Chapter Thirteen: Blamed
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Cassandra Clare.
Author's Note: This takes place when Alec is left at Magnus's while the rest of the gang visits the Fair People.
Time: City of Ashes
Genre: Drama, Romance, and Angst
Rating: PG-13
Date Finished: August 1, 2012
Alec moved further away from the warlock with a blank face. The truth was out in the open and now Magnus knew about his lonely life. Sure, he had had crushes on others, but none of them measured up to Magnus. He thought that he mattered just as much to Magnus. He thought that maybe the warlock felt the same way and would, by some chance, save himself.
"Alexander?" Magnus asked again.
Alec noticed that Magnus seemed to be calling him by name more often. He knew that the warlock only did that whenever he was concerned. If Magnus was not concerned, then Alec got called by whatever popped into the warlock's head.
Magnus reached out for Alec, who moved away. The warlock flashed Alec a hurt look, which the Shadowhunter brushed off. Alec blamed Magnus for what was going on between them and he was going to make sure that Magnus knew that loud and clear.
"I do not want to talk to you right now," Alec muttered.
"Well, I do not think you have much choice in the matter," Magnus counted.
"Why not?" Alec's blue eyes narrowed.
"Well, you are here until your friends get back." Magnus shrugged. "I can also talk randomly and you will be begging me to stop."
Alec could handle nonstop talking from someone. After all, he put up with Jace also all day every day. Over the years, he had gotten quite good at tuning it out.
Magnus looked at Alec, clearly expecting some kind of response. Alec, however, made a zipping motion with his hand, moved it across his lips, and then threw away the key. The warlock looked at him trying not to laugh.
Oh, this was no joking matter for Alec. He was being dead serious. He was not going to talk until Magnus took the blame for the difficulties in their relationship.
Magnus, still smirking, moved closer to Alec. This time Alec did not move away from the warlock. Magnus rested his hands on the boy's shoulders. "So, Alexander, are you really not going to talk to me?"
Alec looked at the floor and did not respond.
Magnus grabbed Alec's chin and forced it upwards, gently. "Hello?" He waved his hand in front of Alec's face.
It took all the power that Alec had to not blink. He was not going to bow.
Magnus leaned in so that he was just centimetres from Alec's face. "Are you really going to play this game?"
Once again, Alec did not respond. Though he had to bite the inside of his mouth in order to prevent responding.
Magnus's eyes were dancing. He was probably coming up with a plan to get Alec to respond to him. He leaned in and kissed Alec. He broke away a few seconds later and looked at the boy.
Alec had not moved.
Magnus felt his face drop. He did not mean to show an expression, but he just could not help it. He wanted to be with Alec, but sometimes the boy just did not get it. All of those lovers were in the past and most had been forgotten. Those who still reminded in his mind were nothing compared to Alec. No matter how hard the warlock tried, Alec just would not give in.
Alec walked away from Magnus and sat down on the couch.
Magnus knew that nothing he did in the loving category would work. It was time to move on to plan B: Operation Talk A Lot. Magnus knew a category that would drive the boy nuts: classic literature. The warlock happened to love classic literature, but was sure that Alec did not.
Magnus sat down next to the boy. He placed his hands behind his head and rested his feet on the coffee table. "So, I remember when this lovely novel was published back in the early 1800s." He looked over at Alec, who was staring across the room. "The Modern Prometheus or, as you may know it, Frankenstein was one of my favourite books at the time. I still have a first edition of it somewhere around here."
Alec had not moved.
Magnus took a deep breath. He could keep this up all day. "The novel has a lot of themes. Perhaps my most favourite was dangerous knowledge. You know, if you know too much then people are bound to attempt to kill you." He looked over at Alec, who was still sitting blank faced.
Magnus put on his best teacher voice. "First we must start in the beginning. After all, if we just jump right into it, we will miss some very exciting things. A theme of a work is the main idea, insight, or observation that the writer offers. A work may have more than one theme. Even a single theme can be expressed in many ways. However, the reader is not just limited to the writer's theme. The reader may form his or her on opinions on a particular theme. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, many themes exist. These themes are and not limited to dangerous knowledge, sublime nature, monstrosity, self- sacrifice, playing God, and secrecy. Like I said, dangerous knowledge is my favourite, so that is what this talk will be about."
Alec was now resting his chin on his hand.
Magnus changed from teacher voice to monotone professor voice. " Victor is not the only character in suit of dangerous knowledge. Robert Walton attempts to surpass human explorations. He has a dream of reaching the North Pole and find magnetism in the Poles. He writes these wishes to his sister, "I may there discover the wondrous power which attracts the needle and may regulate a thousand celestial observations that require only this voyage to render their seeming eccentricities consistent forever. I shall satiate my ardent curiosity with the sight of a part of the world never before visited, and may tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of man." (Shelley. Page 13) Until he pulls Victor Frankenstein off the ice, Walton holds these views. "We were immured in ice and should probably never escape; but feared that if, as was possible, the ice should dissipate and a free passage be opened, I should be rash enough to continue my voyage and lead them into fresh dangers, after they might happily have surmounted this. They insisted, therefore, that I should engage with a solemn promise that if the vessel should be freed I would instantly direct my course southwards." (Shelley. Page 271.) Walton doesn't want to do as his crew wishes, but his views change. After hearing Victor's story and seeing the consequences of his actions, Walton ends his quest. He learns how destructive dangerous knowledge is.
The creature also yearns for knowledge. He has many experiences that make this yearning even larger. For example he experiences many new things including, discovering his senses, finding food, and observing the moon. The monster hopes to gain knowledge in hopes of no longer being shunned from human society. When this backfires, the creature turns to violence and revenge. After Victor's death, nothing is known about how this quest for knowledge ended. "
Magnus paused and looked at Alec. The boy now had his face buried into his hands. "I can keep this up."
Alec groaned.
Magnus tried to hide his smile.
Alec stood up. "Your favourite novel, by the way sucks."
Magnus thought that Alec was going to storm away, but the boy surprised him. He turned toward the warlock and kissed him gently on the lips.