Piano Days and Other Malec One-Shots

Day 5

What was going on?

A panic spread through him.

He wasn't home.

The room was full of strange gadgets that looked like the deathtraps in Henry's lab.

"Yes, that is your name, isn't it?" Magnus asked, sitting up. He stared up at Gideon.

"My name is Gideon," he breathed. "Not Alec."

Magnus was silent for a second but then a cat-like smile stretched across his face.

Gideon took a step back, only to trip and fall back onto the couch.

"Oh," Magnus smiled.

............

Despite Will's order, Alec managed to convince Tessa to let him watch Henry work over a tiny sphere.

It was better than pacing around his room.

An hour went by and Henry had spent the entire time, screwing and unscrewing parts, replacing them with new ones, inspecting various pieces and screws.

Alec had no idea what was happening.

Sophie appeared at his side in the basement of the London Institute at some point.

"You should join us for lunch upstairs. Gabriel is curious," she said. "Also, I hate being around him alone."

"Gabriel is. . .?"

"Your-- his brother," Sophie said, pressing his lips together. "He's a little. . . overbearing. Please, Mister Alexander."

"Um, sure," Alec said, deserting his stool. He followed her upstairs.

He still wasn't used to the clothes or the manner of speaking.

He didn't like how unhappy this body swap was making Sophie, who was making a decent attempt to be kind to him.

Gabriel seemed to be a carbon-copy of his new self, with longer hair.

He held himself so formally, not unlike Will, who was standing off to the side.

They were all in the sitting room, a tray of tea and cakes sitting on a table, untouched.

Will had his arm around a girl with long black hair. He smiled down at her before noticed Alec.

Tessa was sitting in an armchair, watching Alec intently.

"So you are Alexander Lightwood?" Gabriel asked, stepping up to Alec.

"Yes," Alec said. There was a harshness to Gabriel's eyes. They reminded him so much of his father's.

"Hmm. You don't seem so horrible, Lightwood," Gabriel said.

"Lightworm," they both heard Will whisper.

"I'll have you know I'm a Lightwood now," the black-haired girl snapped. "I've always liked the name Alexander."

That made Alec smile.

"My name is Cecily, since no one is bothering to introduce me," she said. She lifted her chin, proudly. "I am Will's sister and Gabriel's wife."

Gabriel's eyes soften momentarily, as if he were coming out of, or going into, a trance.

A knocking sound echoed throughout the room.

"That would be Henry's assistant," Sophie said. She stepped away from Alec and disappeared out of the room.

Alec stared back at the group until he heard the doors open again.