Pandemonium: Chapter 11
The characters mostly belong to Cassandra Clare except for a few that I threw in there myself. Some minor characters appear as allusions to other works of literature; obviously, they belong to their respective creators.

So I'm back! Anyway... during my little hiatus I was reading a number of other Fanfics, and I noticed something really interesting: authors demanding reviews in exchange for the next chapter. At first I thought it was an interesting idea, but then I realized I actually dislike it strongly. I think that this writing is as much for me as it is for you, so one shouldn't be forced to comment on it just to get more. With that in mind though, I have to say that the number of reviews I have gotten is rather disappointing. I don't know exactly what it is, but as a writer, I feel like I'm not connecting with you, my audience.
So while I'm not going to make you review my work in exchange for the next chapter, I'm just going to beg for a little feedback. Additionally, I want you to know that this "payment scheme" (because that's what it really is) isn't off the table entirely. Not only does it seem really effective, but I also feel like finding out just how inelastic the demand for my product really is. (Economics is a wonderful subject; don't judge me!)

The streaming light filtered through the window; the darkness that had surrounded me, that had enveloped me in its warm, quiet embrace was gone. Yet the darkness within me, the frightening taste of death was deeper, stronger, and more prominent before. Soon it would consume me; soon I would become it, and it would become me.

Looking slightly haggard, I made my way down to the tavern room. There at the table from yesterday, sat the Professor, seemingly more alive than ever before. He looked at me with eager eyes, begging me to sit down and renew my telling of the story. As I sat down, a wave of dizziness roared over me. I grasped the chair tightly, paced my breathing, and began.

"WHAT!?" Clary asked again, in a startled voice.

Alec turned beet red, and ran out of the room without looking at either of them.

Clary just stared at Magnus for a minute, but then he let out a sheepish smile. Slowly, that little smile turned into a big grin, and that too became a delightful laugh from deep within.

Now Clary was just utterly confused. As such she reiterated the only statement that came to mind, "What?"

Magnus turned to her and said, "I think I broke out little prince. I believe I'm the first person he's ever kissed, and I wasn't even sure he-uh-went that way. Don't get me wrong though, I'm delighted."

Clary opened her mouth for a second, but this time shut it before exclaiming the only thing in her head. She looked at Magnus and said, "Uh...congratulations I guess?"

Magnus thanked her warmly, but then turned very cold, very quickly. With a dead stare in his eyes and a frighteningly quiet voice he said "Do not speak a word of what you saw to anyone. Not Jace, not Isabelle, not Simon, not Carstairs, not even Alec, and most certainly not to you *beloved* father."

Clary quietly nodded her head, and left the room to be alone with her thoughts.

Magnus decided it was best to pay his little princeling a visit. He quietly climbed up the long spiral flight of stairs up to Alec's chambers, noticing how precarious and dangerous they really were.

He softly knocked on the door.

From within, he heard Alec stop sobbing for a minute to softly, but angrily ask, "What is it? I told everyone to go away!"

"Alexander, it's me." Magnus quietly, but firmly responded.

He didn't wait for a response; the door was unlocked, and he made his way in to the chamber. What he found surprised even him.

Alec was curled up in a ball on the floor. His clothes were entirely crumpled and ruffled, giving him an extremely disheveled look; that said nothing of his hair, which was a complete unruly tousled mess and entirely disorganized. None of that compared to his visage though; it seemed as if every angle in his face was dancing in the soft light of the tears that had streaked them; his eyes were bloodshot, but only so much as to make the blue even more crystalline. Despite his entirely bedraggled look, Alec had never looked more gorgeous to Magnus.

Upon seeing Magnus, Alec's face burned up in shame. He immediately turned away and resumed shaking with tears in his eyes. He believed, to the core of his being, that he was ruined, that we would live the rest of his days in infamy as the prince who kissed a man.

But it wasn't just kissing was it? Alec felt something a bit deeper there, a connection he couldn't understand-didn't want to understand.

His thoughts were interrupted by warm arms surrounding him. He felt a hot breath in his ears, and then Magnus' languid voice spoke in hushed tones, "It's perfectly normal, but she won't tell anyone. We can forget that it ever happened, even though I don't want to. I'm sorry I overstepped my bounds, Alexander, but I do have feelings for you."

Feelings? For me? Impossible. Alec nearly laughed aloud at the thought of anyone having feelings for him. He imagined what sort of sick joke Magnus was playing on him. Probably some political scheme of some sort to have him sent back home-not that he would mind that. He wanted to go back to the dark cavernous library of his home; he wanted to find a dark, dank, depressing, hole and a nice book to be with, away from everyone.

Alec realized that Magnus still hadn't let go. He gently pulled Magnus' arms off of him. He picked himself up, and dragged himself to his room. He had some thinking to do.

Alec lay down on his bed. Deep inside, he started to snigger a little bit. Magnus caring about him. "Ha, ha, ha." He thought.

Nobody cared about him. Nobody cared about anyone else. It didn't matter anyway. It never mattered. Nothing mattered. He was going to die, and Magnus was going to die, and Jace, and Clary, and everyone. Everyone died. They would be lost to the world after that. Mere marks on the vast painting of history and time. "We are born astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it's night once more." Life is without purpose and not worth living.

The door opened up, and Izzy walked in, looking very confused. "Magnus told me that you needed someone to attend to you..." she said in a questioning tone.

Alec simply groaned in response; he didn't want to tell his sister anything, but inevitably it would come out, so he told her all about this morning, neglecting to mention his thoughts from a moment ago. Those were private thoughts, not meant for the rest of the world to hear.

To Alec's surprise, Izzy started laughing. She then forced Alec to get up and give her a hug.

"I can't believe it!" She exclaimed with glee. "After all this time, you finally found someone, and he is just perfect for you! This is so exciting!"

Alec's jaw dropped. She was happy? This made no sense, he was about to ruin their family, ruin their lives, and she was happy?

Izzy must have realized what he was thinking because she immediately said, "Oh don't worry I'm not going to tell anyone, but I will work with Magnus on how to make this discreet; you both have reputations to uphold, and I don't think Clary will be telling anyone. I'd say you're about even with her at this point."

"Make this work? What was going on? Was his sister endorsing this-this thing-this relationship? How could she?! It was so dangerous, for her, for everyone." Alec simply stared at her in confusion. Dumbfounded, he slumped back onto the bed.

Izzy was now bobbing around the room talking about random things, like getting him new clothes, finding secret places in the palace, and creating fake identities. All the while though, Alec was simply too dazed to even listen to what his sister was saying. His mind had turned to Magnus. Someone-not just anyone, the sex god that was Magnus!-had just told him that he liked him!

He swiftly got up, interrupting Izzy mid-sentence, and ran down the stairs, almost tripping and breaking his skull, to Magnus' office.

Magnus was sitting there, with a pile of papers going through them rather lethargically. He slammed the door shut, and shoved the papers off the desk. He planted himself right in front of Magnus, looked him deep in the emerald cat eyes, and planted his lips. A startled Magnus, took a full moment to respond, but then slowly parted his lips to let Alec's tongue find his way into his mouth. Before Magnus had a chance to do anything, Alec was commanding his mouth, even so far as to gently let his tongue slide down the back of Magnus' mouth, which lead to Magnus eliciting a moan so delectable that Alec could do nothing more but moan in response. Magnus found his wayward hands, reaching for the hem of Alec's shirt, but before he could tug upwards as he so deeply desired, Alec pulled away.

It was then that the two of them realized how long they had been holding their breaths. They both panted heavily for a few seconds, looking deeply into each other's eyes.

Then, Alec spoke in a quiet deep voice, "Magnus Bane, I think I may like you in that way too."