How To Fall For Someone You Shouldn't Chapter 17: How to go out on a high, a mortal instruments fanfic

Wow. Okay. It's a few years late, but here it is. The next chapter of How To Fall For Someone You Shouldn't.

I'm so sorry to leave you all hanging, if you're even reading my fics anymore. If you are, thank you so much! I've missed you all. If you're new to my stories, welcome! :)

Without further ado, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Plot's mine, the boys are not. TMI is not. And the song used in this chapter is not.

...

Time passed in a blur. Hours became days and days became weeks. Alec was lost in a whirlwind dream.

The travelling was amazing, a new city every other day. The work was hard; he'd never been so tired. He felt his entire life changing with each passing second.

His name was in lights, his band trending. He saw pictures of himself, videos on YouTube and TikTok's of his dance moves and guitar playing.

He missed Magnus. Calls and videochats were not enough. It was crazy to think they hadn't even been together that long and yet Alec was drained, despite daily calls and messages. He was falling apart without the real thing. He also had so much energy, so much frustration building up. No amount of sexting or watching Magnus over a video would satisfy his cravings. Alec had become addicted.

He threw himself into the work, choreographing, rehearsing, writing new music. Anything and everything all hours of the day. On show days, he ignited all his energy, electrifying their audiences. Their shows were the stuff of legend. His band was worshipped every time they took the stage, every show was better than the next.

TID were also benefitting. Their sales had shot up, they were dominating the charts. Downloads on Spotify were on the rise. Everyone was winning.

However, with that came scrutiny by the media. Alec's family had been contacted for interviews. His friends followed; his school had even been contacted. Magnus was okay, though. The only person who knew of their relationship was Ragnor and he had kept it quiet. Both men were luckily out of the paparazzi's eyes.

The media was giving a lot of love to Jem and Tessa, who had gotten engaged at the end of their first show, on stage. Valentine had cleared it when Jem broached the subject. It sent the tour to the headlines, and they'd stayed there. But those headlines had shifted. From the engagement, from the music, from the bands. To focus on one very specific thing: the rumoured relationship between Alec and Will.

Fans were having a field day trying to figure out if anything was going on. It created the frenzy Valentine had been banking on when he suggested they 'play the gay angle'.

Part of the hype came from the fact they were both gay. Another part came from the fact that they looked so shockingly similar; something that seemed like a weird thing to be excited by to Alec. The other part came from the flirting.

Alec still wasn't all that comfortable with it. He had told Magnus about the plan before the tour kicked off and boy, was his man angry. Although, it had made Magnus possessive in a way that made Alec's toes curl and while their trysts had all been of a digital nature, it was the most intense their relationship had been. Alec was Magnus', and Magnus made sure he knew it every day.

But that still didn't mean that Alec's stomach didn't flip when Will would brush against him on stage, when he would toss a wink in his direction or when he would growl into the mic whenever they sang together. It was harmless. At first.

However, the further they got into the tour, seven weeks in to be precise, Will got more adventurous. Alec knew Valentine wanted more, to keep the hype up. But things had shifted form winks and bedroom eyes to physical stuff.

Alec would be on stage and Will would be photographed staring at him, licking his lips. When they took the stage together, Will would be on him. Dancing, grinding. He'd taken to slipping behind Alec and sliding his hands up Alecs chest and around his hips as he played. Alec knew it was for show and the crowd's reactions, the screams and chanting of names and rabid fangirls told him they were doing their jobs well. But when Valentine pulled Alec aside after their second-to-last show before their break and told him that he had to be more reactive to Will and participate as opposed to letting Will take the lead, Alec felt a little bit sick.

Valentine wanted to end the first leg of the tour on a high. They kicked it off with Jem and Tessa's engagement, he wanted to send it off with a bang that Alec and Will would have to deliver. If Alec wanted to return for the second of the tour anyway.

So, during rehearsals, Alec allowed himself to react to Will. When Will winked, he cocked an eyebrow. When Will licked his lips, Alec bit his own. When Will came up behind him and stroked his hips, Alec moved with the music, pushing back against him.

After rehearsals, Alec would call Magnus and Magnus would make him forget it all. But he could tell that Magnus was getting angry for real at what Valentine was making him do 'for the tour'. Alec knew Magnus had a rough history with the music industry as it was so for Alec to be going through this, it was killing Magnus.

But that wasn't all of it. Alec knew that Magnus was dying inside at the fact that it was Will, of all people. Magnus' old bandmate, the one who kicked him aside and went on without him, never mentioning him again. Jem and Tessa were lovely people and Alec was conflicted because they had also allowed Magnus to get left behind. And it wasn't like he could talk to them about it all because he couldn't admit that he was in a relationship with Magnus without sending the guy to jail.

Alec's mind was a frazzled mess.

"Hey there, is everything alright?"

Alec turned and saw Will walking towards him. He was in his full stage get-up. Ripped black jeans and a loose white vest. Messy hair and black rimmed eyes. He was dressed the opposite of Alec, who was clad in white jeans and a black vest. Their wardrobe people liked to put them in similar clothes, it fuelled the frenzy.

"Yeah, I'm good," Alec said.

Will snorted and leaned against the wall beside him. Beyond the corridor they were in, was the giant stage and rabid crowd. It was nearly time for them to take the stage for their last show before the break. Alec couldn't wait for it to be over. He needed a reset.

"Sure you are. What's wrong?"

Alec sighed.

"I'm just tired."

Will looked at him and smiled.

"I know. No one said this was going to be easy."

It was Alec's turn to snort.

"Yeah, no shit."

Will laughed and turned his whole body to face Alec. He sighed and held Alec's gaze.

"It's alright. You've done well so far. You're a hit, you're talented, you're hot. I know we all need a break but it's one show away. You've got this, Lightwood."

Alec turned his head to look at Will and nodded a little.

"I guess," he said.

Will moved beside him, coming closer.

"You're amazing, Alec. Own it," he said.

There was something in his tone that made Alec's body buzz. He looked at Will with his brow furrowed and his eyes narrow. Will smirked and moved a hand to Alec's chin. He gently lifted Alec's face and held him in place.

"You got this," he whispered.

Alec swallowed thickly as Will suddenly pressed their lips together. It was quick but Alec felt the skill behind it. Will pulled away with a grin and turned to walk back up the hall without another word.

Alec stared after him, his lips tingling. He couldn't move.

What the hell? Will kissed him. When they were alone. Not on stage, no media present, no fangirls to please. If it wasn't for show, then why? Will knew Alec had a boyfriend.

Alec's heart pounded in his chest. He had to tell Magnus. He had to make sure Magnus knew he loved him and that there was no one else for Alec except him. Even if Will wanted him, he wasn't going to get him.

He was about to grab his phone from his dressing room when the lights began to flash and the bell sounded in the hall.

It was showtime.

...

Alec's set passed in a blur. They kicked off with some lighter, pop punk stuff and gradually fell into their older discography. They capped their set off with How I Disappear. For this show, however, they were allowed an encore of their own before TID took the stage.

They hadn't told the others which song they were doing, it had been kept a secret. But it was one that Alec loved. He had written it when he was struggling with his sexuality. He couldn't admit his feelings to himself or anyone else, but he had strong feelings for one person in particular. It had taken him a long time to admit to them. Even now, the object of his feelings didn't know about them. Alec had played the song before, and his crush had heard it, but he had never known it was about him. Alec had no intention of telling him. But the song held a special place in his heart. So did Jace, though not in the same way anymore.

The crowd went wild when Alec took the spotlight.

The guitar riff began, and he took a deep breath, staring into the blinding lights.

Pretty, but he don't tell you 'bout it
Winter, scarfs and skirts of velvet
Still drink just like we did in school
I passed your old house
Down by the cemetery
Club nights in university
When your friends sing born to run, baby
Resist, cause we were born to drift

Alec sang his heart out. He let himself fly away from the lights, the crowd, the pressure. Just him and his guitar. The guys playing in the background. He melted into the lyrics and felt the eyes of thousands upon him. As he went into the chorus, the flashes of a thousand phones immortalised his performance.

If you could see the wreck I am these days
You'd have new reasons to stay away
Just hold my hand for a little while
Misery never goes out of style

As he sang, he knew something was changing. The song was of epic proportions and his voice carried on the wind. He understood then what Will was talking about back in the hall.

I see you, sometimes in dreams I have
In your bra, in the room you used to rent
Do you ever wish you could wake someone else
And so I wrote down a list of coroner's
Their names their office phone numbers
To pronounce dead the thing we had
In tombs, ex boyfriends' bedrooms

If you could see the wreck I am these days
You'd have new reasons to stay away
Just hold my hand for a little while
Misery never goes out of style

Then came the bridge. His favourite part of the song, where he could truly belt out every frustration he was carrying. He gripped his guitar hard, as the music dropped in favour of only his voice. The crowd silenced as he sang, just taking him in.

I'm your chipped nail paint
I'm the fabric of your coat
You are all I fear
You are words I never wrote

I'm your chipped nail paint
I'm the fabric of your coat
You are all I fear
You are words I never wrote
You are years ago

As his voice built, the track pounding, guitar strumming, he took in a deep breath and let it go. When the crescendo broke, the crowd screamed, crying his words along with him. Torch lights lit up the night and he felt himself crying.

If you could see the wreck I am these days
You'd have new reasons to stay away
Just hold my hand for a little while
Misery never goes out of style

As the song ended and he played the last little chords on his guitar, silence fell again, allowing him to finish uninterrupted. Then, as the last note drifted away, the arena exploded.

Alec took several deep breaths and stared out at the crowd with tears falling down his cheeks but a smile on his face. The crowd roared, louder and louder. He laughed and held up his guitar, taking a flourishing bow.

For that moment, Alec was in heaven. This, this is why he was putting himself through Valentine's orders. The music, the energy, the connection. This is why he did what he did.

Alec lowered his guitar and beamed out at the crowd. He reached for his water bottle and drank deeply. All the while, the crowd continued to scream. He was beginning to wonder why when he saw Will take the stage. He was heading right for Alec with a mic in his hand.

"How about that, guys and girls?" He yelled.

The crowd cried right back. Will grinned and came right up to Alec. Alec ran a hand through his hair and smiled.

"Thanks guys. You have no idea what this means to me," he said into his mic.

The crowd roared again.

"I think they do, babe. That was quite something, Alexander."

Alec flushed when Will used his name. Only Magnus called him Alexander. But he smiled for the show and leaned in to kiss Will on the cheek. The crowd was ravenous.

Then, without warning, Will took Alec in his arms and kissed him full on the lips. His hands were on Alec's face, around his neck, in his hair. Alec was shocked. His eyes flew wide as Will's slipped shut.

The world around them erupted and Alec thought it would go deaf at the screams of the crowd. He put his hands on Will's chest but felt his lips move along with Will's for the briefest second. He pushed himself back and Will released him, but his eyes locked on Alec's and his chest was heaving under his vest.

Alec stared at him, his heart pounding. Will smiled. He didn't smirk, didn't wink. There was no cocky retort or jaunty flick of his eyebrows. He smiled, an open, happy smile. His eyes were shining as he took Alec in with the same amount of reverie as the crowd.

Oh boy, Alec thought.

To say this show had changed things would be an understatement.

...

A/N: So? Worth the wait? *cries in apologies* Thanks for reading!

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