A/N: All the 'prompts' (or songs) are taken from the playlist I have for when I'm writing put on shuffle, and I have until the end of the song to write something which is why some of them are a bit short. It's a really fun way to write, I recommend it if you're stuck on anything. Anyway, suffice to say, I do not own The Mortal Instruments or any of the songs mentioned here. Also a couple are vaguely AU… or very in the case of 16.
Style, Taylor Swift
"Please. Just a little one."
"No. Absolutely not." Alec folded his arms resolutely across his chest, leaning back in his chair and glaring at Magnus.
"But…"
"There is no way you're coming near me with that… that thing. What is it anyway? It looks like an instrument of torture." Magnus sniffed, looking slightly offended.
"This is a hair straightener. Your sister probably has one; God knows her hair isn't that naturally straight."
"You're still not coming near me with that thing, or giving me a makeover. I've seen your version of 'style', and there is far too much glitter involved.
"Oh, you naive little shadowhunter, there is no such as thing as 'too much glitter."
"The answer is still no, Magnus."
2. Toy Soldiers, Eminem
Magnus had been around for centuries, and for centuries he had watched as Shadowhunters, one by one, went into battle and got themselves killed. It was an endless cycle; from the moment they were given a weapon, the clock started ticking.
And whilst he knew what would happen, knew that his clock had started at such a young age, Magnus was still unprepared for when Alec went out to battle one day and never returned home.
3. Sugar, We're Going Down, Fall Out Boy
Magnus and Alec loved to fight; or at least, that's what it looked like to outsiders. They never seemed to agree on anything, from fashion sense to weaponry to what to watch on television. The bickering was endless, with more often than not one of them storming off, only to crawl back hours later, both of them unable to stand being apart for too long.
The one thing that they did seem to agree on was that they loved each other, far far too much. And if one of them was going to go down that road, then they sure as hell was going to drag the other down with them.
4. Habits, Tove Lo
Alec's feelings for Magnus were addictive. They were more intoxicating than any form of alcohol, more exhilarating than the adrenaline rush that came with hunting demons, and Alec found himself always drawn to Magnus' apartment, like Magnus was his centre of gravity, the person that he automatically orbited around.
It was terrifying, at times, how much Alec depended on Magnus (although the same was true for Magnus). No matter how far Alec tried to push him out of his mind, he never succeeded, always falling down the same hole that led to Magnus.
5. Not Going to Die Tonight, Skillet
No. He wouldn't die tonight, Magnus wouldn't let him. Alec wouldn't die this way, not after all they had been through. Alec was a Shadowhunter for crying out loud, he wasn't going to die in a car accident. The world wouldn't be that cruel to them, not if Magnus had anything to do with it.
So when Alec finally, finally, opened his eyes again- granted, they fluttered open slowly, and he almost immediately closed them again- all Magnus could do was sit back on his heels and laugh, laugh to think that something so… so human, so mundane, had almost torn Alec from him.
And the squeeze of Alec's hand reassured him that Alec didn't seem to be planning on dying that night either.
6. Papercut, Linkin Park
Alec raced up the stairs to Magnus' apartment, his heart beating a tattoo in his chest. The text message he had received earlier had sounded urgent, requesting his immediate presence, and Alec had run as fast as he could all the way from the Institute.
He burst into the apartment, racing down the hallway and hurrying to the source of Magnus' whimpers, slamming the door open to the workroom.
"Oh thank goodness you're here, I need you to help me with this." Alec crossed over to him and took Magnus' hand, who had it cradled to his chest. There was a pause, and Alec pursed his lips.
"Seriously?"
"I healed your leg last week."
"That was a severe leg wound. This, this is a papercut."
7. Home, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
Magnus and Alec glared at each other, both standing, hands balled into fists and faces red from anger. Venomous words had flown from their mouths all evening, accusations and denials and insults hurled across the table between them. All of a sudden, Alec dropped onto his seat, burying his face in his hands. The retort that Magnus was about to spit at Alec faded, as Magnus frowned, confused by the defeat in Alec's shoulders.
"Alec?"
"I just… I don't want to fight anymore. This isn't… this isn't what home should feel like."
"Home? I thought the Institute was your home?" Alec gave an exhausted chuckle.
"Of course it isn't."
"Then what is?"
"You."
8. One Week, Bare Naked Ladies
Alec and Magnus, since starting their relationship, had only managed to live together for one full week before Alec stormed back to the Institute, angry and spitting curses about the warlock, and Magnus had vowed never to let anyone live with him again (apart from Chairman Meow, of course).
Their fight had dissolved about an hour afterwards, with both of them crawling back to each other, but it was still understood that they could not live full time with each other. The freakishly neat nature of Alec frustrated Magnus, whilst the glitter that Magnus adored so much managed to worm its way into every aspect of Alec's clothing.
Really, a week was their limit for living with each other.
9. Thnks Fr Th Mmrs, Fall Out Boy
Magnus raised a crooked eyebrow as Alec (along with Jace, Clary, Isabelle and whatever his name was) left his apartment, running a hand through his hair and dislodging the various additions that he had added their earlier in the evening. The night sure had been… interesting, and whilst yes he had had to have a rather boring discussion with the other shadowhunters, young Alec had been intriguing.
He hoped that he would meet the shy shadowhunter again; Alec had made quite the impression.
10. A Light That Never Comes, Linkin Park and Steve Aoki
When Alec stayed over, both he and Magnus despised the morning. Whilst there was something comforting in the way that they would always wake up completely tangled in each other, it was somewhat spoilt by the knowledge that soon they would have to get up and leave their protective bubble of just them, that the outside world was waiting for them. The dark was where the two of them belonged (despite Magnus' penchant for standing out), the place where it was just the two of them, a place where outside pressures couldn't reach them.
Each night, they wished that the light would never come.
11. Telescope, Starset
Alec felt his head drooping, and shifted in the hard, uncomfortable seat in order to stay conscious. His feet were resting on top of his large duffle bag, with the theory that if someone decided to steal it should he fall asleep, the sudden drop of his legs would wake him up and he'd be able to 'apprehend' the would be thief before they got away (although the general aura of fuck off meant that people were giving him a wide berth already).
He shifted again, reaching into his pocket and finding the letter that Magnus had last sent him, the edges worn and creases bordering on tears due to the amount of handling it had received. Smiling, Alec tucked it back into his pocket and stood, picking up his bag and heading towards the gate as his plane was announced. Soon, he wouldn't have to read Magnus' words; in a matter of hours, he would be back in his arms and able to hear them for himself.
12. Throne, Bring Me The Horizon
To each other, Magnus and Alec were kings, something to be admired and adored and worshipped. To themselves, they paled in comparison to the other, the other being all that was good and right in their lives, and the pedestal that they put each other on was not so much a stool but a throne, something out of reach and untouchable and grand and imposing, something that reduced themselves to mere subjects, servants of the other.
It was only a matter of time before these thrones crumbled.
13. Outside, Hollywood Undead
Magnus had always been so, so lonely. Sure, he had Chairman Meow and his parties, but Chairman Meow was a poor replacement for conversation and the parties were a poor replacement for love.
Alec, too, had always been lonely. Jace was beautiful and clever and fast and strong, separate from the others but not in a way that mattered to him, and then he met Clary and it didn't matter anyway. Izzy was also beautiful and strong, deadly in her own way, and never seemed to be short of boyfriends.
So when Alec and Magnus met each other, they no longer felt quite so lonely, and whilst they still seemed to be on the outside, they were on the outside together.
14. Welcome, Fort Minor
"So when you want someone to move out of your way, you say…?"
"Move, bitch." Alec sighed, and dropped his head.
"No, you say, 'excuse me please'."
"'Excuse me please,'" repeated Magnus mockingly.
"Good. And when they move you…?"
"Get to where you're going?"
"Say thank you."
"Right. Does the other person speak at all?"
"Well, when you say thank you, they say 'welcome', or 'no problem'."
"Can't I just blast them out of my way? All of this seems rather unnecessary."
"No. If you want to go to these fancy restaurants, you're going to have to learn some manners." Magnus huffed.
"Fine."
15. Happy Song, Bring Me The Horizon
Whenever Magnus was happy, he sang. Loudly. And out of key. Often early in the morning when Alec was trying to sleep, having trudged in only a few hours earlier from a demon hunt.
"Why do you sing so much?" asked Alec, grouching into the kitchen and pouring himself a much needed coffee.
"Don't you like my happy song?" asked Magnus, slightly offended.
"It's not that. I just like sleeping more."
"Well, maybe you should sing as well, make you a bit happier." At the deadpan look that Alec shot him, Magnus had to bite his lip to stop himself from chuckling. Instead, he leant forward and kissed his cheek. "Never mind, I'll just sing for the both of us."
16. Spacebound, Eminem
"I'll miss you," said Magnus, and Alec nodded, swallowing around the lump in his throat.
"Will you…"
"I'll be watching on tv. I don't think your parents would be too happy with me pitching up, and I don't think they'd be too happy if there was a fistfight in the stands." Alec gave a watery chuckle, before biting his lip and looking at Magnus.
"I'll Skype you when I get there," he said eventually. Magnus punched him gently.
"You better."
"It's only for eighteen months…"
"Eighteen months too long," murmured Magnus, resting his head in the crook of Alec's neck. Alec threaded his fingers through Magnus' soft hair gently and made a sound of agreement in the back of his throat.
"I know."
"But Alec? I'm so damned proud of you." Alec smiled, and closed his eyes as Magnus sighed. "Alec Lightwood, my spacebound boyfriend."
17. Centuries, Fall Out Boy
Magnus had blazed his way through so many centuries, seen so much and been part of so much, and would see and be part of so much more to come, that sometimes it was a little overwhelming for Alec to think about. All these centuries that Magnus had survived, all of the stories that people would have of him, and of all the people he had met Magnus had chosen him, a scrawny shadowhunter that in no way stood out from all the rest.
Whilst Alec was sure that he would be forgotten as soon as he died, he was just as certain that Magnus would be remembered for centuries.
A/N: So I've done this sort of thing for other fandoms before, and I find it a good way of relieving some pent up writing frustration… as well as kickstarting ideas for other stories XD I really love Alec and Magnus together, and wanted to write something, but didn't want to go into full story mode (I have enough of those going on as it is :p) so here we are. Please don't judge my random musical tastes…
Also, don't expect regular updates for this story. I tend to update these sort of stories when I'm bored, procrastinating and stuck on all the others.
Fallen Quills