Piano Days and Other Malec One-Shots

True Bliss Equals Guilt

AH!AU

Alec didn't believe in fate.

He believed in coincidences, divided into two categories: fortunate coincidences and unfortunate coincidences.

Maybe it'd be different if he was less statistical and more philosophical.

But he'd excelled through all the stats classes Harvard had to offer and failed the one philosophy class he attempted to take.

Magnus Bane was a fortunate coincidence that made his life incredibly difficult.

Magnus was supposed to be just a business associate turned family friend after a few years of dealing with the great stock broker, Robert Lightwood.

They met during Magnus' first unofficial visit to the Lightwood house, an old mental institute turned regal manor.

"Give him a tour," Robert said, clapping his son on the back and pushing him only slightly towards Magnus.

He was hoping for some long-lasting business friendship between his eldest son and the CEO of one of the largest banks in New York City. Magnus was the only kind of friend his father would ever approve of.

So as dinner was being prepared and his parents socialized with their other dinner guests, Alec showed Magnus around the house.

Ending up in Alec's room when the power went out was the first of the night's fortunate coincidences.

The lights went out in an instant, plunging the room into darkness.

One of the downfalls to living in an old asylum was the lack of windows. That was the summer before his father spent a fortune putting them in. 

"Don't move," Alec and Magnus said together.

The light from Magnus' Blackberry was the first thing Alec saw.

Alec was frozen in the middle of the room while Magnus was still by the door.

Alec followed in suit, pulling out his own phone and shining the light at the floor.

A text popped up from his father.

Robert: Stay wherever you are. Entertain Mr. Bane please. Be personable!

It was the same reminder every time Alec ended up with a dignitary or business partner in his presence.

"We're supposed to stay in here," Alec said. 

"There are worse things," Magnus said, his words drawing out, looking around the room by light of the Blackberry.

Alec was suddenly conscious of the lack of decoration in his room-- the lack of excitement.

"So," Magnus sighed, walking towards Alec's bed.

"So?"

"We're stuck here until the lights come on. We might as well talk," Magnus said.

So they conversed awkwardly for awhile, Alec standing and Magnus sitting on the bed Alec had been sleeping in since he was too big for a little twin sized bed.

Magnus was a natural conversationalist; Alec was not, making the conversation entirely one-sided.

Question, yes.

Another question, no.

Another question, I guess.

Another question, yeah.

And Alec wasn't sure how he ended up sitting next to Magnus on his bed. He wasn't sure how the conversation turned to his personal life, or lack there of.