CHAPTER 1
MAGNUS BANE
Magnus Bane watched the Shadowhunters - and mundie and Clary - enter his loft. A vampire - Lily, he thought her name was - stepped closer to him.
"Magnus Bane, there are Nephilim here," she murmured. "I thought you didn't invite them."
"So did I."
He walked away from Lily toward the Shadowhunters. He saw a blond boy with golden eyes, probably a Herondale, because he had a very muscular frame; a girl with long straight black hair and black eyes, and a not-unattractive figure; Clary, of course, looking like her mother Jocelyn, with her small stature, curly red hair, and green eyes; a mundie with brown hair, brown eyes, and glasses, trying to be dressed like a Shadowhunter with black this and black that; and the last boy.
He was the one Magnus saw the most. Will? Magnus thought. Messy black hair, and dark blue eyes. Smooth muscles; not stiff, but like he was born with them. Magnus had an urge to run his hands over them. The clothes that the boy was wearing: black skinny jeans, a short-sleeved, V-neck black shirt, black combat boots, and a quill of arrows on his back. Magnus tried to ignore him, but knew that he probably wouldn't be able to for long.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Magnus called as he neared the Shadowhunters. "I don't remember inviting any children of the Nephilim." The black-haired girl pulled out a piece of thin parchment and handed it to him.
MAGNUS IS INVITING YOU TO HIS PARTY.
Magnus's house 12:00 PM in Brooklyn
Be Glittery
"I must have been drunk," Magnus muttered. "Well, what do you want?"
"Magnus Bane." The blond boy was staring hard at him. "We need to talk."
Magnus sighed, and glanced at the good-looking boy, the one with black hair. "You know I don't like you guys, but I'll let you stay, if only because of the hot one."
Clary, the blond, and the other girl said, "Thank you," simultaneously.
"What?" Magnus spat mildly. They glanced at each other uneasily and the mundie shifted slightly. "I was talking about him." He pointed at the black-haired boy. "The one with the blue eyes."
The kid drew in a breath shakily, his eyes growing wide. All the Shadowhunters turned to look at him. "Alec?" Magnus heard the black-haired girl hiss wonderingly. The boy - Alec, Magnus presumed - stared at him. Magnus winked at him.
The blond boy gave Magnus a look that said why? Magnus gave him a smug look back. Then he returned to business. "And because of Clary."
The mundane blinked rapidly. "Wait," he began, "how do you know her name?"
Magnus ignored him. "Come on. You Nephilim, and you . . . mundane . . . can hang in my party until Clary and I are done. Trust me, this is a tough decision. I really don't like you guys."
Clary looked at the blond boy. When he nodded, she turned back to Magnus and gave him determined green eyes. "Look," she said grimly, "I want Jace and Alec to come with me, Magnus Bane."
Magnus brushed at his coat absently, pretending to not be mildly interested. "Jace and Alec? Who are they, Clary Fray?"
Clary gestured at the blond boy and introduced him as 'Jace'. Magnus tried to be interested in meeting Jace but the blue-eyed boy, Alec, was what he wanted. After introducing her friends - the other girl, Magnus thought, as Isabelle; the mundane as Simon - Clary finally turned to the blue-eyed boy. "And this is Alec, Isabelle's brother."
"Alec," Magnus spoke to the boy, directly greeting him. Alec's eyes widened again. They were incredibly blue. Magnus winked again, and smiled with half-lidded eyes. Jace stifled a snort, and Isabelle glared at him. "Well, shall we proceed then? Clary, Jace . . . Alexander Lightwood." This time, Simon the Mundie, Isabelle, Clary, and Alec gasped. Jace slowly pulled a dagger out of his sleeve, his golden eyes narrowed.
Jace gave Magnus a cold half-smirk. "I'd like to know," he began, carefully, "Magnus Bane, how do you know my friend's name?"
Magnus grinned. "I am the High Warlock of Brooklyn, Jace Wayland. Do you think that I don't check up on Shadowhunters? I check up on vampires, werewolves, Nephilim, warlocks, other Downworlders, demons, et cetera, that catch my eye."
Jace's eyes were chillingly empty, excluding the look they held of cold-blooded murderous rage. "What?" he asked quietly. "Do you have a crush on my parabatai?" When Magnus didn't reply, Jace stepped closer. "I'd really like to know. Just so you know, Alec's not gay. So, please, enlighten me and my friends on your interest in Alec."
Magnus flashed another smile. "I really don't see why I would have to." Jace took another step forward. "I encourage you to take another step forward, my friend. I haven't killed Children of the Nephilim in quite a while. So please, take another step," Magnus invited coldly.
Jace's eyes flashed wickedly. He lifted a foot and - Magnus's hand snapped up and he saw the sparkles floating off of his fingers as he used magic to hold Jace in place. Magnus glanced up, eyes half-lidded, at the group. Clary's green eyes had narrowed to slits as she glared at Magnus; Isabelle was glancing from Jace to Magnus rapidly; Simon the Mundie was hyperventilating like he was thinking, WTF is going on?; and Alec - oh, Alec - was staring wide-eyed at Jace, horrified.
"S-Stop!" Alec choked, his first words to Magnus. "Leave him alone!" He rushed forward and grabbed Magnus's arm. Magnus gasped and his arm wavered. Alec flinched. "Um, pl-please. Magnus."
Magnus sighed and dropped his hand. Alec's fingers lingered for a moment longer than neccessary and then he turned away, dropping his hand, blue eyes fluttering shut. Magnus let a ghost of a smile dance across his face before resting a hand on Alec's shoulder. "Alexander Lightwood. Can we talk?"
Alec's face shot up and he ogled at Magnus. Isabelle's black eyes lit up and she beamed. "Of course you can. Take as long as you want."
Alec swallowed and he dropped his head. "Isabelle," he muttered, "since when do you answer for me?"
"Well, you can talk with Magnus Bane, Alexander Gideon Lightwood, can you not?"
Alec blanched. "Well, geeze, you don't have to yell, Isabelle. Now I know why Max is scared of you." He turned to Magnus, blue eyes flicking down for a moment. "I suppose I could talk to you, Magnus." He gave Magnus a shadowed smile.
Magnus grinned back, saying, "Shall we?" He offered Alec his arm. Alec gawked at it like Magnus's perfectly harmless - okay, mostly harmless - arm was going to suddenly turn into a Ravener demon and kill everyone. Suppressing a sigh, Magnus swung around and stalked to a secluded, empty space by the wall in his loft, Alec trailing behind.
Magnus spun on his heel, facing Alec, when he reached his destination. Alec glanced up and again dropped his head. "What do you want?" he muttered. "Don't tell me you just dragged me away from my friends to stare at me."
"I won't. Because I didn't. I was wondering . . ."
Alec looked up swiftly, then lowered his eyes again. "Wondering what?"
"Well . . ."
Alec suddenly froze. "I remember now. You were at the war, weren't you?"
"Yes. I killed quite a number of your people."
"Not . . ." Alec hesitated. "Not our people. We aren't really with the-"
"If you continue disowning that which is ugly about you," Magnus interrupted, "you will never fully become yourself."
Alec stiffened. "Was that a jab at me? At my sexual orientation? I could do the same for you, too, you know."
Magnus grinned. "To answer your first and second question: possibly. To comment on your last statement: you may be gay, Alec, but I believe myself to be a freewheeling bisexual."
Alec scoffed. "Yeah, right. Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about, Warlock Bane?"
"Would you like to go out for a drink sometime?"
"That's it?" Alec's head shot up and he looked Magnus in the eye. "You dragged me off here, made fun of me, and told me that you killed lots of Shadowhunters, and only to ask me if I want to get a drink with you sometime?"
"Well," Magnus siad casually, shrugging, "yeah."
Alec scoffed again. "When?"
"You're just going to go with it?" Magnus asked, apalled. "No fighting, no 'I'm not gay, Magnus', no nothing?"
Alec smirked. "I said when. That means that I'll go, maybe. If you ever tell me when you want to go."
"Friday work?"
"Friday . . . sounds good."
Magnus grinned. Alec gave him a look through half-lidded blue eyes. "So, will you help us?"
"Hmm, maybe." Magnus studied his sparkling dark purple fingernails.
Alec gritted his teeth. "I'm going on a date with you, and you aren't going to return Clary's memory?"
"Is that why your here? Huh. Well, there's really no point. Her memory will return in time."
"Her mother doesn't have time!"
"Yes, where is Jocelyn?" Magnus asked conversationally.
Alec gazed coldly at Magnus. "She's missing. Not that you would care."
"What?" Magnus's cool demeanor fell away. "When? Why? By whom? What the heck?"
Alec's eyes flickered with a trace of humour. "Oh, you do care!"
"Don't tease, Alexander. Seriously, what?"
Alec's face hardened again. "Valentine kidnapped Jocelyn and is keeping her hidden somewhere. He seems to think that Clary is something special, and is waiting for her to trade herself for Jocelyn. Jace won't allow it. We don't know the connection between Valentine and Clary. We don't know why Valentine keeps Jocelyn like that. We don't know how Clary has Shadowhunter blood. We don't know-"
"What do you Nephilim know?" Magnus ran his hand along his face exaggeratedly. "How to hate a duck?"
Alec stifffened like a board. "We can't figure out what is going on with Clary, the Mortal Cup, Valentine, and Jocelyn. We do know some things, Warlock Bane."
Magnus let his eyelids half-close. "What's your phone number, Alexander?"
"First, help us with Clary. Then we can exchange numbers." Alec gave a wispy smile.
Magnus shook his head. "I can't, even if I wanted to. The spell is so strong that even the one who put it there"-he pointed at himself-"cannot remove it. I'm sorry, Alexander."
Alec stared at Magnus with a look of betrayal. "You mean to tell me," he began, "that Clary is to deal with her memory-loss for quite longer?"
"If you want to put it that way, I suppose," Magnus replied, studying his glittery fingernails, "yes. Why do you ask?"
Alec ran his fist into the wall. "Magnus Bane! Seriously? Are you freaking retarded? It means that we won't know anything about the mundane! We need to know about her in order to save the freaking world, you idiot!"
Magnus grabbed Alec's shoulders and shook him gently. "Alexander, snap out of it! I can tell you something about Jocelyn."
"What?" Alec said, pricking up.
"She was a Shadowhunter, one of the Circle. Valentine's wife. Her elder son and Valentine's ashes were found around her burned house. Since Valentine is obviously alive, it's quite likely that his son is also alive. Keep watch for him."
Alec let that sink in and slowly nodded. "Right. Thank you, Mr. Bane. I suppose I'd better go now."
Magnus grasped Alec's arm as he brushed past. "Wait," he said. "You promised that we could exchange numbers now. Please, Alexander."
Alec smiled. "821-5546."
Magnus grinned back. "You'll remember mine, right?"
"Of course, Magnus."
Magnus paused. "That's the first time you've actually called me Magnus. It makes me feel good."
"Don't be so anxious, Warlock Bane," Alec scoffed. "What's your number?"
"821-1546. Remember it, Alexander." He grinned at Alec when the blue-eyed Shadowhunter scoffed again.
"See ya, Magnus."
"Friday."
Alec smirked over his shoulder at Magnus as he fled the party for his friends.
Magnus sighed, a stupid smile still on his face.
CHAPTER 2
ALEC LIGHTWOOD
Alec thought long and hard about whether or not to tell his friends and the mundies about the things Magnus told him. He decided to only tell them that Magnus couldn't return Clary's memory and that he had to go to something Friday. The only thing that Alec could think about at the moment, though, was 821-1546. Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn's phone number. Alec paused close to the crowd, watching his friends and the mundies mingle. The boy mundie, or whatever, was dancing with Isabelle, kind of. Isabelle was more of slinking around him, tracing one finger along his chest and back, as though she wanted to drag him into a corner and have sex with him. The mundane was bouncing awkwardly on the balls of his feet. Clary and Jace looked like they were having an argument. Alec felt his jaw stiffen. What right did that human have to come in and steal Jace away from Alec? His sister and parabatai were supposed to be teamed with him. Since Clary came, Izzy, Alec, and Jace hadn't been a team. Alec hated Clary with a passion.
Trying to change his mood, Alec shook his head and stalked lightly and slightly angrily over to his friends. "Let's go," he snapped, jerking his head savagely.
Isabelle looked up from the mundane. "Alec! How was he?"
"It's not like we had eratic sex, Isabelle. He just told me some things. I don't swing that way."
Isabelle's black eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Alexander Gideon Lightwood, you had better shut your mouth now, before I shut it for you!" she warned.
Alec rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Let's go. Magnus wants you guys gone. He told me to come back later, and he'd tell me some more things." Jace smirked and opened his mouth. Alec tossed him a warning look. "Not now, Jace Wayland."
Clary smiled and said, "Giggidy."
Alec gave her a look like he had just stepped in a Ravener demon. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, mundie?"
The boy piped up and said, "It means 'gay' or 'you just said something that could have a sexual reference."
Alec glared at the mundie. "I didn't ask you, human." He tossed his chin at Clary. "I asked that mundane."
Clary cocked an eyebrow at him. "I agree with Simon. It means 'gay' or 'you just said something that could have a sexual reference.' Also, you are annoying."
"Being annoyed is an emotion. Emotions are nothing but a distraction. You are ruled by them. We're taught to control them-"
"And how is that working out for ya?" Clary sneered.
The mundie poked his head around Izzy. "Oooh, you want some IcyHot for that burn?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, mundie."
Izzy placed a hand on the mundane's cheek. "He's basically asking if you want an iratze for that injury. You just got owned, Alec, owned."
Alec was saved from having to answer by spotting Magnus strolling to their group. "I thought," the warlock said as he neared, "that you Nephilim and mundanes went home."
"They were about to. Er . . . Sorry, Warlock Bane," Alec muttered under his breath.
Magnus stared at him cooly, no trace of his former warmth. His golden-green cat eyes looked at Alec as though Alec were just another Shadowhunter, rather than someone that he'd just asked on a date, although the warlock did appear to be holding back. Magnus's supple mouth tightened slightly. "Alec, would you stay after your 'friends' leave for a bit, please?"
"I-I," Alec stuttered, "I, um, don't know." He fiddled with his stele. "Why?"
Magnus took a step closer to Alec. "Just 'cause."
Alec swallowed thickly. "U-um."
Izzy slid away from the mundane, and narrowed her eyes playfully at Magnus. "Why, of course, Mr. Bane. Alec has plenty of time. Hodge doesn't quite expect us back now, so yeah." She smiled sweetly.
"Hmmph. I don't know about your calling me Mr., Miss Lightwood," Magnus grumped. "But whatever! It is time to end this party fashionably!" He turned to the crowd and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Alright, vamps, Seelie, Nephilim, and others! This party is over! Leave glittery, my friends and not-quite-friends!"
The guests grumbled but grudgingly filed out the door. Alec walked his friends and the mundanes over to the door and let them out. By the time he had shut the door and turned around, Magnus was at the top of his spiral staircase. Alec followed him, slowly but surely. Magnus watched him with his cool golden-yellow cat eyes. Alec glanced up at him, then back down.
"It's just the two of us, Alexander," Magnus said, his voice booming out around the empty loft. "You don't have to be afraid to look at me."
"I'm not afraid!" Alec snapped. "I just don't think that you're all that interesting."
Magnus half-lowered his lids and raised an eyebrow. "You've never been on a date or kissed a person, have you, Alexander?"
Alec felt as though his chest was going to explode. "H-how do you know that?"
"I have my ways." Magnus beckoned the Shadowhunter with his finger. "Come to the sitting room, or what I like to say to please guests, the parlor."
"You have a parlor?" Alec scoffed. "Never would have guessed that a warlock in Brooklyn would have a parlor in their apartment. Do you serve tea in there too?"
"Yes, sometimes. Would you like some?"
"Sure, whatever."
The warlock swirled his fingers in the air and two steaming cups appeared with the Java Jones symbols on them. Alec picked one of the cups up gingerly. "Did you steal these?"
Magnus ignored his question. "I really don't know why I had you stay behind. Maybe because I . . . I don't know, I wanted to give you your first kiss. Would you like that, Alexander?"
Alec pretended his heart didn't beat faster. "You know," he said, abruptly changing the subject, "you come off as a really cold person, Magnus."
Magnus folded his arms, which did good things to his biceps. "Please, sit." He gestured vaguely at a small couch.
Alec sat.
CHAPTER THREE
MAGNUS BANE
Magnus didn't understand the young Shadowhunter. He burned hot and cold. He didn't often seem like a Lightwood. Right now, he was eyeing Magnus's folded arms, mainly his biceps. Magnus could guess why. He unfolded his arms. Alec's blue eyes became pouty but he quickly masked it.
"So, Alexander," Magnus began.
"So, Magnus," Alec replied mockingly.
"Sassy. Would you like for me to give you your first kiss?"
Alec picked at his shirt hem. "You are quite direct. I'm noticing many different things about you, Sire."
"Don't call me sire. It makes it sound like I'm your father, which I'm not." Magnus sat near Alec. "Would you, Alexander?"
Alec scooted away slightly. "Why?"
"Why? Because. Because. Just because, because, because."
"Magnus." Alec was suddenly still.
"Yeah?"
"Why?" Alec said the word so quietly that Magnus almost couldn't hear him.
"Didn't I tell you why?"
"WHY DO YOU LIKE ME? WHY, MAGNUS BANE, WHY?" Alec was shouting at Magnus, his head turned at the perfect angle, his mouth open, eyes full of anguish.
Magnus leaned forward and gave Alec a quick peck on the cheek, rather than take advantage of the eighteen-year-old. Alec froze, his mouth still agape. "I have my reasons," Magnus murmured against his crush's cheek.
"Magnus . . ." Alec whispered. "I should . . . go." Magnus was happy to hear the disappointment in his voice.
"Yeah . . . I'll walk you out. C'mon."
Magnus stood up, his movements graceful like a cat's. He held out a hand for Alec and the boy hesitated for only a split second before taking Magnus's hand and standing up, noticeably less graceful than the warlock. Alec's face was brilliant red. He let his hand linger in Magnus's for a second longer than needed. He pulled it back and strode to Magnus's heavy door.
Stepping into the hallway, Magnus suddenly turned and pulled Alec against him. Alec let out a faint sound of surprise, as Magnus's lips found his, that quickly turned into a sound of pleasure. Magnus led the kiss, with Alec trying his hardest to keep up. Without delving deeper than Alec's lips, Magnus pulled back.
"There," he murmured against Alec's cheek. "That's your first kiss."
Alec turned on his heel and walked wobbily over to the staircase. He suddenly whipped back around and pulled Magnus by his shirt against himself. Magnus felt his eyes fly wide with surprise as Alec kissed him hard on the lips, sloppy and messy and unpracticed, but with everything he had. Magnus pulled back quickly and Alec grinned. The Shadowhunter turned and . . . tripped on the top stair. He tumbled down and Magnus quickly slid back into his apartment. That was something a man had to endure on his own.
CHAPTER FOUR
ALEC LIGHTWOOD
Great, just great, Alec thought as he rubbed a rug burn on his elbow. To finally get his first kiss and then to fall down a set of stairs. Magnus probably thought that Alec was a clumsy freak now.
Alec realized with the rational part of his mind that Magnus probably didn't think he was a clumsy freak but he was most likely laughing inside his loft, but he couldn't quite grasp onto that thought. As he descended, he felt his phone buzz and instinctively pulled it out.
are u okay? :)
Oh, Angel. Magnus's number flashed on the screen. Alec hesitated for a minute or two then quickly typed a reply.
yeah, i'm okay. a rug burn or two but those will heal.
sorry i didn't help you. i thought that was something a man had to endure on his own.
salright, i'll live.
hopefully, bc we have a date friday.
yeah, that :)
*blushes*'
ha, well i gtg, otherwise izzy will wonder who i'm texting and also jace.
probably the mundies too, but they're only mundanes.
clary's not a mundane. just remember that, alexander
she's not?
nope, bye, alexander
um, bye?
Alec sighed and leaned against a wall. He felt utterly torn apart. Now he knew that Clary was lying to them for sure. What a stupid human would want to do with the Nephilim, Alec didn't know. Maybe she was working for Valentine. A long stretch but Alec was willing to go that far.