Beauty and the Beast ~ a malec fanfiction

If You Really Love Me

I had all and then most of you, some of now none of you
-The Night We Met by Lord Huron

Alec was pacing back and forth in his room, while Simon was hovering in the corner trying not to laugh too much.

"Why did I ask him to dance with me Simon?" Alec asked.

"I still don't know the answer, even after the eleventh time you've asked me Alec." Simon said. If he could have rolled his eyes they would have been in the back of his head.

Alec grunted and turned in the opposite direction of the feather duster.

"I wasn't asking for a smart-ass answer."

"Then why did you ask me?"

Alec pondered for a moment. He wasn't really sure why he'd asked Simon in out of all of the people in the castle. For some reason Simon didn't seem as jumpy around Alec as the others did. He found it comforting in a strange way.

"Are you going to help at all?" Alec said instead of replying to Simon's question.

"I don't know anything about fashion! Tessa's right there, she can dress you much better than I can! Ask her idiot." Simon laughed. Alec sighed and brushed his comment off.

"Tessa, could you help me please?" Alec asked nicely.

"Well I thought you'd never ask! Though it had been rather entertaining watching you two bicker back and forth." Tessa giggled. It was at times like those when Alec remembered she and everyone else were just humans trapped in this castle. It was a sobering thought to have, especially when Magnus was thrown in to the mix.

"I need to look nice." Alec started pacing again. It was almost becoming involuntary. "Not too smart but not too casual either. Just the right amount of 'I tried' but not overly 'I tried too much' . You know what I mean?"

His words were just followed by silence.

"It almost sounds like you want to make Magnus think you look attractive." Simon teased.

"What?" Alec blurted. "Of course not! Why would I care what Magnus thought about my looks?"

"I mean, this is for a date with Magnus. You don't just ask anyone to go dancing with you." Simon said in a matter-of-fact manner.

Alec rolled up his sleeves and started towards Simon, ready to hit him right out of the sky. Just in time however, a strand of fabric tied around his wrist and held him in place.

"Ignore that one Alec. He's always had quite the sardonic tongue." Tessa laughed. "Just leave it all to me, I know exactly what you mean."

Tessa ordered Alec to stand still, so he tapped his foot while Tessa worked her magic. He watched as swirling pieces of gold and white fabric flew through the air, attaching to the plain white blazer that Alec had been made to put on. They created a beautiful pattern all around it. A black bow tie wound itself around the collar of Alec's shirt and a pair of black dress shoes appeared on the floor in front of him. He stepped into them and the laces tied themselves up. Tessa gasped a little and even Simon whistled.

Alec turned and looked in the mirror in front of him. He smiled.

"What do you think?" Alec looked over his shoulder.

"You look truly gorgeous dear." Tessa said. You could practically hear the smile shine through in her voice.

"Even I've got to say Alec, you look pretty fine." Simon laughed, not cruelly though.

Alec looked back at the mirror. He could hardly recognize the person in front of him. Somehow, in the scary, unknown castle full of wonders and secrets and mysteries had made him happier than he had been in a long time. The face staring back at him was one that seemed so different to who he was before. The lines on his forehead were almost none existent thanks to the lack of stress that he thought would be more present. The only lines that had appeared were ones around his mouth; smile lines.