Piano Days and Other Malec One-Shots

Piano Days

Rain has an odd way of pushing us inside. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what we fear about water and being wet, but we do.

Inside, however, the world can be much less exciting. We have to make do what lies within our grasp because the outside world has been put off-limits, by forces still unknown.

Staring out the window is a favorite past time of those held hostage by rain, especially if the window has a view like the apartment of Magnus Bane's. You could see most of Brooklyn out his massive window which was covered with speckles of raindrops. The sun was just beginning to set when the men finally made it into the shelter of their apartment.

They took off their soaked outer clothes and left them carelessly by the door. Chairman Meow walked, carefully balanced, along the back of the couch until Alec collapsed onto the cushions. Then the cat had no choice but to jump onto Alec's stomach to take a nap.

Alec stared out the window and Magnus fumbled around the kitchen, busying himself with another one of his projects.

"I hate rain," Magnus grumbled.

"That's only because your hair is 'ruined,'" Alec called into the kitchen.

There was a silent pause.

"Is it really?"

Alec laughed at his genuine concern, which disturbed the Chairman's peaceful slumber.

"No," Alec called. But Magnus' hair had lost some of it's volume.

Alec watched as the sun continued to fall in the distance. More and more of Brooklyn's lights began to illuminate, making the skyline much bolder and flashier.

Alec heard the rattling of glass against an unstable tray. He sat up. Had Magnus really attempted to make something?

"It's tea," Magnus explained, setting the tray on the coffee table. He sat where Alec's head had been just seconds ago.

Magnus wasn't much of a cook, but his time in England had taught him a few things: 1) the Herondale family history, 2) never trust a blind, drunken faerie in a game of poker, and 3) how to make good tea. And for the record, Magnus was a firm believer in "tea first- milk second." Only the uncultured steeped their tea in milky water.

Alec took a sip before setting the cup back on the tray and laying his head on Magnus' thigh. He turned his head so he could watch the city.

"Tell me a secret, Alexander."

"Secret?" Alec laughed. "You are, perhaps, my only secret."

"No," Magnus sighed. "I feel like I don't know enough about you."

"I don't understand," Alec said, looking up at Magnus. "What more is there to know?"

"Before me," Magnus said, idly running his fingers through Alec's hair, "what did you do?"

Alec started to laugh, trying to think of something.

"I'm serious!" Magnus said. "Tell me something."

"I can shoot an arrow-"

"Nope, try again."

"I can play piano," Alec admitted.

"Great," Magnus said. The coffee table was replaced with a grand piano. "Play me something."

"I'm hopeless, really," Alec insisted. Magnus pushed Alec off of him.

"Go do something great," Magnus said, as Alec got on his feet. He pulled the piano bench out.

Alec pressed down the D until the idea for a song came to his head.

There was nothing symbolic about it and he mentally begged Magnus not to read into the lyrics, as they were completely irrelevant.

He played the chord for D major until it formed the rhythm he wanted.

"This is gospel for the fallen ones.

Locked away in permanent slumber,

Assembling their philosophies,

From pieces of broken memories.

Oh, this is the beat of my heart, this is the beat of my heart,

Oh, this is the beat of my heart, this is the beat of my heart,

The gnashing teeth and criminal tongues conspire against the odds,

But they haven't seen the best of us yet."

There was a dramatic pause.

"If you love me let me go,

If you love me let me go,

'Cause these words are knives that often leave scars,

The fear of falling apart,

And truth be told, I never was yours,

The fear, the fear of falling apart."

He ended on the same D minor.

Magnus was oddly silent.

"That was absolutely beautiful," Magnus finally said. Alec shut the lid of the piano. "You do realize how beautiful that was, right?"

"It wasn't-"

"Don't deny yourself that," Magnus said. "It is okay to brag occasionally and this is one of those occasions."

Alec could feel himself blushing.

Then Magnus was beside him on the piano bench, kissing him as tenderly as Alec had played the keys.

Author's Note: This song is obviously "This is Gospel" by Panic! At the Disco. In my headcanon, Alec is quite capable of pulling off Brendon Urie's vocals and piano-ing. My other Alec headcanon is that he is really into mundane music. But only the good stuff.

Also, this is my first one-shot and Malec is my OTP, so you'll have to tell me what you think.

Like this? Hate this? Check out How to Name Your Cat, the Aftermath Chronicles, Small Town Days, A Different Kind of Honor Roll, or my Shadowhunters Reading List for more TMI/TID fanfic.