Espérons Inutile

A Mortal Instruments Fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own Mortal Instruments. Any familiar names, places, etc. are property of Cassandra Clare.

Chapter 10: Ma belle erreur

"Believe it or not, I do have your best interests at heart and I don't want you screwing yourself over."

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you are. You're dating an engaged man! What's even worse is that you're sort of friends with his fiancée. How does that not get to you?" Izzy gave Alec another sceptical glare. "Does that not get to you at all?"

Alec sighed, knowing that Isabelle would be going at this for a very long time. That day had been very long and eventful, and, as it turned out, Isabelle had gotten to talking with Mireia. After getting to know her pretty well, it seemed that Isabelle had been granted full rights to be furious with Alec.

It wasn't as though it didn't get to him. He's felt so guilty the first time he met her. Alec remembered how he'd spent nearly every night for three weeks with Miguel, and suddenly he had a fiancée. That had really gotten to Alec. It shot through his core knowing what he was doing. It was the one time he had known what he was doing with Haal and Miguel was wrong and he told Miguel he wanted to end it. Miguel was the one who convinced him that he shouldn't be worried. It felt so wrong, but Alec just let it keep on going. And now, after years of sneaking around Mireia's back, Alec was now over most of the guilt that came with this territory.

"It does, but…" Alec sighed, unable to finish one thought today. "I can't even bring myself to feel guilty about Haal and Miguel, Izzy. Did you really think this was going to be different?"

She stared at him, stunned. "Do you honestly feel that way? Because if you do, I don't know you at all."

Alec winced at her words. "I don't know how I feel. Sorry, but that's the truth."

Isabelle closed her eyes, as though she was trying to clear her head. "Have we had that conversation about how I don't know the person you've become now?"

Alec frowned, mocking consideration. "I think so… maybe… I'm not sure. Probably not, but I see where you're coming from."

"Okay."

Alec sighed as she turned away from him, busying herself in the paperwork in front of her. Yes, he did know where she was coming from and he understood completely why she should be upset. He could barely connect with her anymore, despite several attempts at trying. Maybe he'd been fooling himself for the past few days. He'd thought they were reconnecting, but maybe he was wrong. It was almost ironic. As his relationship with his family was falling apart again…

"Magnus asked me out," Alec said plainly. He wasn't sure what reaction to expect from Isabelle, so he was sort of surprised when she jumped in shock.

"Are you serious?" she asked him sceptically. He nodded and she said, "Alec, that's… wait, what did you say?"

Alec smirked slightly, keeping her in suspense for a few seconds before he answered. "I said yes, but only as friends."

Isabelle snorted, though she was starting to look happier. "Bull. But I'm glad you're going out with him again. Where are you going?"

"I don't know," Alec said honestly. He wanted to ask, but a part of him was too scared to go up and ask Magnus about it. It made it feel more real. It was much easier to pretend he was ready for this date if he didn't think of it as real. In his mind, it was nothing more than a fantasy. He tried to remember it as a dream. He had dreamed Magnus had asked him out. Thinking like that calmed him down until he remembered that it wasn't a dream. He really was going out with Magnus tomorrow night… as friends.

But was it really? Magnus would probably spend the entire time trying to get Alec to fall for him again. If Alec was feeling particularly weak, or if Magnus pulled out some alcohol, he would fall for Magnus again. Alec was truly terrified to admit it even to himself, but he knew that he could fall in love with Magnus again if he let himself. He wasn't entirely sure if he was even over Magnus at all, and he was so scared of finding out if he did or not. He wanted so desperately t cancel it, but a part of him still wanted to do it. And it was too late to back out anyways…

"Say you and Magnus get back together," Isabelle started, but Alec could almost see where that conversation would go right away.

"We won't get back together."

Isabelle frowned at him. "It's a possibility, Alec. Don't give me that look. You know it's true. If you do get back together, what will you do about the other two?"

Alec sighed. He didn't want to think about it, but he knew what was right. If he did fall for Magnus, which was likely, he would have to let go. Whenever he thought about it, it was Haal he felt sorry for. It was partially why he was still dating Haal; he wasn't sure what would hurt Haal more, having Alec treat him cruelly for about a quarter of the time they were together or breaking it off with him once and for all. Either way, Haal deserved better.

"I'll probably end it," he admitted, though he took that moment to look Izzy hard in the eye. "Though I'm not going to fall for Magnus if I can help it."

He received nothing but an incredulous silence from Isabelle, which he let be. He didn't care what she thought of this now. After a few minutes of silence, Isabelle spoke.

"At least you don't have the sunburn anymore," said Isabelle. "That would be really hot for your date."

"It's not a date."

To that, Isabelle gave him a sceptical look. "Do you honestly believe, that Alec?"

Alec scowled. It was like she was reading his mind!

"No. But I won't let it get that far. You can count on it."

-Break-

Alec hit the ground. Hard. Right on the huge, growing puddle. It did not help that a huge wave of water immediately landed on him, soaking him in all the places the puddle had missed. He spat out the water in his mouth, absently thinking about the various diseases he could get from drinking this water.

He'd done a lot of thinking about Haal and Miguel since Magnus had asked him out. He was thinking of this… outing as some sort of test he had to prepare for. He was wondering how he would feel afterwards, not totally sure whether he would fall for Magnus or not. Would Magnus really leave him alone? Or would he continue to try to get close to Alec? And then of course, what if Alec couldn't help himself?

He couldn't imagine it. Being with Magnus again… Alec didn't even know if he could go back to the way they'd been before. All the memories of their previous dates together, conversations; all of it felt so unreal now. That was what was getting to Alec. He'd spent five years trying to get over Magnus and forget about the time they had been together for. Alec had no idea what he would do if he accepted the option to go back to all of that. He didn't know if he could go back to that.

Magnus was right, in a way. Alec wasn't completely happy, dating Haal and sneaking around with Miguel. On the other hand, Alec had always been happy with Magnus. Even when Magnus was slowly pulling away from him, Alec only had to imagine that he was still close to Magnus or that Magnus still loved him, and he felt happy and satisfied. Maybe happy was overrated. Alec didn't need to be happy, as he'd experience firsthand how hard you fell when it ended. And he knew that it would end at some point. Regardless, happy was over. He didn't need it to live.

That was all Alec needed. He just had to feel his own pulse, slow while he thought to himself or fast with adrenaline after a fight. Feeling emotions, now that he did not need.

He didn't have to get upset at Haal, who was laughing his ass off at Alec, who was now soaked to the bone. Alec glared at him.

"It wasn't that funny."

Haal was still chortling as he walked over. He at least had the heart to help Alec to his feet. "Come on, Alec. You look like a wet rat."

Alec huffed and rolled his eyes, not annoyed in the slightest. He actually preferred it when Haal wasn't acting totally smitten. It made him seem less… well, Alec at least had the heart not to think pathetic, because it certainly wasn't that. "Oh, shut up."

"Fine, fine," Haal laughed. "I'll grab you some towels."

Alec was shaking his head to try and get the water off when Haal came back up again. Alec heard the laughing and decided to jump at Haal. It was a fast motion, and Alec grabbed him, hugging him tightly and getting Haal soaked in the process. Haal was still laughing, and he managed to tell Alec to get off. Of course, Alec had hugged him willingly, so Haal wouldn't refuse it. Alec eventually pulled away to get one of the towels Haal had brought up. At least they were still dry. Sort of.

"You know I love it out here," Haal called to him. "But if this wind keeps up, we're going have to go in."

Alec moaned. "It's not that bad."

"You're soaked," Haal said flatly. Alec raised an eyebrow, causing Haal to roll his eyes. "I won't have you freezing out here."

"You keep me warm," Alec said firmly. It wasn't seductive in any way, but it wasn't a playful joke. It probably was just so he could stay out on the boat for longer, but Alec was finding himself more willing than usual to be kind to Haal. Haal looked surprised, but they both knew that he wouldn't last long.

He came over to Alec and wrapped his arms around him, letting Alec tuck his head beneath Haal's chin. It really was a lot warmer… and if he turned his neck in just the right way, he could still see the mid morning sun glittering off of the water.

Alec tried to imagine himself just staying with Haal. It could be like this… for how long though? That was the thing; he could never think too far ahead with him and Haal. It just ruined whatever Alec felt at the time, because he couldn't really think about staying with Haal for the rest of his life.

"Just wait," Haal mumbled softly into Alec's hair. "Now we're both going to freeze to death out here."

"What a shame." Alec placed his chin on Haal's chest and looked up into his eyes, grinning.

"They're right. Only the good die young," Haal said sadly. Alec snorted, starting to laugh as much as Haal had just been. Haal frowned as Alec started giggling like a maniac. Alec couldn't help himself, burying his face in Haal's neck. "Ouch, Alec."

"No," Alec tried to explain, thought it was hard when he was still laughing. "You're good, but me…" and Alec erupted into another fit of giggles.

"Alec," said Haal, shocked. "You're a good person-"

"No, I'm not," Alec insisted. At least he'd stopped laughing, but he couldn't keep a smile off his face. "You're a good person, Haal. I just hope you don't die young."

"Alec," Haal said firmly. "Neither of us will die young."

"Ooh, we're naughty boys-"

"Hey!" said Haal, laughing with Alec now. "We won't die young and we're good people."

"Well, well, look at you Haal. Honest, kind, sexy, brilliant," Alec said as he pulled away from Haal to lean against the rail. He turned back to look at Haal. "And modest."

"How much do you wanna bet there's a law against drinking while boating?" Haal asked Alec. Alec rolled his eyes.

"Fine," he said overdramatically. "Take the boat in… and we will mysteriously find a case of vodka in the cabin."

He heard Haal laughing as he headed over to the steering wheel. "Seriously, Alec, do you want to head out to a bar tonight?"

Alec felt something deep inside him twinge with guilt. "I can't. Family thing."

"I understand," Haal called. Alec was feeling a lot more guilt now, and he had to remind himself repeatedly that it was just as friends. He was not going on an actual date with Magnus. He wasn't.

Alec walked up to where Haal was situated. He carefully took in the sun reflecting off of his wet hair and skin, and Alec wondered again what would be so wrong with being with Haal. He knew that he had his reasons, but he didn't want to feel them now. He wanted to get in a good mood so he'd be ready for a long night of refusing Magnus. Because he would refuse him.

So Alec stepped a little closer to Haal and started singing.

"Come out, Virginia, don't let me wait. You Catholic girls start much too late."

Haal turned, smiling, though he did look as though he thought Alec was crazy.

"Oh, but sooner or later it comes down to fate. I might as well be the one."

Haal laughed and sang: "Well they showed you a statue, told you to pray, built you a temple and locked you away."

As he sang, he pulled Alec's wrist and spun his around, eventually dipping close to the ground. Alec found himself clinging to Haal to keep himself from falling. Meanwhile, Haal continued the verse.

"Aw, but they never told you the price that you pay, the things that you might have done…"

And together:

"Only the good die young."

-Break-

"You showed." Magnus sounded surprised. Alec sighed, forcing himself to look up from the floor.

"I told you I would." The sun was setting now, casting a faint orange glow over the front steps of the Institute. That added to the fact that he had been worrying in his room for the past four hours was making Alec very restless. He carefully took in Magnus' appearance; there was plenty of glitter involved, along with a bright array of cool colours, which contrasted noticeably with the sun. Magnus took in his appearance now, smiling.

"And here I was reminiscing about those old sweaters of yours," he said. Alec rolled his eyes.

"I haven't worn those in ages," he said dryly. He could've easily predicted the smirk on Magnus' face when he said that, but he could see that that genuinely surprised Magnus. Not that Magnus was complaining about the blue jeans and three quarter sleeved shirt he was wearing. "So where are we going?"

Magnus grinned. "I remembered you preferred when I kept things simple, so it's just a picnic." Alec actually grinned, raising an eyebrow. Magnus nodded, showing him the basket he'd been hiding behind him. Alec chuckled.

"A picnic? How unoriginal."

"Don't mock it yet," Magnus insisted playfully. "I haven't even told you where we're picnicking."

Alec sighed. "Okay where are we picnicking?"

"Now that's a surprise."

"Magnus-" Alec began, trying to explain that he didn't want to put up with a ton of Magnus' bullshit tonight.

"Alec, please, you just have to wait for a little bit," and with that, Magnus pulled him over to the courtyard on the left side of the Institute. Alec huffed when they stopped, already getting annoyed.

"What-"

"Alec, we're not having a picnic here," Magnus said. "If I had to pick such an unoriginal idea, I get to choose where we're going."

"You could still tell-" Alec tried to say, but Magnus turned at him, placing a finger to his lips, then turned towards the courtyard wall and began chanting something. Alec sighed, looking around to make sure no one was looking. He already knew that no one would be looking, but he felt the need to distance himself from Magnus a little more. After his morning outing with Haal, he was feeling more and more uncomfortable about this thing with Magnus.

After a minute or so, Magnus turned around. "It's done."

Alec turned to look at him, only to blink at the sight of the portal Magnus had conjured up. Alec opened his mouth, then closed it, not knowing what to say. Eventually, he said, "Where is it? Hawkesbury valley? Parramatta? Cabramatta?"

"You know," said Magnus. "That I am much more unique than that." He gestured with his hand for Alec to come closer. As soon as Alec was right beside him, Magnus grabbed his left hand and placed something in it.

Alec frowned as he looked down at the… well, he didn't know what it was. It was small and wooden, so the closest he could get was a toothpick.

"Now Alec," said Magnus. "You have to hold that in front of you, and when I tell you to, drop it."

"Why?"

"Because I am going to do some tricky multi-tasking." With that said, Magnus took Alec's other hand and held it tightly. He turned to look at Alec, grinning. "Ready?"

"Maybe."

And they stepped towards the portal. Alec felt the world rush by him as the portal swept him up. He felt the familiar sensation of falling, although this time it was accompanied with a bit of worry; he had absolutely no idea where Magnus was heading. Out of nowhere, he felt blast of warm air hit him and, suddenly, he really was falling. He heard Magnus shout something, and Alec remembered just in time to drop the piece of wood. He shut his eyes, afraid to look where they would land-

He hit the ground with a loud thump. It reminded him of when he'd fallen earlier that day, when he'd fallen onto the deck of his boat and he'd set the whole thing rocking. Well, as soon as he hit the ground now, he felt himself being rocked. As though he was on the water…

He glared up at Magnus, who was sitting cross-legged on the other side of the small boat.

"What. The-"

"Alec," Magnus said softly. "Look around."

He did. And he was amazed. He and Magnus were sitting on a small wooden gondola in the middle of a long, winding river. It shimmered in the soft light of the sun (which was barely managing to penetrate through the cool mist that covered everything), reflecting the emerald of the foliage around it. The river itself was calm, and he could see tiny fish moving within, darting away as soon as the boat got too close. Alec turned to his left to see a large patch of bushes beside the river… and an alligator sitting beneath them. He was in too much awe to wonder about the strength of the boat.

And then there were the hills… Were they even hills? They looked like mountains, except they were far too small to be mountains. They were like huge, jagged, moss green teeth extruding from the ground.

And it was breathtaking. Alec couldn't help but be stunned by his surroundings. He sat back in his side of the boat, and forced himself to look away from the scenery.

"Where-"

"We're on the Yangtze River, in China. This area is part of the city Guilin, though the city itself is a little way up the river."

Alec grinned. "You didn't like the other continent we were on?"

"Are you saying you don't like this?" Magnus asked with raised eyebrows. Alec laughed quietly, unwilling to break the calm silence that hung over the river.

"I love this," Alec said calmly. "Thank you."

Magnus smiled too. "I'm glad you like it." And suddenly the air was thick, and Alec felt that compulsion to move closer and closer to Magnus. "Oh! We can't forget the food," Magnus said, and the moment was quickly broken.

Magnus placed the basket in front of Alec, who moved forward to look inside before Magnus could actually take it out. Alec didn't know what he'd been expecting, but when he saw what was in the bag, he looked up at Magnus with a shocked look on his face. Magnus just shrugged.

Alec closed his eyes. It was Magnus. What else should he expect?

And so, Alec reached in and pulled a fully prepared, piping hot dish of food from the basket. He could easily recognize the dish he had selected; Niupai ganguo, or griddle cooked beef steak. He breathed in the delicious aroma, staring hungrily at the pieces of meat mixed in with vegetables and noodles. He was tempted to just dig in, but he waited for Magnus to hand him the fork before attacking the dish. At first, he was simply amazed by the delicious flavour. After a few bites, he was able to recognize, his culinary experience kicking in, the tastes of chili, cassia bark, and fennel, all a part of the spicy steak that he would not have been able to get back in New York.

He'd finished about half of his meal before he looked up at Magnus, who was alternating between looking out at the water and eating his own meal of Zongzi (Traditional Chinese rice pudding) at a much slower pace. Alec mimicked him, looking out at the beautiful scene around him. This was the kind of thing he'd be sacrificing if he settled for Haal.

Damn… there were so many things that were wrong with that sentence. But it was true. He'd be settling for Haal, accepting that the best date he could offer was a trip to the beach or a very elegant restaurant. Well, there was always the boat. And, of course, that challenged everything Alec had solidified since he came to Sydney. He loved going out on the boat with Haal, but with Haal, everything else was planned out, predictable. Unlike with Magnus, he would never be taken somewhere completely random for their dates. A date with Haal would probably remain on the Australian continent.

"Can I ask you something?" Alec said, breaking the silence. Magnus turned to him, nodding. Alec opened his mouth to continue, but froze as he saw the dim sunlight glinting in Magnus' eyes. Alec took a deep breath… and chickened out. "Were you born in China? Or somewhere in Europe…?"

Magnus paused before answering, as though he knew Alec had meant to say something else. "No," he eventually said. "I mean, I was born in Spain."

Alec blinked in faint surprise. "Oh."

"I'm not surprised you'd think that," Magnus said. "This place does suit me," and with that said, Magnus whipped out an oriental fan. He placed it just below is eyes, fluttering flirtatiously. Alec smiled, unable to help himself.

"So you've been here before?" he asked casually.

Magnus grinned as he pulled the fan away. "A few times… each one better than the last." Alec carefully lowered his eyes again, feeling a slight blush staining his cheeks, though he had no idea was he was even blushing. "It's my turn to ask a question," Magnus said.

Alec looked up, ready for anything.

"Have you slept with the weatherman?"

Except that. Alec looked out at the water, his face fully red now. "I really don't see why you need to know that."

"Curiosity," Magus said simply. He waited, Alec's blush only getting worse. Eventually, Alec realized Magnus wasn't going to give up on this answer, so Alec simply nodded his head once.

"My turn," Alec said, still awkward and blushing from Magnus' question. "Did you honestly know I was in Sydney?"

There was complete silence. Alec looked up at him, confident that most of his blush was retreating. Magnus didn't exactly look angry, but he didn't look pleased with the question.

"I had no idea where you were," Magnus said firmly, looking Alec in the eye. "Isabelle simply came to me one day and insisted that we go to Sydney, Australia. She just said she thought we'd find a lead there. We didn't have anything to lose, so we went there."

There was a heavy pause before Alec spoke.

"I saw him." Magnus frowned in question. "Celior," Alec confirmed. "I saw him."

Magnus looked as though he'd been frozen. He simply stared at Alec for a moment, then said, "Why didn't you say anything? We could have-"

"Magnus," interrupted Alec. "It was in a dream."

Magnus looked confused, but Alec interrupted him before he could speak, deciding that he didn't want to talk about it.

"Can we talk about something else?" Alec asked, keeping his voice neutral, but silently pleading for Magnus to let him change the topic. Thankfully, Magnus obliged, and proceeded to tell Alec of Chairman Meow's ("Yes, he's still alive.") latest excursion. Within minutes, Alec was laughing, all weight seemingly lifted from his shoulders. He laughed in all the right places, and when Magnus was done, Alec proceeded to tell him the story Aaron had once told him as to why there was no cat at the Institute in Sydney. By the end of that, both of them were laughing like idiots.

"Most older shadowhunters I've met are total bores," said Magnus, who was trying to get himself under control. "But that man is something else."

"Yeah he is," Alec agreed, laughter infiltrating his voice. Magnus hummed absently, grinning.

"He's married, Alec," Magnus chided. Alec snorted. "What? That doesn't matter to you?"

When Magnus asked that, all his previous thoughts of Miguel and Mireia popped back into Alec's head, and he felt the familiar chill of guilt creep back up his spine. Magnus evidently had seen his discomfort.

"It's awkward again, isn't it?" Magnus asked, and Alec confirmed it by nodding. Alec looked back down, noticing his dinner, still unfinished. Alec picked it up and started eating, even though it was cold now, simply so he would have something to do with his hands.

"You know I don't mean to make you feel awkward-" Magnus began, but Alec really didn't want to have that conversation.

"Magnus, I'm sorry. It's not you, really. I really appreciate everything you've done," he said in a rush. He took a deep breath after he said it. Magnus didn't seem to mind being interrupted. He just smiled, letting Alec know that it was okay to feel awkward, and that Magnus really didn't want to make him feel that way. And Alec smiled back, because he did feel safe with Magnus. He felt good.

Or at least, he did, until Magnus said: "Alec, you have sauce on your face."

Alec blinked and tried to get it with his tongue, attempting to lick it off. Magnus tutted, reaching out to get it. But Alec didn't want Magnus touching his face.

"No, Magnus. I can get it!" Alec insisted.

"Alec, just let me wipe it off-"

"Don't!" Alec shouted. He stood up to try and make sure Magnus couldn't reach him.

Stupid. Move.

The boat wasn't ready for Alec's sudden movement, and it jerked violently as he stood. Alec waved his arms, trying to regain his balance; Magnus shouted for him to stop moving; finally, it gave. With a small moan, the boat flipped, sending Alec and Magnus into the water. Alec found himself submerged by water. He reached out, pulling himself up until his head reached the surface. He took a huge gasp of air.

"Magnus?" he called loudly. He couldn't see him. Alec swore loudly, kicking desperately to stay afloat.

Needless to say, the water was absolutely freezing. It occurred to him that China was in the northern hemisphere, where it was still winter. He swore again, trying to kick even though his shoes were still on his feet.

"MAGNUS!" he screamed, panicking now.

"I'm right here," a voice said behind Alec, and he lashed out with his arms, spinning himself around. Magnus was treading water behind him, makeup somehow still in place. His hair was another story though, deflated from the water.

"I'm so sorry," Alec gushed. "I tipped the boat-"

"You don't have to worry," Magnus assured him. "I should've invested in a sturdier boat anyways."

Alec nodded in agreement, quite willing to let Magnus take the blame for this one. Suddenly a thought occurred to him.

"Magnus, there are alligators in this river."

"I know," Magnus said. "It looks like we'll have to leave early." He reached out and grabbed Alec's hand. "Do you trust me?"

Alec blinked.

"Alec-"

"Okay! I trust you."

"Good," said Magnus. He pulled Alec closer. "You're going to have to hold your breath for a long time, okay?" Alec nodded in response. Magnus counted to three, and then they dove under.

Alec was trying his best to push himself downwards and hold onto Magnus at the same time. He looked around at the river, barely able to see anything. He noticed something a few feet away from him… something that looked bizarrely like a swordfish. He shook his head, knowing that only Magnus would find them a river with alligators and swordfish in it. He continued to push himself downwards, but he was running out of air.

If they didn't go up soon… yeah, that was a really bad thought. Alec squeezed Magnus' hand tighter, and he shut his eyes. His lungs felt like they were expanding, and they hurt like hell.

Please, Magnus…

"Alec!"

Alec took a huge breath, gasping as the cold air hit every part of his body. He gasped for a moment, completely lost, then looked around. They were standing on a city corner, cars moving by. Somehow, Alec thought it was just instinct, he knew they were back in Sydney. They must have been gone for a long time, because the air was much cooler, and the sky above them was black.

And then Alec realized that he still felt wet. He looked down at his sopping clothes, then up again at the sky. It was pouring rain. It was coming down so heavy, Alec hadn't even realized they weren't actually underwater anymore. He took another deep breath, and then turned to his right.

Magnus was there too, still holding his hand, and equally soaked. "Come on," he said to Alec. "My hotel's just up the street."

Alec nodded and started to walk alongside Magnus. Their hands remained clasped.

Within a few minutes of silent walking, they came upon a huge hotel entrance. Alec's eyes widened, but Magnus just pulled him forward, determined to get inside. The front of the hotel seemed to be made of glass, and Magnus was able to pick out the door handle and open it.

Alec immediately felt the difference in the air, still cold, but it was the mechanical breeze created by air conditioning that filled this place. Alec looked around the front hall.

It was surprisingly modern looking, with a grey tiled floor, and walls that looked like the outsides of marina houses. The whole room was diffused with bright white and blue lights, from where Alec wasn't able to tell. Ahead of him stood a grand staircase, sleek, grey and skeletal. To the left, another smaller staircase led up to an area that was partially concealed by curtains. Looking around again, Alec wasn't surprised Magnus had chosen to come to this place.

Magnus pulled him up the grand staircase, heading left at the top, which led them to a long, dim hallway. It took them a little while to get to Magnus' room, but eventually, Magnus stopped, saying, "This is it."

He hastily pulled the room card out of his pocket (How had that stayed dry?) and let them in.

The room… wasn't even a room. It was more of a loft. Immediately greeting them was a large cupboard, wooden, and as they turned left, Alec saw the living room. It was oddly chilling, with white walls and dark blue couches. The room itself was complete with a dining table, office desk and flat screen TV. At the opposite side of the room, there were long windows that stretched the entire way across. When Alec took a few steps into the room, he saw that the ceiling opened up, and there were two skylights above him.

"You should probably take your clothes off," Magnus said from behind him. Alec spun around, shocked at his boldness. Magnus snickered, saying, "Well, you're soaked to the bone. Just leave them to dry on one of the chairs and I'll get you a robe or something."

Alec nodded then, though he waited for Magnus to walk back along the hall, and turn right along another passage. As soon as he was gone, Alec pulled his shirt over his head, and quickly took off his pants. He didn't even bother to check if there was anything in the pockets, knowing that they would be soaked beyond repair or use. He waited for Magnus to come back down before taking off his underwear.

Magnus came back down after a few minutes, carrying a long robe with him. He tossed it to Alec, who felt the need to check it to make sure there was no excess of glitter on it.

"Don't worry," said Magnus. "I already altered it. It's plain enough now."

Alec smiled, partially from Magnus' assurance, partially because he'd finished his check; the robe was nothing but blue. He hastily put it on, becoming aware that he was shirtless in front of Magnus. Even when he had the robe on, he was hesitant to take off his underwear. He squirmed for a moment, awkwardly, before deciding he could suck it up. He carefully slipped them off and placed them on top of his pants. He then looked over to Magnus, who was naked from the waist up. He'd slipped on a pair of sweatpants.

"Thanks," Alec muttered, blushing slightly. Magnus smiled.

"It was no problem," said Magnus. He gestured for Alec to go and sit down on the couch, which Alec did. Magnus followed behind him, and sat down beside him. Alec noticed that a TV remote was sitting beside him, and he picked it up with a glint in his eyes.

"Do you mind?" he asked Magnus.

"Go ahead," he said. Alec grinned, but before he could turn the TV on, Magnus continued, "Do you want to stay the night?"

Alec froze then, very unsure of himself. He turned to Magnus and simply muttered, "Huh?"

Magnus shrugged, saying, "Well, you and your clothes are soaked, and it really is getting late."

"Huh."

"You know," said Magnus, stretching out his legs and leaning back on the sofa. "Sydney is actually about four hours ahead of Guilin anyways. I get that you might be confused by the sudden night."

"Huh," Alec said again, closing his eyes for a moment just so he could regain his bearings. Magnus was asking him to sleep over. Uh… Alec's mind went numb at the thought. He needed… to leave. But Magnus was right; his clothes were soaked. What was he going to do? Borrow Magnus' clothes? No. No, as long they slept in two different rooms, Alec was going to be okay. But first…

"Could we order room service?" he asked Magnus suddenly. Magus blinked in surprise.

"Really?"

"Well," said Alec, a little annoyed now. "You dumped half of our dinner in the Yangtze river. Don't blame me for being rather hungry."

"I didn't dump it in the river," Magnus said, looking rather amused as he strode over to the desk to grab the room service menu for Alec. "You stood up in the boat. Everyone knows you're not supposed to do that."

"Who the hell knows that kind of thing?" Alec asked as he took the menu from Magnus and reviewed the options.

"Haven't you heard the story about the fisherman who stood up in his boat when he had to go?"

Alec looked up from the menu, disbelief plain in his face. Magnus nodded seriously.

"Peeing while standing in a boat is a serious issue. Thousands die from it every year-"

"Fine! I won't order room service!" Alec shouted, feeling slightly sick from the conversation. Magnus was smiling, as though he couldn't help it.

"Alec, darling, you can still order room service. I was just telling you-"

"Uh huh, sure. You just don't want me to order something you have to pay for in the end."

Magnus chuckled, though he denied it. Alec rolled his eyes, also laughing under his breath. "Are you sure you don't want to order?" Magnus asked him again. Alec nodded.

"Although I will be using your shower," he told Magnus, who raised his eyebrows before directing Alec along the hall and up the stairs. Alec found the shower easily enough, and shooed Magnus away quickly so he could shower in peace.

Alec looked at himself in the mirror. He actually looked… healthy? Was that the right word? His face seemed to be glowing in the dim bathroom lights. His hair, finally cut properly, looked enchantingly black, glittering like a hundred onyx strands. He couldn't put his finger on what looked so different. Perhaps some part of his brain was trying to compare it to how Alec had looked before. Now that Alec had gone out with Magnus and was laughing and bantering with him again, he was trying to see the similarities between this self and the self that had gone out with Magnus five years ago. Because how different could they really be?

Alec slowly removed the robe and let it slide to the floor. He had to take a few deep breaths before he let himself look in the mirror this time. No, he didn't look different. And yet… he was an entirely different person.

Alec didn't like it. Well, he didn't like not knowing who he was. He wanted to know immediately when he looked in the mirror… but he was too different somehow.

He stepped towards the bathroom sink, which had an array of cupboards in it. He rummaged through them, finding about a hundred different types of eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, glitter, among other items. In the last drawer, he found candles, matches, and a small stereo. With a sigh, Alec pulled all the items out of the cupboard. Maybe this was Magnus' own relaxing kit. And even though he was using someone else's bathroom, Alec needed to relax.

He slowly lit the candles, which both let off very fruity aromas. He then proceeded to turn on the water, sprinkling flower petals in it that he'd found beside the tub. He waited for a few seconds, then switched on the stereo. A single gong echoed throughout the bathroom, then a few strange notes. Alec held his breath for at least fifteen seconds before the strange melody continued. It was a beautiful, enchanting song that reminded him of civilizations and people that had lived thousands of years ago.

There. He turned off the light bulbs hanging over the sink, and slipped in the now full tub. He had Magnus' own relaxation kit in full use now, and he was going to take advantage of that.

He wasn't going to waste all the hot water worrying and panicking about Magnus. He was going to enjoy the hot water, the aromas, and the music.

After all, if you couldn't use their bathroom to relax in, what good were ex's for?

-Break-

He did not fall asleep in the bathtub. Of that, Alec was certain. Yes, he had closed his eyes, but he had been fully awake for every song that played on the stereo. He had noticed every time the scent of the candles changed. He suspected that they were enchanted, because he wasn't quite sure how candles could go from smelling like fruit, to pine trees, to roses, to vanilla, to sandalwood, and to about a hundred other scents. The music had changed too, going from mysterious, to warm, to welcoming, to seductive, to tragic; Alec felt he had experienced an entire lifetime within the music, from birth to death.

And he had been reincarnated again when he opened his eyes to see Magnus leaning against the door. Unwilling to let go completely, Alec shut his eyes again and leaned back. He heard a rustle of movement, and then a brush of air against his ear.

"If you wanted to sleep in the bathtub, all you had to do was ask." Alec smiled dully.

"M'sorry," he mumbled. He felt a rush of air as Magnus laughed quietly.

"Don't be," Magnus whispered to him. "Why don't we get you out of here?"

Alec felt something disturb the water, and the sound of the music was penetrated by the sound of the bathtub being drained… oh. Well, the water was getting cold anyways. He still heard Magnus moving around, and after a few moments, he noticed the scent of the candles was getting fainter. What the heck?

After about thirty seconds, the scent was gone, leaving nothing but the after effect lingering in the air. Alec frowned at the loss. After a few minutes, Alec heard the sound of the music slowly leaving. He moaned quietly in discomfort.

"It's okay," he heard Magnus murmur from some distance. Slowly, Alec felt arms wrapping around him. Without protest, Alec let himself be lifted from the tub, and onto a soft fabric. A towel maybe? It felt good as it was rubbed against his wet skin. As soon as that was done, the same arms lifted him up and carried him somewhere. Alec had no idea where he was being taken, but he didn't care anymore. He just didn't…

And he felt himself being laid down on a bed. It was a very soft bed. The sheets were very soft too, Alec acknowledged as he was slipped under the covers.

"There you go," a soft voice said from above him. Out of nowhere, a soft pair of lips pressed themselves against Alec's forehead. Alec hissed at the feeling; it was as though he was being burned. The lips retreated… but Alec didn't want that!

"Magnus," Alec said, more coherently than he'd thought himself capable of. He opened his eyes and found Magnus standing by the side of the bed. Only half of his face was illuminated by the dim candlelight. Alec took deep breaths as he reached out. "Stay with me," he commanded.

Magnus looked uncertain. "You should sleep…"

"No." Alec reached out, feeling the burn spread from his forehead to the rest of his body, searing his skin. He grabbed Magnus, probably on the same spot he'd grabbed when they were in the Yangtze River. This time however, he was much more aggressive when he tugged Magnus closer. Alec drew Magnus very close to him. "Not yet."

Magnus looked into Alec's eyes, as though asking if he was sure. To show his answer, Alec grabbed at Magnus' chin and kissed him.

It was everything he was used to feeling with Magnus, except this time, he was burning up with fever and passion and pure lust. The kiss was so intimate and fiery; Alec let his tongue sink deep into Magnus' mouth, and he moaned at the contact. Magnus wrapped one arm around Alec's back, and the other gripped Alec's thigh as he pushed Alec backwards onto the bed.

Alec wrapped his thighs around Magnus, determined to get that warm warlock as close as he could.

But he shouldn't… why was he… Alec knew that…

He was done worrying. He was going to shut up and feel something for a change.

So, knowing he would come to regret this, Alec pulled Magnus close to him, ready for a long, hot night.

-Break-

The rain was coming down in buckets over the streets of Chinatown. Deimus de Neige watched the rain attacking his window with blank eyes. He'd been reading an ancient copy of a spell book written by an old Chinese emperor, but the patterns of light created by the falling rain caught his attention instead. After a few long hours of staring out the window, the thought occurred to him that he should probably bring the lawn chairs in from the balcony. So, he stood up and turned, only to find himself face to face with Demetri Celior.

Demetri was a frightening boy when he could be. There was a manic energy in his eyes, something that often chilled Deimus to the bone. It didn't help that the boy had the Devil's Mark burned into his forehead.

666. The number glared at Deimus with contempt.

"D-Demetri," stuttered Deimus. "You're much later than I thought you'd be."

Demetri smiled. "I'm so sorry, Deimus. My business in Bulgaria took much longer than expected."

"Everything is g-going according to p-plan?" Deimus enquired nervously. Demetri smiled and nodded.

"The fortress will be ready and built in a few months. By that time of course, he will need to be contained. And we will have the means of doing so."

Deimus nodded.

"Are they here?" Demetri enquired. Deimus nodded. "And Alexander Lightwood?"

"He was with them. He's been in Sydney for years, as it would seem-"

"I'm already aware of this," Demetri said, annoyed. He strode around Deimus, taking in the cluttered apartment. "What did they think of you?"

Deimus chuckled nervously. "They think I'm a m-mad old warlock who doesn't know his hocus from his p-pocus."

Demetri nodded grimly before turning back to Deimus. "You know what to do now."

Deimus swallowed, but nodded.

"You cannot ruin this, Deimus," said Demetri solemnly. "If Alexander Lightwood is harmed before I can get to him, rest assured my master will punish you quite severly." Demetri let his threat dangle in the air over their heads, paralyzing Deimus.

"I understand," peeped out Deimus. Demetri smiled then, as though he enjoyed watching Deimus in such discomfort. He strode over to the golf trophy they both knew Alec had touched. Demetri sighed as he placed his fingers where Alec had placed his.

"Alec…" murmured Demetri. He looked up then, at a mirror that hung on the wall. With a wave of Demetri's hand, Alec's face appeared in the glass, the same way it had when the group of shadowhunters had visited. Demetri sighed at the image, his fingers caressing the image of Alec's soft skin. After a moment, he turned to Deimus.

"They're at the Blue Hotel, the wharf at Woolloomooloo." Deimus nodded. "Go," Demetri instructed.

Deimus nodded, turning to his right to pull something out of an old boot. It was a long, flint dagger.

AN: Holy shit, that was almost 8 000 words. And I'm not even done the author's note yet. So, I've got a lot to say and I'll try to be quick about it.

1) A funny thing happened when I was writing that scene with Haal and Alec. Originally, I just put it in because I thought this chapter needed more than Alec and Magnus. I was right, but when I was writing this scene, something happened: I started to have fun. Alec can angst about his feelings for Magnus all he wants, but this thing he as with Haal is fun for me to write about, and I'm getting conflicted over Alec's feelings now. AH! Tell me what you think about this, please.

2) The song used in that scene was Only the Good die Young by Billy Joel. I am in love with that song, and I felt like dancing while I was writing this scene. I'm trying to learn the piano riff for this song, but it is friggin' hard.

3) Last year, in my Mandarin classes at school, our teacher had us invest about half the year in a project that basically revolved around us researching various Chinese cities. One of these cities was Guilin. Seriously, my words cannot capture the beauty of this place. Google it, please. You will be amazed too. I just wish I had a boyfriend who could take me on dates to China.

Also, the food Magnus and Alec ate are common, well-known dishes served in Guilin, China (I think). Google these too. I got hungry writing about them.

4) While I was writing this scene, I just looked up Chinese music on Youtube. Seriously, these Chinese people have some beautiful music. I just let that play in the background while I was writing this, and it really fits.

5) I was interrupted in the middle of the date by some art history homework that had to be completed. It was on the art of ancient Egypt, which got me thinking of some sexy Malec poses. I'll try to draw them and show them to you guys. It also got me playing some beautiful Egyptian music in the background. Look up "Meditation Music of Ancient Egypt" on Youtube. It has 9 parts to it, and it is about an hour long (ALEC TAKES LONGER BATHS THAN I DO!). This is seriously some amazing music, and I took some of the comments posted there to heart when writing that bit about the music.

6) I really wanted to write a Malec lemon, but it's 11:30 as I'm typing and this story was already over 7 000 words. I'll try to include one later on. But hey, tell me what you guys think about this. Is it too soon? Is Alec being an idiot? Or a manwhore? TELL ME!

7) The Blue hotel is a real hotel in Sydney. It got great reviews online, and it was rated as one of the best hotels in Sydney. I highly suggest you look it up online. They offer a virtual tour of the hotel. If you do look on there, Magnus has the "Ultra Loft" suite. It's got a nice big bed for the two of them to roll around in. I kind of want to go to this hotel. I was tempted to put in a scene about the bar or the pool when I saw them on the virtual tour.

8) Right at the end of that scene where Alec pulls Magnus onto the bed, the music changed from beautiful Egyptian music to Ke$ha's latest song, Blow. I don't know what happened, but the mood really changed for me. Let's just say those weren't ordinary candles. Yep, they seem to have gotten Alec very hot and horny.

9) I hope you guys like that bit at the end with Demetri and Deimus. Let's just say these boys are giving us quite a bit of angst for the next chapter.

10) I know I've told you guys what songs I'm listening to for these last couple of chapters, but I really want to hear what you guys think would make a great background track for every chapter. At the very end, I'm gonna post a huge soundtrack with two tracks per chapters, and I want to hear what you guys have to say. So please, tell me what's playing in your head when you read this.

And for my little challenge, thanks to akazia022. You were right on both counts. The "Montresor" reference was to The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe. The song was Illegal by Shakira. I appreciate hearing your opinion, and I'm glad you looked it up.

Everyone else, akazie022 raised a good point: The explanation of the Malec breakup is kid of unreliable, as there's only Alec's POV. Well, I can tell you now that the first part of this story (Renaissance) is only going have four more chapters. So, I can assure you that at some point between then and now, I'll explain what really happened from both Magnus' and Alec's point of view.

Thank you so much if you just read all of that and I really hope you guys review. Thank you everyone who has so far. Please review!

Enjoy!