Piano Days and Other Malec One-Shots

It was 1906. . .

London, 1906

Magnus arrived fashionably late but the party was already in full-swing, so no one really cared about his entrance.

He wandered through the Institute, observing the crowd, staying in the shadows.

Magnus wasn't thrilled to be in London. This city had never suited him. But Tessa had invited him and so he felt compelled to attend.

He'd shocked himself by dressing in a casual manner: a navy blue waistcoat, with matching pants. Subconsciously, he didn't want to draw attention to himself. The sooner he saw Tessa, the sooner he could leave.

But she was nowhere to be found.

That's how he ended up in the library, reading Pride and Prejudice.

It was the quietest place in the house up until a boy stumbled into the large room, slamming the door shut.

When he saw Magnus, he fell back against the door in shock.

"Who are you?" the boy asked.

"Magnus Bane." Magnus set the book aside, to examine the boy a bit closer.

Boy was a bad term.

He had to be in his early twenties, at least. A pair of wire glasses balanced on the tip of his nose. He wore a white button-up but the collar wasn't creased and the top two buttons were undone. It was highly improper but he obviously didn't care. Runes snaked up his neck, black against pale white skin.

"And you are?" Magnus asked.

"Christopher- Christopher Lightwood."

"What are you running from, Christopher?"

"What are you hiding from, Mr. Bane?"

"Ah, touche."

Christopher pushed his fingers through his hair, staring at the ground dejectedly.

"If you must know," Magnus said, raising his voice to get the boy's attention, "I'm avoiding the hordes of people in the halls."

"Are you not supposed to be here?"

"I was invited. I just have a distaste for Shadowhunters."

Christopher raised an eyebrow.

"Who are you running from?"

"Myself," Christopher sighed. "I'm a horrible fool."

"Tell me about it. I could use a good laugh."

"What a horrible thing to say," Christopher retorted. "Laughing at other's misery?"

"I never claimed to be a good person," Magnus said with a shrug.

"If you must know, I've embarrassed myself."

"What did you do though?"

"I ruined Grace's dress."

"Grace?"

"She's-" He couldn't seem to describe her.

"I've heard the name before," Magnus said. He couldn't seem to connect a name to a face though.

"Grace Blackthorn."

"Oh, yes," Magnus said. "I, uh, know her."

There was a moment of terse silence.

Grace had most likely grown up from when they last met but Magnus wasn't thrilled with their history.

"So why did you ruin her dress?" Magnus asked.