✨ video; oo1. un: pandemonium

[coyandcryptic]

[The video opens on Magnus, hair a little more mussed than usual, eyeliner in place but smudged, clearly working hard and distracted.]

Hello, everyone, I am Magnus Bane, and I have something of a dilemma.

[The camera swings around to a table with a small cauldron on it, a set of brass scales, and several small bottles and jars, most of them empty. Magnus appears again, keeping the bookshelf in view over his shoulder.]

Of course I brought my spellbook with me, and my brewing equipment—never trust a cauldron you haven't seasoned yourself—but where might one go to buy potion ingredients? I'm low on… [He looks over his shoulder, assessing the supplies he's brought with him.] ...saffron threads, vampire hair, grave dirt, lavender...well, everything. Space was at a premium and I'm afraid I couldn't bring my inventory with me.

[The phone comes with Magnus, floats with Magnus on a cloud of blue smoke, as he walks away from his brewing headquarters, and now in the background can be seen half-unpacked boxes, the walls hung with sweeping red and blue silks. There's stuff everywhere, far too much for the apartment's size, but the image steadies as Magnus turns again, sweeping out his arms.] I only need the basics for now. And if you need something, do let me know. No love potions, but I conjure up a wicked energy booster for mornings after. Or nights before.

[With a wink, Magnus snaps his fingers and the video ends in a colorful shimmer of light before the screen goes black.]

Comments

VIDEO

[risers]

[ don't look so surprised, magnus. even now and here, alec has a few surprises still tucked somewhere up his sleeve. ]

[ he warms at magnus' reception, wondering why he'd been thinking of the worst possible scenario. regardless of what's happened, he's always felt safe around magnus, even in the beginning before alec had understood anything about himself or the high warlock of brooklyn. ]

[ lips curving upward, ] Yeah. Lavender's meant to help you sleep. I bought a lot of it when I first arrived. I don't mind giving you some of it.

[coyandcryptic]

[When it comes to potion brewing and collecting the various ingredients he needs for spellwork, no Shadowhunter will be the first person Magnus thinks of, not even Alec. It's a pleasant surprise, except...]

You've had trouble sleeping?

[Magnus takes a seat at the small table he's placed by the window, with a little smile.]

Thank you, Alexander. I'd appreciate that.

[risers]

[ before you even ask, yes, he has a rune for conversational parkour. he leaps right over the question with a little kick to his ankle. ]

Let me know when you want it. [ perhaps he would've invited himself over in the past ... who are we kidding? alec practically lived in magnus' apartment in new york. he invited himself over to admire the view of the city. he'd invited himself over for leftovers. he'd done so without thinking — each time he wanted company (or didn't want company) he always went to magnus'. it's a little strange to think that now he can't even allow his feet to move in that direction. ]

[ his brows knit together for a moment. ] Are you brewing something?

[coyandcryptic]

[Don't think Magnus didn't see that little acrobatic maneuver. He knows Alec well enough now to know that when Alec evades a question, the answer is something Magnus won't want to hear. Which means yes, Alec is having trouble sleeping.]

A little something. Each time I set up shop in a new lair, there's a particular potion I like to brew, it's sensitive to the environment. A sort of barometer for potion brewing. Sometimes I can't get anything done. I hope this isn't one of those cities.

[It doesn't call for lavender but he wants to claim that it does, just to see Alec again.] Tomorrow?

[risers]

[ sometimes when magnus talks about his magic, alec gets lost along the way. he tries to ensure his expression is one that gives magnus enough confidence that he's following him, even if magnus knows alec doesn't know what he's talking about. this moment is one of them. ]

Tomorrow. [ he nods his head. ] I'll come by before I try and find this archery place. At least then you can decide if this city's one of those cities.

[ that he can't do anything in. that doesn't sound like the magnus he knows, capable of anything and everything — the way magnus sees himself, however, is completely different to the way alec does. ]

[ alec likes to think he sees magnus a little more clearly, even if his eyesight is only a couple of decades old compared to magnus' being centuries old. ]

[coyandcryptic]

[Something uncurls in him when he hears Alec promise to come over tomorrow. That's probably a sign in itself, but he still thinks he's doing the right thing by trying to keep his distance.

A small voice in the back of his mind points out how lucky he is that Alexander has the patience of a saint. Or an angel. He's lucky that when he finally gets his act together, he'll have Alec to come back to.]

Oh, I doubt it will be. Most cities are fine, it's more of a habit than anything, but it never feels like home until I've tried it. There's an archery range here?

[It feels like small talk, and that's wrong on several levels.]

[risers]

[ similarly to how he takes to seeing his bow and quiver, alec brightens. it's not intentional, either; speaking about something he has been so passionate about for years has always illuminated his face. he oftentimes feels like he's young again, a kid who was training to become a shadowhunter, who defined himself by the bow in his hand and the runes on his neck and arms. ]

[ his expression only brightens as it's with magnus. ]

Yeah. It's pretty good, too. Nothing like the Shadowhunters', but the mundanes do a good job. [ dismissive of mundanes until the very end. playing it off like it's not a big deal: always. ] It's the only good thing about this place. [ the corners of his lips curve upward. ] Besides the lavender.