First Fanfiction! I hope you enjoy it! (No copyright intended, all characters belong to Cassandra Clare)

CASTLES MADE OF SAND, CHAPTER TWELVE

This Boy

"That boy took my love away, He'll regret it someday,
But this boy wants you back again. This boy,
this boy, this boy."

"Sex. Basic life function, used mainly for the purpose of reproduction -in which I hope each and every one of you abides to..." Hodge took a deep breath, and shook his head; the glasses on the bridge of his nose sat unevenly. "Abstinence is key. I can't stress that to you kids enough. Sex at this age, leads to destroyed feelings, mangled hearts, and unwanted complications." He continued to express the importance of sex with the class, although for the most part, everyone had tuned themselves out while he talked; and Alec, being Alec, shifted uncomfortably in his green lab stool. Alec was slumped forward onto the black top of his and Magnus' lab desk -trying desperately not to glance at Magnus from the corner of his eye.

Alec could almost sense Magnus watching him, with steady yellow-green eyes, waiting patiently for Alec to give in. It was menacing, and set Alec on edge for the record. He battled with himself internally, he could either, turn and catch Magnus' eye, but that would only bring an immense amount of embarrassment for him -or he could stay as he was, his eyes trained in front of him. Both ways, he wasn't winning. "Even if I warn you kids about the different scenarios that can arise -I know basically 90 percent of the students in this classroom, are going to have sex anyways. So," Hodge squatted down on the balls of his feet, and rummaged through boxes and paper under his lab work table at the front of the classroom. Upon standing up, Hodge held a medium sized cardboard box in his hands, he fixed his glasses on the bridge of his nose, and took a deep sigh, almost as if what he was about to do was deeply troubling. "I am going to pass this box around to all of you. Just take one, and I mean it, one. It is a precautionary step, of the school, that I must give these out. Then we are going to go on and talk about safe sex."

Alec watched as the pale brown cardboard box was shuffled across the rows of people. Each student quickly taking something from its contents, and snickering to the person beside them. It was frustrating sitting at the exact back of class, and having the faintest clue as to what could be in there. He had his suspicions however, and was praying that they weren't right.

When the box had finally made its way to Magnus and Alec's lab bench, Magnus reached inside and took out the contents: Condoms. What Alec had been expecting and likewise dreading. It was as if, this day was full of embarrassment for Alec. The box was split into four sections: A section for extra small, small, large and extra large. Alec couldn't help but note that Magnus grabbed a handful of extra large gold foiled square packages; and when he passed the box to Alec, he gulped back the painful embarrassment that rose within him. His cheeks flushed hotly, as if he suddenly burst into flames.

"It's never a bad thing to be overly prepared," Magnus whispered with a wink, that Alec could see from the corner of his right eye. Alec weakly smiled, nodded his head, and straightened his back in discomfort. He quickly swiped a large gold package out of the box, and shoved the box forward to the bleach blonde girl in front of them. Not daring to say anything to Magnus; let alone look at him again. "What? You don't agree with me?" Magnus mused, stretching his torso forward, so his elbows rested on the table top, just shy of Alec's. The shrill coldness of Magnus' skin wafted off of him in waves of frost, tickling the smooth fine hairs along Alec's forearm. He was so close, that Alec cold smell all the different scents of Magnus; some type of berry soap, mint, and a faint sheen of sweat.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Alec nearly whispered, hanging his head low, between his braud shoulders. Seemingly that was his go-to move as of late.

"Keep doing what, Alexander?" Magnus tilted his head quizzically towards Alec, practically forcing him to stare into those intoxicating yellow-green cat eyes. Alec swung around in his chair, determined to hold a shred of composure in front of Magnus. He should be able to do this -there wasn't any reason that he was unable to. Yes, Magnus was intimidating, and oh so confident -which wasn't something hard to miss. But Alec could be the exact same way, if he truly put his mind to it. Besides, it was a bit easier without the presence of Magnus' friends around them; it was this added weight that lifted instantly when he was only with Magnus.

"Acting as if we are friends. I don't know you, you don't know me. And quite frankly, after yesterday I thought you wouldn't want to get to know me." Alec bit the inside of his left cheek hard, starring blankly into Magnus' unrelenting eyes; as Hodge continued to talk about today's lesson about safe sex.

"Like I said before, I don't dwell on trivial things. Are we going to have to rewind, and do introductions again? Hello I'm -"

"No. Really, it's fine." Alec cut him off, and twisted back around in his seat to focus on Hodge. His head was turned even more so, so that he wiped out even the faintest image of shimmering glitter, thick black hair, and tawny smooth skin. Hodge went on to talk about different diseases, which quite readily freaked Alec out, and about ways to prevent them from happening -abstinence being the main vocabulary used, in exactly ever sentence Hodge uttered. Really, that wouldn't be much of a problem for Alec. He was a seventeen year old virgin, which was not that big of a deal in his head -he wasn't looking to save himself for marriage, but rather for that one person that it just felt right to do it with. It was definitely not because he was frigid like Magnus had suggested; he would gladly jump someones bones in a heart beat -that is, if that person meant a great deal to him.

Now, if Jace or Isabelle had known he was a virgin, he would have been mocked for countless hours. Jace had a track record of covertly seducing the many beautiful girls in their school back home, and as much as Alec didn't want to think about it, Isabelle had her own record too. Hodge finished talking, and prodded the class to begin working on their 'getting to know your partner' project again -Alec groaned, knowing there was absolutely no way to weasel his way out of talking to Magnus. There was only two reasons Alec relentlessly wanted to avoid the mere presence of Magnus at the present moment: One, Magnus was disastrously confident, which set Alec on a shallow edge of nerves, being as fatally opposite as he was. And two, the thought of Magnus sent warm tingling tremors along the planes of his body -a feeling he both hated and loved. Magnus' voice; low, mused and musky -his body; lean, tall, and faintly muscled -his eyes; a blazing disarray of the summer marshes reflecting bright glints of yellow sun rays -All, of these qualities caused a random heat of electricity to flow through Alec continuously.

Breathless silent moments passed between Magnus and Alec again. Everyone around them fell into a pattern of asking questions, and answering -easing into the prospect of getting to know their lab partners.

"I like the color yellow." Magnus timidly said, catching Alec's attention instantaneously, after a couple of minutes. "Well, actually a canary type of yellow to be specific." Alec smiled to himself, remembering that, that question was what started their hateful and or scornful banter the previous day. "How about you, lovely?" Magnus hummed, and tapped the tip of his pencil atop his note book -which was still covered with scattered extra large condoms -the soft almost silent beat he was making held an enormous amount of rhythm; a slow mournful rhythm that is. Even his humming had a specific harmony to it, that matched the tapping of his pencil. It was almost as if, the sound his pencil was making, was intended for a different form of instrument -one that held power, but at the same time, resistance.

"Uhh, black probably." Alec shrugged, his lake blue eyes still trained on Magnus' pencil. "You play an instrument don't you?" He gestured with his own ball point pen, to Magnus' pencil, which was bounding up and down in regal waves. Magnus instantly stopped his absent minded tapping, and dropped his pencil as if it were something to be ashamed of.

"And why would you think that?" His thick eyebrows furrowed together, dipping low to his eyes -which were filled with contemplative thoughts. Or at least, in Alec's observations, that is what he concluded.

"The melody you were making, an-and the way you held your pencil so... I don't know, delicately? Between your fingers as you did so." Alec was still subjective to stuttering, "I'm betting drums or piano. Most likely pia -"

"I don't play anything." He dismissively interrupted Alec. "I guess I just have a keen sense of rhythm." Magnus said, as his cat eyes wavered and dilated substantially. Shivers ran along Alec's arms. How the hell could he dilate his eyes, that way? It was nevertheless fascinating, and captivating -causing Alec to lean closer, wanting to get a better look at those eyes. Magnus raised his eyebrow in question as their faces inched closer to one another, but Alec didn't take notice -completely mesmerized. Their faces were so close, that their breath mingled hotly with one another -Magnus' smelling of sweet spearemint, and Alec's hot cinnamon. "Do you play anything, lovely?"

"Why do you keep calling me lovely?" Alec squared his expression; snapping to attention, and shifted back from Magnus. His cheeks flamed with subtle embarrassment. "And yeah, I play the guitar." He sheepishly answered, as an after thought.

"Mmm, I don't know. It just suits you." Magnus half-smiled, his lips quirking up to the left corner. "Let me guess, you're into bands like Iron Maiden, Soundgarden, and... Nirvana?" Magnus quirked his eyebrow again. It seemed to Alec, that Magnus' eyebrows had a mind of their own -they moved in extremely suggestive manors.

"How does it suit me? I would prefer you called me Alec..." He sighed. "And, yes, yes and yes. I'm surprised you could guess my favourite bands without really knowing me." Alec offered a weak, ginger, smile to Magnus. He softened his eyes, easing into talking to Magnus; without the hostility, of the Biology class the day before.

"You're one of those predictable at ease classic rock type of guys, in my mind." He shifted his stool closer to Alec, their knees bumping together. "Dare to prove me wrong Alexander?" Magnus asked haughtily, an eager smirk played at his lush lips. If lips could be dazzling, Magnus had that trait down -Alec could stare at them for hours, if he let him, and if Alec wasn't an extremely self-conscience person. They were luscious, full and seductive; the corners were slightly raised into a permanent semi-smile, and the color a vibrant tan pink shade.

"I'm definitely not at ease," Alec whispered to himself really, his eyes falling slack to the image in front of him, but Magnus had caught what he had said, again giving Alec a dubious glance. Alec held his hand up, and gestured to his face, creating an air circle with his finger to outline it. "Sailors blush," he added, knowing there was no way to beat around the bush. "I'll always have it,"

"Both a curse, and a blessing." Magnus fluttered his thick eyelashes for a brief moment.

"How so?" Alec bit the right corner of his bottom lip; and watched as the yellow in Magnus eyes, turned to a darker shade of amber. Magnus took a deep sharp intake of breath, as if he was attempting to restrain himself from something. His chest, which was greatly showed off by the deep v-neck of his electric indigo shirt, rose and fell unsteadily.

"Because, I'll know when you are embarrassed." Magnus smiled briefly to himself, "and because it compliments your skin, oh so well," Magnus purred. Alec gulped at his uncertainty, and again turned in his seat to stare straight at the front of the room, to where the dark black boards met his gaze. His face got hot, not because he was embarrassed, but definitely for a whole other reason, which he much rather hide from someone like Magnus...

"Uhh, what's your kind of music?" He still stared in front of himself, not wanting to know, what locking eyes with Magnus once again, could entail on his body -on his mind -on his emotions. Magnus' eyes determined everything for Alec in that moment, which quite readily annoyed the hell out of Alec -mainly because of the fact that he would let himself be affected by Magnus in this way.

"Classical. Mozart, Beethoven, Henry Purcell, Franz Danzi." He began to list of the names of people Alec had never heard before; other than Beethoven and Mozart. "But then again, I am one for clubbing music, and gritty, dirty, beats." The way Magnus subjected his voice to utter the word, dirty, sent heat running freely along Alec's skin -pure unadulterated heat, rather than the sweet shivers Magnus voice usually gave him.

"You have to play the piano, I just know it." Alec began to smile gingerly, attempting to change the tone and mood their conversation was beginning to lean into.

"Mmm, nope." Magnus said, the smile dissipated from Alec's face readily. "So, tell me about your family." They continued to flip back and forth between topics. Alec couldn't complain, because it always set them up for continuing -rather than awkward silence.

"My mom, Maryse just started working for Clary's father, and well your dad. But you already knew that..." Alec squared his shoulders. "Robert -that's my dad, he just got into town yesterday actually,"

"Where was he?" Magnus pried. Alec gulped loudly, and clasped his lips tightly together, his eyes darting wildly to different corners of the room, avoiding Magnus' dominating glower.

"Uhh, th-that doesn't matter." He replied, gnawing on his bottom lip; and as he did so, he noticed Magnus shutter faintly. "Jace is my adoptive brother, and Iz is my baby sister -I don't know if you've met her yet. Will has..." Alec muttered the last statement to himself, low enough for Magnus not to hear. He felt anger seep into his skin, and boil within him, at the thought of William and Isabelle even talking. "What about you?"

"No siblings. My fathers name is Gerald, and my mothers name was Palmer." Magnus answered quickly, getting to the point within a blink of an eye. One thing however caught Alec's attention in his fast explanation...

"Was?" Alec tilted his head to the side, his expression confused and wondering. Magnus had said, was, for his mothers name. That implied, that she was gone. Did it not? Magnus didn't even seem to flinch. His face was calm and hard, unnerving, and his eyes unwavering and steely. The only change in Magnus, that Alec could detect, was the way he absently fiddle with the hem of his shirt, straightening the edges out perfectly -a quirk that could indicate nervousness for most people. But Alec highly doubted Magnus was nervous; it just didn't suit his demeanor.

A second later the last bell rang, giving Magnus solace -not having to reply to Alec's questioning. Both Magnus and Alec packed their bags slower than usual, for whatever reason, they were both unaware of. Magnus having to swipe his handful of condoms into his black backpack, and Alec sheepishly stuffing his single condom into his back pocket. Magnus began to make his way down the isle, flanked by rows and rows of now empty black lab benches, he partially twirled his body to face Alec again, and upon doing so started to walk backwards, not bothering to know if anything was in his way. "See you tonight Alexander." He winked, his dark lashes creating a spidery shadow atop his cheeks; just before retreating out of the door.

Alec froze, and stared at the door Magnus had just left moments ago, incredulous to how well the day actually turned out to be.

A/N: Keep in mind that Magnus chooses to keep things about himself hidden from Alec (such as the fact he actually does play the piano) on purpose. Everything and anything has a reason behind it (: This was another one of those insanely short chapters that started out as 1,700 words (i-ka-rumba) but thankfully, I took the extra time and effort to revise a bunch a things, and add a bit more dialogue into it. (Still -sorry for the five day wait!)
The dinner scene won't be in the next chapter, but the one after the next one after that. (Holy chiz that was confusing, eh?) Remember, this story will be long, and is meant to play out as a normal and natural timeline of their lives. Yes there will be times when it is 'two days later', but still, I like to create a sense of verisimilitude in my writing.

Review, because it makes me happy, and spurs me to continue on.
Let's get it to 100!

Amber,