*Hello, lovely readers. I know it's been a long time, and for that I am sorry. I've had little—minimal really—time to sit down and type. School projects, homework, and then there had to be finals on top of that. Not that you want my excuses. … … I want to inform you readers that if you want to know what songs I have chosen as inspiration and not just think, "Well, what that crap is that? Whatever…" then you can go to my profile. I have YouTube links for the music there. Feel free to check that out, or don't.
*This is a story that I have just recently finished, and no, I was not planning on this at all until I had this idea while listening to a Christmas song. So, here is your Christmas present from me. It is something that is finally multi-chaptered. Good news, eh? … … All human, no Shadowhunter world. This is sort of, not really, based off the song quote below, which is why I have given you that part of the song.
*Disclaimer: I do not, under any circumstances, own any of this…except my idea. The characters belong to Cassandra Clare; I just manipulated them for my usage. The song lyrics belong to…well whoever is the original artist, but the singer for this version is Josh Ramsay.
Who You Are Without Me
"If there was no way
I could hold back these tears
But it's Christmas Day
Please come home"
— "Baby, Please Come Home" by Josh Ramsay
Alec tried. He really did. When Magnus came to him, a full year ago, tears pouring from his eyes, Alec knew. He just did. Magnus needed something that Alec could not give him. No matter how Alec had felt when Magnus told him what a great opportunity it would be, no matter how much Magnus begged Alec just to say the word and he would drop the conversation, Alec did no such thing. It broke his heart to do it, but a broken heart was something he would rather endure than realizing he had killed Magnus' dreams.
There would be no way in hell that Alec would do that to the man he loved. No. Freaking. Way.
.—. .—. .—. .—.
When Magnus dragged him to the quaint café that was holding open-mic night, Alec realized something would go wrong. Didn't it always when he stepped out of his comfort zone? Yes, but he let Magnus have his fun.
The couple ordered drinks and sat at a table. Before making it all the way there, Magnus had signed the paper so he could sing. His name was halfway down, and Alec internally groaned that he had to sit through that many acts that he had no idea if they were going to be even relatively good. Alec pulled up his chair so close to Magnus' that leg rested against leg, free hand tangled with free hand, head rested against willing shoulder.
One of Magnus' legs kept shaking as he bounced his foot up and down. Alec simply untangled their hands and he squeezed the inside of Magnus' thigh, careful not to rest his hand too high so he would not start something he could not finish. He pressed his cool lips on Magnus' warm cheek. "You'll be wonderful, dear. There is nothing to be nervous about."
"What do you think I should sing?" Magnus asked, swallowing more of his drink.
"You could sing anything. Hell, even the ABCs. And it will sound even better than an angel. Trust me, Magnus. Calm your nerves," Alec reassured. "What do you want to sing?"
"I didn't think it fully through. Should I go slow and meaningful, or upbeat and fun?" His legs resumed the shaking and Alec squeezed the soft flesh once more.
Alec had to think about the answer. He loved everything Magnus sang. "Do what you do best. When you go slowly, you can actually hear the meaning behind the words. Fast is fun, but emotion will last forever."
Magnus flicked his midnight black hair from his forehead and leaned in to kiss his boyfriend's full lips. "I guess my mind is made up. Thank you, love."
Alec nodded and smiled discretely. "So you know the song?"
Magnus rolled his head back. "No, damn it. I was thinking of 'Porcelain.' How does that sound?"
"Anything you choose, as I have said." Alec did not know what song that was, but he was looking forward to it, anyway.
"If I do not come up with anything better by the time my name is called, then that is what I am doing. It's settled," Magnus said with resolve.
Since Magnus' leg stopped the incessant shaking, Alec reclaimed Magnus' hand in his larger one and kissed the smaller hand. Magnus rested his head on Alec's broad, muscular shoulder while watching some girl onstage trying to sing her own version of a song Alec semi-recognized. She was actually doing a good job.
After some meaningless conversation, "Magnus Bane" was stated through the microphone.
Magnus suddenly became more nervous than before.
Alec enveloped the smaller male in his arms and whispered delicately in his ear, "Dear, you've got this. You're amazing. If you get nervous, just look at me. I'll be right here, waiting for you. Everyone will love you, but never more than I do." He held Magnus' face in his hands. "I love you."
Magnus nodded his head slowly and kissed Alec's slightly parted lips. "I love you." He slowly stood up and casually walked to the stage. Alec is right, he tried to think as he stood in front of the microphone. I can do this. He's right there. Magnus found his boyfriend in the crowd, smiling and applauding. "Hey, everyone. I hope you've all had a great night so far." The background music for the song he chose began to play, and he picked up the lone acoustic guitar onstage and began to strum the chords. "This is for the love of my life. Darling, you will forever be my Porcelain." He watched Alec's face light up, or as best as he could strain his eyes in the dimmed lights. But Alec was still grinning widely, nonetheless. That was when Magnus began the song, the first few words left his mouth and the crowd went silent. "You thought, by now, you'd have it figured it."
The audience had nothing to even talk about when Magnus sang. Some recognized the song, others didn't. Either way, every single member in the crowd was under a trance.
"When you're heart releases, you won't fall to pieces. And your breath comes crashing in, like perfect porcelain. And the slow and simple melody of tears you cannot keep from me. It's all right if you don't know what you need." Slowly, the last of the instrumentals dimmed, and the crowd was awestruck by what had just occurred.
Magnus did not know what to think. He expected applause, or booing. He did not expect absolutely nothing. Was he that bad? Hopefully he did not ruin the song. It would be embarrassing if—
Suddenly, everyone roared applause and delight.
Magnus smiled as he absorbed the cheers. Now this, this he could get used to. "Thank you for the kindness."
As he left the shallow stage, he had gotten a standing ovation. He bowed graciously as many told him how great he was as he tried to find Alec. As he reached Alec, he noticed Alec wearing the biggest grin he ever wore, he was standing, and he was clapping so fast his hands were a blur.
As soon as he spotted Magnus, he closed the distance by jogging the tiny bit of floor space, hugged Magnus' waist, and raised him in the air as he kissed Magnus' sweet lips.
Magnus threw his arms around Alec's neck and leaned in, not caring if people noticed he was showing such affection to a man. If Alec did not care, then he wouldn't pull away.
"You were brilliant, dear," Alec commented as he still held onto Magnus, whose feet were still slightly dangling right above the floor.
"You really think so?" Magnus asked.
Alec laughed as he set down his boyfriend, shoes finally done teasing the floor. "I cannot believe you just asked that. People are still clapping for you."
"No, they aren't," Magnus noted. "They are reacting to your show of public affection, which, by the way, I could get used to." Magnus grabbed Alec's hand and started to walk out the door.
"Where are we going?" Alec asked as he was being pulled.
"I did what I wanted to do, and now we are going to do something you want to do."
"Yeah, and what is that?"
"Leave, and get home," Magnus said, eyes full of lust and want.
"I'd figure that would be something that you would want, too," Alec huskily said.
When they made it out of the club, Magnus swung the arm he was holding into him and passionately lip-locked the younger boy and sunk his fingers into the soft flesh of Alec's hips, drawing him closer into his body, grinding their hips together in a frenzy.
All Alec could do was groan into Magnus' mouth, causing him to pull Alec even closer, if at all possible. His body temperature was rising, and he realized, only for a moment, that this was no place to be doing something like this. It was reserved for behind closed doors, but, at the rate Magnus was going, Alec didn't think he could make it all the way to the loft. "Uhhg, Mag," Alec tried to say as he pushed his mouth away from Magnus'. Magnus did not let the heat of his mouth escape into the cool night air. Instead, without missing a single second, Magnus suckled the skin of the length of Alec's pale throat, kissing and grazing with his teeth.
"Magnus Ba—…Oh, I am so sorry!" a female voice yelped, causing Magnus to groan heftily as his mouth pulled away from Alec while Alec whimpered at the loss.
With his hands firmly put on Alec's hips, Magnus growled, "Can I help you?"
"Are you Magnus Bane?" the young blond woman asked, looking for confirmation.
"If I weren't, I would not have pulled away from this delicious creature." A blush rose across Alec's already flush cheeks.
"Right, I am incredibly sorry about that," the woman circled her pointer finger, "by the way. I'd like to talk to you privately for a moment, if you don't care."
"I do care, and do I even know you?" Magnus asked, irritated.
"No, you don't. The name is Camille Belcourt. Please, Mister Bane. It's important."
Alec watched as Magnus contemplated Camille's words. He noticed her, Camille. Even for a man who was not attracted to women, he could tell that she was beautiful. Her hair was a soft, wavy blond; her fuchsia button-down shirt with a V plunging just enough to get a preview of cleavage tucked into a straight pencil skirt resting on her knees with a slit on the one side went mid-thigh. Her clothing fit her better than a glove, practically painted onto her alluring curves. But Alec knew Magnus wouldn't try such a thing with this Camille. How could he when, just a moment ago, they were practically on their way to sex in a very public location? Alec grabbed Magnus' hands that probably left possessive bruises on his hips and unclamped them. "You should talk to her, dear. I'll be over there."
"Alec…" Magnus practically whined. "You don't have to go."
"But I should. This is a private matter." He kissed Magnus' forehead and squeezed the hands resting in his. His eyes diverted to Camille and back to Magnus. With one last reassuring squeeze, Alec dropped Magnus' hands and walked away, turning a corner.
There was a small wooden bench there, and Alec planted himself there, taking out his phone. For nothing else, it was just to have something to roll in his hands in order to keep himself occupied as Magnus talked to a stranger. A beautiful, curvy, female stranger. Alec tried his hardest not to picture Camille in his mind. It did not help the mental images his horrible mind decided to come up with as jealousy broke through him. Magnus with Camille curved into his body, in the same exact positions that they were in just a few minutes ago. No, Alec. Do not think like this. He loves you. You're just being an idiot. Even though Alec knew it wasn't true, it was still hard to convince his sick imagination to stop sending his eyes such horrid images.
To keep himself busy, Alec continuously locked and unlocked his cell phone, competing with himself to see how fast his fingers could slide across the touch screen in the same pattern. And, as soon as his fingers accidentally slipped, casing the lines to go red, he would unlock it properly and change the pattern. Some were easy while others were difficult. It wasn't fun, but the images ceased.
Finally, after about twenty minutes, Magnus appeared next to him, seemingly out of nowhere. Alec was too busy with his phone patterns to notice. Only did he sense Magnus when a head rested against his right shoulder, causing him to jump and screw up yet another pattern.
Magnus did not look the same as Alec had left him. He was withdrawn, it seemed, and more tired. This was not the man who was so full of life and ready to drop the linens and start grinnin'.
Alec shoved the phone into his coat pocket and put his arm around Magnus' shoulders, holding him close to his chest. "What's wrong?"
Magnus did not answer for a moment, as if he were contemplating a lie to tell. "Nothing, darling."
Alec knew when Magnus was lying. After all, they've been together for almost three years. Yet, if he learned anything from dating Magnificent Magnus for three years, it was when to push a subject, when to drop it, and when to pick it back up. This was one of those moments that Alec was to drop it and pick it back up later on. When that was, he didn't know, but it wasn't now. He wanted to scream that Magnus was lying, but he couldn't do that. Instead, he held onto Magnus and asked a different question. "What did Camille Belcourt want?"
At the mention of the woman, Magnus flung his arm around Alec's neck to be closer. Mumbling into his neck, "She just wanted to compliment me on how well I did tonight."
Accidentally, Alec tensed at the second lie Magnus told him, and he knew Magnus felt him do it.
"She thought you were gorgeous, by the way," Magnus informed with a weak smile on his face as he pulled away and stared right into Alec's cerulean eyes. "But I told her she could take her manicured paws elsewhere, because you, Alexander Gideon Lightwood, are mine."
"Forever," Alec agreed.
The two walked hand-in-hand together to their shared flat. Their only company was a random passerby and silence.
*I have my fingers crossed that this was good. I never really wrote anything that…passionate before. I hope you enjoyed this, and happy reviewing. *hint :)* Tell me what you think, or if you want the next chapters. There is more of this story where that came from.
*The song Magnus sung was "Porcelain" by Marianas Trench.