next to you.

He let his hand wander over your arm, gently touching your stamina rune. It was red and a little bloody because you activated it seven times today.

"I sent a message to Idris. You'll stay here for the next two weeks. Off duty. Just like me." He said while putting the fluffy blanket over you two.

You wanted to tense up but fighting the fatigue already cost too much of your energy, so you just nodded.

"We're going to chill, no stress, nothing. We'll go out with friends, eat good food, go drinking and much more. Everything you want. But NO working." He told you with a strict impression on his face.

Again you simply nodded.

"You're my best friend, Y/N. I care. I'll always care."

Collaboration with Ella_Herondale