◈ Magnus X Alec One Shots ◈ Malec ◈

One Love Is A Lie

A/N This isn't what you expect! I promise this is another happy one for you!

My joints ached and my head was numb, the mop of black hair atop my head was messy, shaken by the club goers of The Institute, a bar just around from my house. One where I lived with my roommate Jace, a fit replacement for him. Despite my hopes, it seemed that the alcohol had in no way numbed my usual thoughts, only the important ones such as where the hell is my house? And especially, how do I get there? It seemed, after a year of living in New York, I wanted to run. I was tired of the damn place and the people that had been stuffed in it, shadowed by the overbearing skyline of the city.

I breathed out a heavy sigh, which was followed by an expected stumble. My intoxicated mind was in no state for walking. But, with my apartment only minutes away- or so I hoped- I had simply chosen to walk. A bad decision on my part.

I pushed my hands together, trying to rig warmth to the ice that was my fingers, trying to dispel the cruel thoughts attacking my mind. No matter how I tried, though, it was clear I would get nowhere. I needed time- not just to recover but to forget. Or maybe, if luck was on my side, forgive. Maybe, if heaven was on my side, I could even replace what I gave away.

I clenched my fists, frustration strong. My hopes were too large; in fact, they were comical. After this, I knew it would be better to keep them small. That didn't stop me, though. I wanted everything to return to normal. Maybe I even dreamed for more. I was a nobody. A man who lost his job, a man walking alone to a bar, a man who had just lost the love of his life. I tried to resist, I knew it was impossible but I wanted it all. I wanted the easy life. I wanted to be a somebody. A man with a well-paid job, a man who walks into a bar with his hundreds of friends, a man who has found the love of their life.

I wanted swimming pools, fancy living rooms and private aeroplanes. I wanted a little house on the hill for just me and my love, children's names written in preparation for what was about to come.

The dream shattered as soon as I lost him. I still hope. I can't understand why. He was the love of my life. My only love. I believed in one love. I didn't believe I could fall again. Suddenly, the vision changed. A glass in my hand filled with a murky looking liquid- alcoholic- in a musty apartment that hadn't been cleaned for days. Wait, no. That wasn't a vision. That was what I did yesterday.

I sighed, trying to grasp at the shattered pieces but they had already fallen from my hands. It was all my fault. I tripped, my legs hardly keeping me up, my intoxicated mind taking a few seconds to catch up.

Suddenly, with my legs tangling once again, there was a pair of strong hands wrapped around my waist. I looked down to see golden nail varnish and a thousand rings covering tanned fingers and with a gasp, I looked up at a man staring down at me with the most miraculous golden eyes.

'Th-thank you.' I stammered out, my words tripping over themselves as my tongue twisted, the alcohol creating a fog on how to do simple tasks.

'No problem.' He winked down at me and brought me up to stand on my own two legs before he could see the red bleed into my cheeks. 'Anything for someone as pretty as you.' The red turned to crimson, even the bulk of hair on my head not enough to cover it.

'I. I'll just go now.' I murmured, embarrassment prominent, not even my drunken blur could numb it. My legs dragged me away quickly, their tangle still evident but still functional enough to move me away.

'Wait!' The man called out, his feet hitting the pavement loudly as he ran after me. 'Magnus Bane.' He stuck his hand out, to which I followed with a blank stare at his hand. After a few painful seconds passed, my mind caught up; I looked up at him, Magnus, and grasped his hand strongly.

'Alec...Lightwood.' My voice was no more than a whisper, the man no more than intimidating as he looked down at me- something that didn't happen often as a six-foot male.

'Lovely name. Short for something? Alexander?' He hunched his back, his eyes now level with mine. It felt like he was piercing holes into my skin as his eyes bored into me. I nodded, my joints suddenly slower than usual. I must have looked unsure. Oh god, I must have just looked stupid.

Magnus didn't see to mind as he brushed a lock of hair from my face and smiled.

'Alexander really is a lovely name, you know?' He smiled, his eyes bright in the dim streets. I smiled back weakly, sobering more and more each and every second.

'Thanks.' I mumbled, trying to reclaim my legs from buckling, standing slightly taller, Magnus following suit. 'For catching me too.' I added timidly, raising my eyes to meet his and almost fell with the beauty. Never before had I seen something so amazing. It was like the blazing sun was within his eyes, a vibrant amber with specks of gold. Everything in comparison to mine.

'No problem.' He smirked, bringing a hand to my face and tracing my jawline with his finger. 'You have beautiful eyes.' He pointed out, a flirtatious smile on his face. I almost reeled back. In all the losing myself in his that I had done, I had not expected the same in return, not at all. My eyes weren't beautiful. Although blue, they should have been called grey and against my fair skin, they looked dull- lifeless. Just as I had been feeling so often recently.

'I see you think you don't but you do.' He laughed gently and brought his finger up next to my eye, his fingers no more than the touch of a feather. Somewhere along the line, I felt myself try and run. I didn't. Why? I didn't know. Panic, at least, by now should have sent my legs running. Maybe it was the shock that kept me planted.

I didn't say a word, my eyes widened and my limbs froze. The compliment was nothing to reply to. I had no witty comment and with very little relationship skill or experience, I was doomed from the beginning of the conversation.

'Aw, aren't you just a cutie.' He cooed, gripping my chin with his hand, stretching his back up and tilting my chin so my eyes looked up at mine. 'Why don't I walk you home, you don't look in the best state.' I nodded without thought, glad to know that I wasn't going to be stumbling home in the dark alone.

We didn't talk after that. There wasn't need to fill the void in between us, the never ending silence. We were comfortable with it. We both relished in the brush of our arms and the sneaky- or not so sneaky on my part- glances at each other.

It was romantic. And, for the first time, I enjoyed that. I enjoyed the cheesiness of it all. I loved it, even. And, when I found myself in front of my apartment block, I found myself unable to leave him.

'Don't go.' I slurred, my intoxicated mind unable to think of anything else. He smiled gently and nodded.

'Come on, let's go inside, I'll get you to your actual door before returning to my own humble abode.' He said, the smile remaining firm on his face- a fixed point that seemed unchangeable.

And with that, we stumbled up the stairs together, one of his hands always clutched around my arm to stop me from tripping. I smiled at him and he smiled back. Even winked when we reached my door.

'I better go now.' He whispered, almost regretful. I pouted, looking up at him with wide eyes but it had no effect but another sly smile on his face.

'Put your hand out.' He ordered suddenly and without hesitation- except a little time for my mind to catch up with what was just said- I stuck out my hand, my palm facing the floor. He smiled wider and buried his hand into his pocket, bringing out a biro.

I almost laughed. A biro in his pocket? It was almost as if it was planned. And then, he scribbled something down. I didn't look at it; I was most likely too drunk at that point to even read so when he left, I simply let myself feel disappointed. I wanted to run after him but I knew I couldn't- especially not in my state.

So, I rushed inside and tried to hide the smile on my face as I thought about what just happened. And with that came the sudden realisation, I had forgotten all about 'him'. He didn't matter anymore.

Only Magnus mattered.

When I woke up the next day and looked down at my hand, I realised that. All it wrote was 'call me' followed by his phone number. I didn't stop smiling all day.

word count: 1563

published: 21.06.17