Alec Lightwood (
angelic_archer) wrote in
marlowemuses2019-01-10 07:11 pm
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The lonely become either thoughtful or empty
There had bee no other options. Someone had to guard the relics the Angel had given them. The Cup and Sword were too powerful to be left in mortal hands even those that had been blessed by the Angel. That power was too tempting no matter how noble Nephilim might be. There would always be someone, some group of someones, who would be seduced by the possibilities that those gifts represented.
Even centuries after the decision had been made, Alec wasn't sure why he had been chosen for this particular duty. His parabatai had been a better warrior. His sister was far more clever. But the Angel had chosen him. Perhaps because he was better able to accept the isolation of his divine task. His siblings would have been driven mad by loneliness after the first few decades.
There were times when Alec wondered if he would eventually succumb to insanity, but he had the books that he eventually became guardian of and the cats that somehow crept between worlds to keep him company. They weren't exactly cats, of course. They were built more like predators than pets, eyes glowing with flames instead of the usual nocturnal glow. No matter how frightening they looked, they were Alec's friends and they helped Alec protect the items the Angel had left in his care.
It was the cats that warned him that something was wrong at the gates. The largest of them howled a warning, hissing as she faced the gate. The rest of the pride ran to her as Alec sprinted for the gates. Something - Someone - was attacking. He felt the temple shiver its warning through him and he knew that no matter how impossible it seemed, someone had crossed the threshold between worlds.
Even centuries after the decision had been made, Alec wasn't sure why he had been chosen for this particular duty. His parabatai had been a better warrior. His sister was far more clever. But the Angel had chosen him. Perhaps because he was better able to accept the isolation of his divine task. His siblings would have been driven mad by loneliness after the first few decades.
There were times when Alec wondered if he would eventually succumb to insanity, but he had the books that he eventually became guardian of and the cats that somehow crept between worlds to keep him company. They weren't exactly cats, of course. They were built more like predators than pets, eyes glowing with flames instead of the usual nocturnal glow. No matter how frightening they looked, they were Alec's friends and they helped Alec protect the items the Angel had left in his care.
It was the cats that warned him that something was wrong at the gates. The largest of them howled a warning, hissing as she faced the gate. The rest of the pride ran to her as Alec sprinted for the gates. Something - Someone - was attacking. He felt the temple shiver its warning through him and he knew that no matter how impossible it seemed, someone had crossed the threshold between worlds.
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Sitting back in his chair, he considered the idea of kings in relation to the temple's priestess. Alec knew that Gansey couldn't be a true king in the sense of lineage so he assumed that there was something special about Adam's friend that would earn that title. Ronan might be a warlock, but that seemed to be one of those topics that Adam would avoid. "You haven't read the tales of kings and magicians if you think you're 'just helping'. It was the magicians that caused the stories to move forward."
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There was a tray of pastries, all different, artful Parisian delicacies like nothing Adam had ever seen before. He selected one of them with care, setting it on his plate and turning it a quarter turn so that he could admire the exquisite, towering, tiny confection.
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Even knowing that there was a whole plate of pastry beside them, Alec couldn't stop himself from staring at the one that Adam had selected. The care that had to have went into creating such a thing amazed him. Realizing that he was being rude again, he turned his attention to the tray. "They're beautiful." As he spoke, he selected one of the pastries and gently set it on his plate. "Almost too beautiful to eat. Even if I had the tools, I couldn't make something like this."
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"I don't know how to cook," he admitted. He hadn't had time or opportunity, and didn't expect that to change in the near future. He survived on apples, cheese, peanut butter, bread, and granola bars. That was a balanced diet, as best as he could get it. The spread in front of him was a wonder beyond imagination.
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"I could teach you." He wasn't sure if Adam would want to but it was a skill that he could teach...or one that didn't involve weapons. After their first meeting, Adam probably didn't want to see Alec armed. "If you want me to."
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"I don't have time," Adam said, looking away. He picked at his dessert, carefully extracting a tiny bite at a time in order to make it last.
As much as he wanted to have the time to take cooking lessons with a gorgeous guy who wanted to court him, that wasn't Adam's life, and he didn't think it ever could be.
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"Why don't you?" He kept his tone cautious since he didn't want Adam thinking he was demanding a role in his life. Adam had made it obvious that the temple and its guardian were not the highest priority. Alec couldn't blame him for that choice. He would have made the same choice if his siblings were involved. "Are there things I can help you with?" Alec wasn't sure if Adam would agree or if he could even help the priestess, but he might be able to. Even if it was a minor task, he would feel useful and it would be something new to hold his attention.
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“I work three jobs,” Adam said, eyes on his food. “Plus school.” He briefly considered mentioning that he was missing his shift at work to be here, but didn’t.
Picking at his food for a moment, Adam turned over the offer, his pride, and Alec’s feelings. “I don’t need anyone’s help,” he said, thickly, hoping that Alec wouldn’t take it as a personal rejection.
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"You're the priestess of the temple. I am its guard and I'm supposed to be your assistant. Those are my jobs" He struggled, trying to think of the right context for explaining his own role without offending Adam. "That means I should help you with things that are related to the temple and ley line or that gives you time to work with them." That might not sway Adam, but maybe one of the arguments that would have worn down his siblings might. "Until you arrived, I hadn't done anything new in centuries. Even something small that's different would be welcome."
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"No," Adam said, very simply. He put down his fork. "I have to go. I have homework."
Not looking at Alec, Adam got up and headed for the door.
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It was probably better if they kept those boundaries. Adam was mortal and had a life that Alec couldn't experience.
Standing, he stood by his chair. Emily headbutted his shin and Persephone sauntered toward the door. "Good luck with school."
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Heading for the gate without a word, Adam stepped through and was surprised to find it was still light. When he checked his phone, it was only minutes after he'd gone in. He could still make it to work.
His head reeled with the shock of it, because he felt as though it was late evening, but his watch said afternoon. The temple had given him the gift of time, which was the most valuable gift he could have accepted.
~
Hopeful that the temple would grant him time again, Adam went back the next day, bringing Gansey this time. He'd explained everything that he felt was his to explain, about the gate, the temple with a guardian, and his new role as 'priestess'. It felt right to bring Gansey. Adam didn't want to keep this secret from him, if it could end up helping Gansey's quest, and he thought that Gansey might actually be helpful to him in connecting with Alec.
Hand in hand, he led Gansey through the gate, grateful that he came through unharmed. Wanting to make sure that Alec didn't feel this was an invasion, Adam waited near Gansey at the gate, neither of them taking more than a step into the temple.
"This is Gansey," Adam said when Alec appeared. He watched Alec carefully, wanting to be sure to prevent any hint of violence toward Gansey. "You can ask him anything you want. Including anything you'd like to know about me."
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When he felt someone cross the border between worlds, Alec quickly headed for the gate, scowling when he realized he sensed two people instead of one. Conjuring a seraph blade, he stayed near the steps, glaring at the beings that had entered his territory.
"Hello, Gansey." He turned his attention toward Adam, glowering at the priestess. "I'd say it was a pleasure to meet you, but I'm supposed to kill anyone who steps through the gates." Gesturing toward the gates, he hoped they'd leave before the cats realized Adam had brought his friend. "Get him out of here before something happens that we'll all regret."
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"He's not going through you," Gansey said mildly, but with a note of authority. It was to Adam, not to Alec. Gansey would not let anyone die for him. Not again.
"He's my guest," Adam said to Alec, still holding his glower.
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A part of him was shocked at how angry he was. He'd been mortal the last time he had felt so much at once. In just a few words, Adam was forcing him to break his vow to protect the temple from intruders. And, he was forcing Alec to accept a stranger into his home.
He could ignore Adam's order, if he was strong enough to fight the spells of the temple that were aligning to the priestess' will. But Alec had never wanted to kill. Especially when Gansey wasn't the one who had harmed him.
"Your guest in my home." Not that it mattered. Adam would do what he wanted, not caring if it harmed Alec. Just like when he'd ordered Alec to open the gates. Vanishing the blade, he turned away from them both, stalking toward the gardens. He'd stay in orchard until they left. When Emily appeared at the top of the steps, he trilled softly, telling her and the rest of the pride to stay away until their 'guests' left.
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"Will you wait outside?" Adam asked, softly. "I shouldn't be more than a minute. If it's more than fifteen, go."
Hopefully the temple would be kind, and whatever time passed inside would be no more than a minute when he left to find Gansey again.
Gansey's eyes lingered on the temple, bursting with all his own questions, but he went because Adam asked it of him.
Sighing with frustration, Adam went to find Alec. He was so tired. He just wanted to sit down and rest his eyes for a minute, but he had to deal with this instead.
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When the archery range came into sight, his bow appeared in his hand. His quiver materialized on his back as he reached for the first arrow. Knowing that Adam was behind him, he aimed carefully, making sure that the arrow hit the target perfectly. Alec aimed again, making sure that the next arrow was a measured distance from the first. The third hit the same distance from the second, making a straight line that would continue to the edge if he continued. That should prove that he was more than one of the temple's relics.
Satisfied that he at least had a measure of focus and calm, he turned toward Adam. "I followed your orders, priestess. There is no need for you to follow me here."
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Adam didn't have the energy to deal with this. He was so tired, and he desperately needed this time--if the temple would give it to him again--to write an essay for class, because otherwise he'd have to lose another half night's sleep to write it, and Adam wasn't sure he could lose any more sleep without starting to hallucinate during the day.
"He's gone," Adam snapped. Alec's pride might need some reassurance, but Adam didn't have any to give.
Turning away, Adam headed into the temple, planning to spread his things in the library so he could get his homework done.
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The temple was no longer his. It was no longer safe or his home. Adam would bring whoever he wanted into this reality, not caring that it forced Alec to break his vow to the Angel.
Alec hoped that he wouldn't be punished again for breaking his vows. Shaking off that thought, he told himself that he'd endured it before. He could live through it again. If it did happen, Emily might help him since he hadn't fought with Adam. The cats knew he'd attempted his duties so they wouldn't desert him.
Sighing, he continued practicing until he ran out of arrows, then changed to throwing knives. Eventually he sat down beside the target with his guard cat in his lap, still unsure of what to do with the emotions he felt, but soothed by Emily's purring.
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When he felt someone cross the border between worlds, Alec quickly headed for the gate, scowling when he realized he sensed two people instead of one. One was Adam. The other was someone he didn't recognize. Jogging toward the gate, he conjured a seraph blade, thinking that someone had forced Adam to bring him to the temple. He focused on the temple and the items that he needed to protect. With a thought he set more protections around them and warned the cats to defend that area.
He slowed when he realized that the being with Adam wasn't armed and he was the same age as the priestess. Scowling at them both he dismissed the weapon, cursing their idiocy in a few forgotten languages before he stopped in front of them. Crossing his arms over his chest, he gave the pair the type of look he had used regularly on Jace when his parabatai had done something extremely reckless and dangerous. "Are you two out of your mind? Did you forget that I'm supposed to kill anyone who finds the temple who isn't the priestess?"
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Adam winced slightly under the glare, but he was at least glad Alec wasn’t aiming an arrow at Gansey’s heart the way he had upon first meeting Adam. “He didn’t find it. I brought him. Like the caterpillar.” Taking a careful step forward, Adam looked up at Alec. “For you. To give you the answers I can’t. He won’t take a step past the threshold, ever, without your permission.”
Alec’s glare made him nervous that he’d messed up, but Adam still felt certain that this was right. “He can’t pass over without me. This is my role. I’m the bridge. I brought him for you to talk with.”
Hand shaking, Adam rested his fingers lightly on Alec’s arm, the silent plea that his pride couldn’t quite put into words.
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He was about to argue that Gansey shouldn't dragged into the middle of their duties and arguments when Adam put his hand on his arm. Most of his anger drained out of him when he noticed that Adam's hand had been shaking. How could he stay angry when Adam was afraid that he'd hurt him? "Next time, ask first? I know you're trying to help me, but this is still my home."
Placing his hand over Adam's he turned toward Gansey. "Hello. Did Adam tell you about the temple and about me?" If he didn't, they may have to spend the visit explaining those topics instead of Gansey trying to help him.
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Gansey stared, mouth open, at where Adam was touching the guardian, and how the guardian put his hand over Adam's without Adam taking any kind of offense at being touched. His chin lifted in surprise at what Adam said, because Gansey hadn't known that Adam saw him like that.
"He told me that the ley line was allied with a temple that belonged to an angel," Gansey said, trying not to mentally count the seconds that Adam was in physical contact with another person of his own volition. "That he had been chosen as its 'priestess', and that the guardian had been alone for centuries. He said it might be relevant to my search, though you probably wouldn't let me past the threshold, and that he wanted me to tell you about him. And Aglionby. And Virginia." Gansey understood a little of what it had cost Adam to ask this favor. Tell him about me. The things I... can't.
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Making a thoughtful sound, he loosened his hold on Adam's hand so that the priestess could decide if he wanted to stay close to Alec or step away. If Adam was still wary of him, Alec didn't want him to think he was forcing him to be near him. "I think entering the temple would depend on some factors that both Adam and I would have to consider." What was he doing? He wasn't supposed to let someone in, but Adam was trying to help him... "But even if you did have access to the library, I don't know if it'd help. You can't read about the future."
Looking down at Adam, he wasn't quite sure what to say. Adam was offering him something he'd wished for, but it might hurt him if Alec learned about his life. "Are you sure you want this? I can research Virginia and Aglionby." But not Adam. He doubted the library would allow him to see anything about the priestess. "I don't want to ask questions unless you both want me to know the answers."
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Gansey watched the two of them, still perplexed by the way Adam reacted to the guardian. There was an intimacy to it, far more so than when Adam had been with Blue. Adam seemed to trust him. Adam seemed... infatuated with him. Gansey wouldn't have believed it, but he didn't know how else to explain what he was seeing.
"Please call me Gansey," he said, and held out his hand to the guardian in greeting. "I sincerely apologize for being an imposition."
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