Piano Days and Other Malec One-Shots

Teaching Life

AH!AU

Unpacking had reached a new point of frustration for Alec.

They hadn't been in the house for five hours and his parents were screaming about where to place the Turkish rug they had bought.

Then there was the fact that he had a year's worth of clothing, souvenirs, and trinkets to put away in a room that hadn't changed.

The point of the year-long sabbatical was to change— as a family unit. But Alec had come back feeling more changed himself than his family. His parents were still fighting over every little thing at any possible second. His sister was still aloof to everything. And his little brother more-so.

So he left his room with two full suitcases and a carry-on backpack on his bed.

No one noticed he disappeared or that he took the car keys and a fifty out of his dad's wallet.

While his family had always been problematic, he hadn't always felt the need to be rebellious because of it.

That had started when he realized that his life was boring. In Europe, it had been schoolwork in the morning and sight-seeing in the afternoon. The sights were beautiful but the cathedrals started to blend together and the monuments became symbolic of the unsymbolic. Sneaking out of hotels became an addiction that needed to be cured every night.

Maybe he was doing it for the attention. But he really needed a drink and his fake-ID had been burning a hole in his sock drawer.

The main road that ran by university in town was lined with bars, tattoo parlors, and fast food restaurants that were all open late due to the sleep schedules of their clientele.

Alec did his best attempt at parallel parking and found the least sketchiest bar and went inside.

"Manhattan," Alec ordered, sitting down at the bar. He kept his eyes down but the bartender's elbows came into his view so he looked up.

"ID please."

Alec sighed, reaching for his wallet. He handed the ID over and the bartender flipped it over a couple times before tossing it back to Alec.

"What brings you to a bar at 10 at night?" the bartender asked.

Alec wasn't really in the mood for conversation but hell— tonight he was Alec Williams. And maybe Alec Williams was a classy drinker with a knack for conversation and the finer things in life.

"I'm trying to unpack," Alec said.

"And how is that coming?"

"Well, I'm here instead of unpacking so. . ."

The bartender laughed a little and slid the glass across the counter to Alec.

"So what's so bad about unpacking?"

"Well, it's not the process as much as the place," Alec said, taking a careful sip.

Sweet.

"I get it," the bartender said. "Getting a good apartment around here is impossible. I finally just gave in and rented one of those expensive studios. It's gorgeous but I cannot afford it and the finer things in life."

Finer things?  Was he a mind-reader?

Alec stuck his hand out.

"Alec."

"Magnus," the bartender said. "So what do you do, Alec?"

"Student." Not a complete lie. He was technically a student— just high school, not college.