Piano Days and Other Malec One-Shots

Explosions

Arguments could get explosive in the Bane-Lightwood household between unchecked magic and impulsive Shadowhunter reflexes.

Depending on the topic and the intensity, Magnus and Alec could make up in seconds or they could spend the rest of the day fuming. But never once had they gone to bed angry at each other, something relationship therapists preached like it were gospel.

Alec knew they wouldn't break that habit tonight; falling asleep angry was how relationships began the slippery descent down.

But the way Alec saw it, he had three hours til he would be forced to sleep, and Magnus would have to suffer his silent treatment for all 10,800 seconds.

It started off as a bickering session over evening coffee, after a spending the entire day laying around, but before they had caffeine in their system, so it quickly became violent. It'd really began with children.

Alec was worried about having kids; being tied down, having responsibility, and loosing too much of his youthfulness in one single moment. Magnus insisted that it didn't matter, that they'd be fine, they always were. 

Lies, disguised as insults, were hurled and they both came away hurt.

Alec retreated to the bathroom to shower, as he usually did after their fights.

Something about being trapped in a small space, enclosed on all four sides, made Alec feel sheltered. Time slipped away easily in the shower. It was easier to think when there weren't distractions.

When there wasn't Magnus.

That was the real reason, he supposed.

He was a walking distraction; from the gaudy outfits to his general aura that seemed to pull Alec in and wrap him around Magnus' finger.

So being mad at him was impossible when he was actually in the room. Part of physical attraction was this constant state of forgiveness. 

Even after the hot water ran out and Alec begrudgingly left the safety of the shower, he sat against the wall, wrapped in three or four fluffy towels, messing around on his phone.

If showers were a great way to pass the time, Netflix was even better.

One shower and two episodes of Lost later, Alec peeked his head out of the bathroom doorway.

Their-- his-- Magnus'-- the possessive was irrelevant-- bedroom was dark and empty. The sheer white curtains fluttered in the night breeze. Alec had opened the windows this morning, pre-fight. Before the idea of kids. 

It was getting close to 11.

Alec ditched the towel around his waist for grey sweatpants and a black sweater.

"Just one more episode," Alec reasoned as he fell onto the bed.

Staying mad wasn't one of his strong suits. Forgive and forget was better in his mind. Holding grudges took up to much energy. And despite the fact that they hadn't done anything productive all day, Alec was exhausted.

But Magnus loved the showiness of extending their fights for longer than necessary.

Tonight he'd let Magnus have his drama then he'd have to come crawling back to Alec.

Meanwhile, Alec would enjoy Netflix.

The idea of Magnus lost and alone in the apartment was weighing on his mind though. Enjoying the misery of Lost's characters wasn't his mind's priorities.

The episode finished and the credits rolled. It was nearly 11 and Alec had training in the morning, which required at least 6 hours of sleep. Magnus was still missing. Alec set his phone aside and tried to fall asleep. 

His mind replayed their fight over and over again.

Sleep wasn't going to come with Magnus being right next to him. 

The bed felt too big-- too lonely-- he was too cold, and sleep just wasn't going to come.

Just as cautiously as he had inspected the bedroom, Alec looked out into the hall before actually stepping inside.

It was empty and the rest of the house was silent.

Alec spent a few minutes wandering the living room and kitchen before checking Magnus' office, which was also empty. Something was bubbling and steaming while glowing an iridescent blue in the corner. Alec knew better than to ask or touch.

That only left the various and seldom-used rooms. Or Magnus had left the apartment entirely.

Alec didn't know which worried him more: the idea of Magnus wandering the streets of New York or him bunkering down in one of the rooms they never used. The ones the accumulated cobwebs and dirt faster than a hoarder accumulated trash.

One by one, he went down the main hallway, checking the rooms for signs of life.

Of these mostly deserted rooms, the green one at the very end was the one Alec liked the most. It had a large window that over looked the city and it was various shades of gray, rather than the rest of the apartment's bright, showy colors.

He felt a sudden rush of gratefulness to the room when he saw Magnus' figure laying in the bed.

Of course he would pick this room. 

Besides the dreariness of the colors (perfect for wallowing in self-pity), Alec had slept in this bed for at least a month when he first started seeing Magnus.

Fighting and egos aside, Alec crept into the room, climbing under the covers.

He didn't stop moving until he was right up against Magnus, wrapping his arms around him.

"I'm sorry," Alec whispered. 

Magnus tilted his head in a feeble attempt to see Alec.

"Me too," he said, softly. His voice was hoarse.

Crying Magnus was traumatizing to Alec. Why did they waste time on stupid stuff like this? 

"I just don't know what I want," Alec said.

"I shouldn't have forced it on you like that," Magnus said. "I don't want you to feel pressured."

"I'm not-- I just don't want to mess up," Alec said.

"You'd be an amazing father," Magnus whispered.

"I love you," Alec said, burying his face in the nape of Magnus' neck.

"And I you, Alexander," Magnus said, a gratefulness in his voice.

They fell asleep in the grey room that night, no longer angry at one another.