Daily Malec Fix (Wattys 2017)

18. Name Your Tattoo

Answer: Have deep conversations or swimming. When I'm alone I love to write (obviously) and listen to music. Which is why I planned out my schedule so I could have today for writing and writing alone, with great tunes of course.

"I need to see your arms and then we can decide." Dyson said softly as he closed the door. He had taken them to the private room his shop had for just this reason. He knew it was going to be hard enough for the boy to show him the scars let alone doing it out in the open.

"Uh," Alec looked down at his long sleeves. "Maybe it won't work."

"Alec, I'm here. I know you can do this." Magnus touched Alec's hand.

"I just. I don't." Alec started breathing quickly, inhaling through his nose as his heart started racing. "I can't."

"Alexander," Magnus touched Alec's cheek and Alec looked into his eyes. For the first time in six months he felt like he was home again. "You can do this. Now breathe."

"I-I-I," Alec swallowed and touched the bottom of his shirt.

"What do you think life would be like if we were squirrels?" Magnus asked Alec and Dyson held back from asking what because when he saw the smile on Alec's face he knew it meant something.

"You'd still be annoying as hell." Alec smiled and even though it didn't reach his eyes Magnus was happy.

"Probably." Magnus admitted with a chuckle then went back to being serious. "Now, you can take all the time you need, but we need to get started if you want to do this today."

"Okay." Alec reached down again. "But, don't look, please."

"I won't." Magnus stayed looking at Alec's eyes as he scooted back.

"And I don't want to see them." Alec said and a single tear slid down his cheek as he lifted his shirt.

Dyson covered his mouth to keep from gasping. How in the hell could someone ever do something so brutal to another human being. He once again was struck with the need to get the boys' addresses so he could destroy them.

"I'm hideous. I know." Alec frowned mistaking Dyson's anger and disgust.

"No, you, my boy, are beautiful. What happened to you is beyond hideous. I want to kill them." Dyson said with fire in his voice.

Alec looked away from him because he knew that hatred and anger. "I just wish that I could make it 10 fucking minutes without remembering it."

"Well, we're going to make sure that happens." Dyson took Alec's right arm in his hand and waited for Alec to relax in his grip after flinching multiple times. "How do you feel about dragons?" Dyson asked because he knew that he needed to add color to cover the reds and whites of the scars. It was going to be nearly impossible to cover but he had to. He couldn't let such a sweet, beautiful kid go a single second longer with such heinous marks on his otherwise perfect body.

"They're fine." Alec whispered. He had his eyes closed and was forcing himself to not bolt. He couldn't breathe because the lump in his throat was so big. Alec chewed on his lip and tried to focus on anything other than what he was thinking about.

"I drew up a couple of ideas already, do you want to see them and make any changes?" Dyson offered and held the papers up so Alec wouldn't have to look down.

"They're great." Alec hissed through clenched teeth.

"You have to open your eyes to see them." Dyson said gently.

"I can't." Alec admitted. "Just as long as there isn't glitter, color, or flower it's fine."

"Well, I do need to use some color to cover up the scars." Dyson said.

"Magnus, you can look right?" Alec frowned deeper.

"Of course, it's beautiful and nothing I'd ever have on me." Magnus said with a laugh.

"Then it's perfect. Oh, can I make a request?" Alec asked as a thought struck him. "Can you do a small, I mean tiny, miniscule, no one can see it but me-"

"Alec, we get it. What do you want?" Magnus asked and gave Dyson a I-told-you-this-wouldn't-be-easy look.

"A purple heart." Alec smiled and opened his eyes to look at Magnus so he'd know it was for him. Then he closed his eyes again.

"I can do it on the one on your chest, if you want." Dyson offered mentioning the small cut marks on his chest, that didn't thankfully spell anything out and seemed to heal the best out of all of them.

"Thanks." Alec whispered.

"Okay I'm going to start on your right arm. I'll draw, clean, then tattoo. This is going to be a long day. Are you ready?"

"Yes." Alec nodded.

He almost jumped out of his seat when Dyson started to draw on his arm. "Sorry, I just want to make sure that I cover everything.

"Magnus?" Alec called out like a boy lost in a crowd. His eyes were still closed and his left hand was shaking away from his body. Magnus grasped Alec's hand between his.

"I'm here." Magnus brought Alec's hand to his lips and kissed it. "I'll always be here."

And with that promise Alec was thrown back to that night. 

A/N Okay, so the next two chapters are the flashbacks for that night so it's going to be pretty rough. Would rather stop here where it's happy? Or I can just give you an epilogue type thing tomorrow instead of continuing. Because it really is getting long and I'll probably end on here soon anyway, like give you the annotated version. 

If not we'll do 40 votes and 60 comments.

Question: What color would you dye your hair if you could?