3x15 Coda: To the night children
A shameless and self-indulgent piece about Alec and Underhill (seems I’m obsessed with him lately). And again, Underhill’s name is ‘Steve’ until we learn otherwise.
Set near the end of the episode, just before Alec talks with Maia.
“Is there anything else?” Alec asked after he signed off on the tablet that Underhill handed to him and approved of the next patrol schedule. Underhill gave him a long look and for a moment Alec could see the way his jaw clenched, a tiny tell that he would have missed if he looked away for a second.
He also had not missed the way Underhill showed his displeasure at the mission briefing earlier, but he owed it to the man to clear the air (or reprimand him, if it came down to it) in private.
“No, sir,” Underhill said, holding the tablet behind him as he stood at attention.
“Don’t ‘sir’ me now, Steve,” Alec scoffed, leaning back in his chair and drumming his fingers on the polished surface of his desk. It had been a long day and he was not in the mood for games. He still had to talk to Maia and he was not looking forward to that particular conversation. “One of the reasons we work well together is because you don’t ever try to bullshit me.”
“Is that a permission to speak freely, sir?”
Okay, so apparently he really did do something to piss the other man off, if he was still giving him cheek.
“Yes. So tell me what’s wrong.”
Underhill clenched his teeth again and then tilted his head slightly as he regarded Alec.
“I don’t understand what the hell are you doing.”
Alec just raised one eyebrow at him, slightly taken aback by the harsh words.
“When you made me your chief of security, you gave me a free hand,” Underhill huffed, bracing his hands on his hips. “You told me that I can do whatever I need to do, as long as I delivered the results. And I do, every single day. But by allowing Magnus to stay at the Institute, you’re undermining the entire system I have put into place.”
“So this is about Magnus.” Alec narrowed his eyes at him. “Because he’s a warlock.”
“Why does everyone think I have a problem with him being a Downworlder?” Underhill actually rolled his eyes, exasperated. “He can be a warlock, a Seelie, a mundane or a flying unicorn for all I care. What he is is an outsider. And by that definition he’s a security risk. One you did not warn me about.”
“This is just a temporary solution,” Alec said. “Until he can find a new apartment.”
“Well, I know that now, but I didn’t know it this morning when you two walked into the cafeteria together. And again, I only learned that from Magnus, when I was updating his security clearance. A rushed and poor job, by the way, because these things take a while and you haven’t notified me about it.” Steve said, clearly displeased.
Alec said nothing for a moment, digesting what Underhill told him.
“You’re right, I should have told you, even if it was all rather sudden,” he finally conceded. “It’s just… Magnus lost his apartment because he lost his magic. And he lost his magic to save Jace. We… we owe it to him, to help him, after he had helped us so many times.”
Underhill’s expression finally grew softer, more relaxed, as if Alec’s words eased away his irritation.
“I agree. But Alec, you’re entirely too close and too personally involved to be objective about this. As long as I’ve been in this Institute, I haven’t seen you break rules like that. And the rules are simple. No outsiders are allowed for more than a short visit.” Underhill looked Alec in the eyes, his gaze clearly concerned. “And I might not care but I know you’re not naive to think everyone else is okay with it. People like Raaj, who would love to see you fall from grace and if you keep this up then sooner or later someone will report you to the Clave. And I am honestly too busy to break in someone new as the Head.”
Alec let out a bark of humorless laughter and Underhill responded with a slight twist of his lips.
“I’ll talk to Magnus later,” Alec sighed, not happy about the idea. “Can you send Maia in now, please? I want to get this over with.”