Piano Days and Other Malec One-Shots

Afternoon Naps

A good nap was all Magnus needed.

He hadn't slept the night before and the morning had been more eventful than planned.

Naps— they could fix almost anything, if done properly.

Magnus had been studying napology his entire life and he would be damned if it wasn't an official field of study at Harvard before he died.

It couldn't be too short or too long. There couldn't be too much light in the room but, too dark and you wouldn't wake up in time. Too comfortable and you wouldn't get up when it was done and too uncomfortable and you wouldn't reach peak restfulness.

45 minutes was Magnus' magic number and if he had to set a timer, then he'd set a timer.

The timer went off around two in the afternoon.

45 minutes wasn't enough. The alarm kept screeching and no matter how much Magnus fumbled with the screen of his iPhone, he couldn't get it to shut off.

Flustered and tired, he chucked the phone against the wall and with one final cry, it shattered into a million made-in-China pieces.

In the relative silence, sleep was coming back to him.

Until he heard the plink-plinking of the piano.

So Alec was finally home?

Faced with the choice of dream-Alec or real-Alec, Magnus went with the latter, pulling all of the covers off the bed as he staggered out into the sun.

It was an unfortunate fact that his apartment had a lot of windows and reflective surfaces. He thought the shiny and bright interior was a great idea when he bought the place.

Now he wanted the privacy of a life behind blinds and a lot less sunlight.

Alec's back was to Magnus, who was covered from head to toe with piles of blankets.

Magnus collapsed onto the couch, laying on his side so he could watch Alec.

Alec was in a sort of trance.

He could get that way sometimes if something was bothering or if he simply wanted to be alone.

Magnus never minded the occasionally silent Alexander, as long as it didn't last longer than a few hours.

"What are you playing?" Magnus finally asked. He had been listening long enough to know it wasn't an actual piece, but rather a sloppy arrangement of chords that occasionally managed to sound harmonic.

"Nothing," Alec said, his hands flattening on the keys, creating dissonance.

"Is something wrong?"

Alec looked over at Magnus.

"What's wrong with you?" Alec asked, staring at the pile of blankets that resembled the shape of his boyfriend.

"I've decided to become a blanket burrito," Magnus said.

"You know, I actually made the bed this morning."

"Life is easier as a burrito," Magnus said.

"Until someone bites you," Alec said.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't mind if you—"

Alec put up a hand to stop Magnus.

"I'm really tired," Magnus said. "My nap wasn't enough."

"Then go back to sleep," Alec said.

"It's not that simple," Magnus sighed.

Alec raised an eyebrow and played an E minor.