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Regret was not something Alec was used to feel. He had made his fair share of stupid decisions, it was true, but they had turned out for the best for the most part. Those that didn’t were usually Jace’s or Izzy’s decisions that Alec had to deal with later.

Truth be told, Alec’s entire career as a singer was a big risk he had almost not taken, too afraid of regretting it bitterly if he ever did. Born to a family of musicians, he could have conformed to play the piano like his mother wanted. He wasn’t good at it, but it was a skill he could’ve learnt. It didn’t matter that he didn’t have his sister’s natural talent or his brother’s genius creativity. He would have belonged.

But no, Alec’s musical abilities were in his voice.

He didn’t like to sing, at first. Alec would only do it when he was chilling with his siblings, for fun. It was a little safe haven in a house otherwise deprived of spontaneity. But then puberty hit and Alec’s voice grew deeper and huskier.

When his music teacher Hodge overheard Alec singing to his baby brother Max, his fate was sealed.

It took a while for Maryse to accept the idea that her oldest son was not going to inherit her fame as a pianist, but at least it paved the way for Alec to come out of the closet in the process. Maryse could handle having a gay son, but a singer son? That was too much.

If Alec hadn’t taken Izzy’s advice and sang to his mother at her birthday as his present to her, maybe she would have never accepted him.

Good thing Robert had connections in more than the classic side of the music industry. Once he had his mother’s blessing, Alec was put in contact with Luke Garroway, LA’s biggest agent. Although he wasn’t a great lyric writer, Alec found in Lydia Branwell a way to put into words what he could transmit with his voice and suddenly his songs were all over the radio. In a sea of generic pop songs, Alec’s soothing tone and heartfelt anthems were a breath of fresh air.

Alec’s career skyrocketed and soon he was receiving all kinds of invitations. Concerts, guest appearances on talk shows, a nomination to the Billboard Music Awards. It was overwhelming. Alec freaked out after realizing his rising fame was interfering with his personal life and preventing him from seeing his siblings as much as he wanted to. He prohibited Luke to accept any new invitations and focus on shows only. He wanted to be able to spend time with his family, study music and have a life beyond public appearances.

It came as a surprise, however, when Alec was invited to be judge at Angel’s Voice after two years of reclusivity.

His first instinct was to say no, regardless of how much Luke insisted it was time to go back under the spotlight. Alec hated reality shows with a burning passion and he hated singing competitions even more. They were a poor excuse to ridicule people who couldn’t sing and an unfair way to find those who could and expose them without any decent support system whatsoever.

And Angel’s Voice was the worst of them. Created by the awful Valentine Morgenstern, the show was known to be fixed and exceedingly cruel. Sebastian, Valentine’s son, was a frustrated singer with a thankfully short career due to it being impossible to work with him and his poor treatment of fans, but much worse: he was the chief among the judges. Everyone knew his opinion mattered the most and whoever didn’t suck up to him was quickly eliminated, no matter how talented they were.

Another known thing was the high speed rotation of the judging panel. Nobody was capable of putting up with Sebastian for over one season of the show, so they were always looking for new judges.

“I understand your concerns,” Luke said diplomatically after Alec pointed all of that to him, though with a few colorful words to describe Sebastian. “But this year it’s going to be different. The show’s popularity is falling fast and they are trying to reinvent the formula. There is going to be the usual mockery during the auditions, but the producers are aiming for a higher quality of judges this year.”

“So Sebastian won’t be there?” Alec asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Luke swallowed hard. “He will. But so will be Clary. And Simon.”

So that was what this was all about. Clary was a worldwide singer. Headstrong, beautiful and owner of a powerhouse voice, she was also classically trained and sharply smart. Simon was more of a wing it ‘til you make it kind of artist, but no less successful for it. He was likable, genuine and skilled. More importantly, he was a great judge of character.

They were also Luke’s adoptive daughter and her childhood best friend, respectively. Luke was not going to let them walk into a trap on their own.

Alec archer an eyebrow at his agent. “You want me to keep an eye on them.”

“Can you blame me?” Luke sighed, knowing there was no use in denying it. “I doubt Sebastian will try anything funny with you there, glaring murderously at him if he so much as smirked in their direction. I know your siblings, Alec. You’re the perfect big brother. It would help me sleep at night if I knew you’re there with them.”

Pressing his lips together, Alec weighed down the pros and cons. It had been a while since Alec had showed up in public and it was true that he was losing relevance. A single was the better option than judging in a singing competition, but neither him nor Lydia had been feeling particularly inspired in the last couple of months. There was nothing happening in Alec’s life for him to draw inspiration from and he was starting to feel there never would.

Maybe getting in contact with amateurs trying their hardest to achieve their dreams would do it for him. There would absolutely be talented people auditioning, and maybe their fire would ignite Alec’s.

And even if he would be selling his convictions, Alec too would sleep better knowing he was there to back up Clary and Simon. He wasn’t sure how both of them had survived so long on their own to begin with.

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

Luke smiled in relief. “Great! You won’t regret it.”

Alec regretted it. Deeply, bitterly, horribly.

Since it was announced that he would be a judge at Angel’s Voice, no, excuse him, a Voicehunter, his life had become hell on Earth. He was back at the other side of the paparazzi’s lenses, multiple articles were written about his sudden return to the public life and numerous disgusting theories were being made. The worst one was a secret affair with Sebastian himself.

Alec took three showers after reading that one, but it made him decide not to make official comments on anything that was asked to him.

Every time he’d think about backing down, though, Jace would be there to give him another reason to stay. They had been friends since junior school, where they met at football practice. Jace spent so much time in his house, Alec saw him as a brother, and so did the rest of his family. Maryse was especially fond of him and would often let him get away with things she would chastise her children for.

Alec was pretty sure it had something to do with Jace’s outworldly talent on the piano. Prodigy or not, however, Jace never was very interested in pursuing a musical career. He wanted to be an actor and when that didn’t work out, he made his way into show business on raw charm and wit. He had hosted many shows and now he signed with this year’s Angel’s Voice.

In the very least, Alec would have his brother there with him, for most of the show. That was a silver lining, if nothing else was.

The first day of auditions arrived and passed by in a blur. Alec remembered meeting Clary and Simon, and how excited they were. If there was one good thing that revolting gossip brought, it was that Sebastian barely spoke a word to Alec at all.

Walking into the audition’s arena felt a bit like entering the stage for a concert. Anxiety aside, it was a familiar feeling and there was the advantage of not doing it alone. The crowd gathered inside the theater was there to watch the contestants sing and them, judge. It felt strangely comforting not being the one under pressure to perform for a change.

To Alec, saying ‘no’ came naturally. The voicehunters were under orders not to let a lot of people go through at the beginning and most of the contestants were mediocre to say the least, but now and then someone really good or really bad showed up. Sebastian would tear the second group apart and although Clary and Simon felt bad, they knew they couldn’t approve someone just for being a nice person.

Alec tried to keep his comments strictly technical in most cases. Luke had advised him against being exceedingly critical and begged him not to be as honest as he would normally be. Consciously, Alec knew a lot of the people that were sent to perform were jokes for raising the audience. Delusional self-centered people who wanted nothing more than five minutes under the spotlight.

He had no problem shutting them down. Day after day of auditions brought rude contestants who would shout and insult when confronted with the truth. Spoiled entitled kids were annoying, but Alec found the older people to be the ones difficult to handle. He didn’t care when a fifteen year old girl lashed out on him upon receiving a no, saying it was 2016 and not 2014, so he wasn’t relevant anymore. Dismissing her came with a sneer and the whole support of a cheering crowd.

But when a fifty year old man said he was only interested in Sebastian’s opinion, because he wanted to be judged by a real man, that was hard to bear. Thankfully, having Clary and Simon on the panel was a sure shot of the man being rejected, despite Sebastian giving him a ‘yes’ that was met with a resounding silence from the audience.

In fact, if it weren’t for Clary and Simon, Alec would’ve given up after the second day. Sebastian was mean and disrespectful, not to mention an unfair judge. Backstage, he said he did it for the show’s benefit, but his private comments were even worse.

Thankfully, having the three of them together leveled up the field. Jace also did a fair share of diverting attention and soothing possible fights by constantly ignoring Sebastian as he interacted with the judges. His squabbles with Simon quickly grew popular with viewers, and so did his aggressive flirting with Clary, who would have an answer to every time Jace tried to impress.

Alec had to admit he wasn’t expecting to enjoy spending time with Clary and Simon as much as he did. They were always cheerful and seemed to find a way to turn even the most boring of auditions into something fun. Clary was great with children especially. She was much beloved by the younger generation and it showed every time a teenager walked on the stage and their eyes shone upon seeing her. Be they good or bad, Clary always had a nice compliment to sooth critics. She was deeply moved by people’s stories, sometimes too much in Alec’s opinion, and that weighed on her judging process.

As for Simon, he was one of a kind. More often than not, he would indulge bad singers by clapping and dancing along. It was never mean and it ended up making the whole experience endurable, especially since the crowd usually joined him. Alec stopped being pissed at him when he realized how utterly angry Simon’s little shenanigans made Sebastian. Anything that did that was a positive thing in Alec’s perspective.

For instance, when a overly confident twenty-something ended her audition by saying she had sang a song about abusive men in honor of Sebastian, Alec almost choke on the water he was drinking. The crowd booed her and there was no denying the girl had a lot to work on until she could be considered a singer, but as Alec was the last judge to have a word, he gave her a yes and a smile. It didn’t revert the three no’s she had gotten, but it made Alec feel good about himself.

It didn’t mean he’d join Clary and Simon when they did silly dance moves in their chairs, though. He was having fun, but he was still sober and very much averse to dancing. Alec would, however, join them on their running inner jokes. Simon liked to give codenames to the contestants regarding their singing talent. Those who had the whole package, he called Marvel Heroes. Those who looked good, but couldn’t sing were DC Heroes. The ones who could sing but were all over the place were the DC Villains, and the dull forgettable ones were the Marvel Villains.

It took Alec less time to understand the categories than he was comfortable with admitting.

The game was simple. As soon as the contestant walked on stage, Alec, Clary and Simon would write down which category they thought he or she would be in. Whoever got it right, earned two points. Half of the category right meant one point. Much debate had aroused from it, especially because Alec and Simon differed radically on the definition of “all over the place”, but Clary was winning by a longshot either way.

All and all, the auditions had gone well. There was only a couple more days to go and they had approved a lot of great people. The most interesting ones were the ones that were chosen through the Adamante Buzzer. Any judge could press it, but only once. The contestant that received it would pass immediately to the live shows, regardless of what the other judges thought of them.

Both Clary and Sebastian had used their buttons already. Simon said he was waiting for something that would touch his heart. That meant nothing to Alec, because Simon would cry at least three times per audition day.

Alec himself was only tempted to press the Adamante Buzzer once. A young boy, only fourteen years old, had come to the stage and killed it. He was nervous and it could be heard on his shaky voice, but Alec had fallen in love with him. It helped that the boy was called Max, Alec’s favorite name of all times. Max alone made Alec want to be designated the Boy’s coach, just to be sure the boy would have the best training possible. If he had pressed the Adamante Buzzer for him, he wouldn’t be able to help the boy polish his gift like he intended to do before the live shows.

So Alec stuck to giving yes’s when he felt it was right and no’s when he felt the contestant wasn’t ready. It was easier to evaluate a singer than it was to fake interest in their personal lives, though, so Alec struggled a little when it was his turn to interview each contestant before their performance.

He was going through the suggested questions, trying to pick one that didn’t sound as stupid as ‘Do you think you have the voice of an angel?’ to prepare for talking to the next contestant when Simon shoved his notes on his face.

“What?” Alec hissed between his teeth. He could see the words ‘Hero. Marvel or DC?’ written on the paper, but he wasn’t in a playing mood.

Simon obviously didn’t care. He pointed at the stage with a very indiscreet movement of his chin and mouthed something that was either ‘awesome act’ or ‘wholesome at’ and no matter how much nonsense came out of Simon’s mouth, Alec was sure they usually made grammatical sense.

He rolled his eyes and decided to stop wasting time. The crowd was going wild, which meant the next contestant was already on the stage and waiting. Alec breathed in and raised his gaze.

And then all oxygen escaped him.

The man standing on stage didn’t look like anyone Alec had ever seen. He was obviously stylized to shine and that was not counting the glitter adorning his soulful eyes. His hair had highlights and his silk shirt shimmered with a thousand little sparkles, but Alec just couldn’t take his eyes off the man’s face.

He was gorgeous, impossibly so. Alec couldn’t focus on the eyes or the confident smile or the way his whole figure exuded talent. Marvel hero, for sure.

Alec was so entranced, he lost track of time. If Clary hadn’t acted fast and seized the moment by asking the man his name, Alec would probably stare at him in silence the whole afternoon. “Hi!” She said cheerfully. “I love your necklaces, they are beautiful.”

“Thank you, biscuit,” the man smiled even more and entangled one finger in one of the many necklaces that covered his chest. That silk shirt sure had a deep cleavage. “Most of them are from my home country.”

“Oh,” Clary exclaimed and she was doing a great job taking over what Alec was supposed to be doing. It was for the better, because he apparently had forgotten how words worked. “What’s your name and where are you from?”

The man moved his shoulder in excitement. “I’m originally from Indonesia, but I’ve been living in Brooklyn for over fifteen years now.” He waited for the crowd to cheer for Brooklyn before continuing. “And the name is Magnus Bane.”

Simon frowned. “Is that your real name? Sounds like an artistic name.”

“You can trust me, Samuel.” Magnus nodded reassuringly.

“Hm, it’s Simon. Simon Lewis.”

“All right, Sheldon.” Magnus waved the correction away with a flourish. Alec couldn’t help to snort at that, but thankfully it was covered by the laughs from the crowd.

Sebastian, who had a maniacal gleam on his eyes, laid his chin on his hand. “Enough chitchat. What are you singing for us today, Magnus?”

“Who Wants to Live Forever, by Queen.” If Magnus was in any way shaken by the predatory way Sebastian was regarding him, there was no way to tell.

“Is Freddy Mercury a hero of yours?” Sebastian asked, barely hiding the scorn from his voice. That would usually annoy Alec, but for some reason it made him beyond enraged. They had gone without a homophobic comment for three days and Alec very much wanted to extend that record until the end of the show.

But Magnus was nothing if not gracious as he smiled with his characteristic confidence. “As a fellow bisexual with a flare for the dramatics, I would be lying if I said I didn’t admire Mister Mercury profoundly.”

“As everyone should.” Simon nodded along, as if Magnus had just said the sky was blue. “Take it away, Magnus.”

“Thank you, Shawn.” Magnus closed his eyes and inhaled sharply as the melody started playing.

Alec straightened on his seat. He hadn’t made his usual notes, but somehow he felt like they would be useless on Magnus’ case. There was something about him that made everything feel out of place and right where they belong all at the same time. Alec couldn’t quite pinpoint why he thought that, but he knew Magnus was special before he even started singing.

And when he did, any shadow of doubt vanished from Alec’s mind. Magnus’ voice was deep and rich with sentiment, capable of dancing on its own tone. Magnus sang with all his being, pouring his heart in every word. He bore hurt and torment just as well as he emulate euphoria and created hope. It was different from the original singing, but no less unique.

It was no surprise when Alec tore his gaze from Magnus for just the split of a second and found tears on both Clary’s and Simon’s eyes. Alec smiled and laid his chin over crossed arms, letting himself be wrapped up by the show going on in front of him. He too felt like crying, but only because he didn’t know how to express his happiness in any other way. Smiling simply didn’t seem enough.

People like Magnus that made the show worth making. He was pure talent that would not have come to fruition through ordinary means. People like him, who didn’t have a foot in the industry already, could find a way to shine even in the midst of mockery and scorn. People like him, who, most of all, deserved to have their voices heard, were the inspiration Alec was looking for.

It took over five minutes for the crowd to stop clapping when Magnus finished his song. He had tears on his eyes and a big joyful smile on his face as he watched the entire stadium give him the standing ovation he deserved. At the judges’ panel, Simon was the first on his feet, followed quickly by Clary. Alec rose too, his heartbeat racing against his chest. Even Sebastian stood up and clapped, albeit less enthusiastically than the other three judges.

When the crowd’s cheering slowly died out, Clary wiped her tears, her face red and smiling. “It’s hard to put it into words, Magnus,” she tried and laughed, bouncing on her chair with excitement. “That was amazing. No, better than amazing. That was mind-blowing. I didn’t want it to end.”

“I still don’t,” Simon agreed. “Best audition of the whole competition. Of the whole world. The universe. It’s so cool that you decided to participate, because you rocked. Like, really rocked, and not only because that was a hard core rock song, but that was metal! You rocked the rock!”

Magnus chuckled. “I’m assuming that was a good comment.”

“Most definitely.” Clary giggled and turned to Alec, but something on her smart green eyes shifted and she went to Sebastian instead. “What do you think?” Since Sebastian just opened his mouth and then closed it without emitting a word, Clary quickly spoke again. “Look at that, you made him speechless. That’s a first.”

“Oh, well,” Magnus chuckled with the crowd. “I have that effect on people, I heard.”

Clary smiled her scrunchy smile at him. “Talking about silent people: Alec? Are you there?”

“Yeah,” Alec nodded. He turned to Magnus and for the first time, the stupor seemed to wash away enough for him to articulate a sentence. “Hey.”

Not a great sentence, but a sentence technically speaking. Magnus didn’t seem to care as he smiled fondly. “Hey you, handsome.”

Alec searched for a comment as the audience erupted in giggles. There were dozens of things he could say about Magnus’ technic, about his range, about his tone. Instead, Alec went with “hm, nice voice.”

Magnus chuckled fondly. “Well, if you liked that, you should hear me between four walls.”

Rolling his eyes, Alec ignored him. And whoever in the audience who was whistling suggestively. “I’m being serious. That was mind blowing, just as Clary said. And more than that,” Alec stopped for a second, trying to gather his thoughts. “You’re so brave and unapologetic. It’s… It’s so important. To show everyone there’s nothing… There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

An incredulous sigh escaped Magnus’ lips and he smiled, all incitement gone. He just looked happy and his eyes were shining with pride. “Thank you, Alexander.”

“No, thank you.” Alec shook his head. He swallowed hard. “And on top of that, you are a breathtaking singer.” He pursued his lips together and rubbed his hands. “I just…” Alec looked around, trying to find something to focus on as he searched for words. Magnus deserved to hear it, even if Alec lacked the eloquence to say it.

But then he found what he was looking for. Alec smiled and reached for the Adamante Buzzer, pressing it without hesitation.

If the crowd had gone wild with Magnus’ performance, seeing the golden light cover him blew off the roof. Alec chuckled as he watched Magnus half cry and half laugh in astonishment. Jace had stepped onto the stage and was giving his brother a thumbs up as he patted Magnus on the back. Both Clary and Simon were crying and Sebastian, well, who cared about Sebastian?

Alec hopped on stage once the euphoria was practically gone and accepted Magnus’ shaky embrace. The singer thanked him in whispers, but once they parted and Alec offered his hand for him to shake, he had composed himself enough to give him a mischievous wink.

“You got a firm handshake, Mister Lightwood,” Magnus said with a sly smile that looked cute with his smudged makeup. “I like that in a man.” He laughed as Alec just glared at him, unimpressed. “Do I need to keep going or do you get my meaning?”

“I get it.” Alec shook his head. “You’re lucky you are so unbelievably talented or this would be considered harassment.”

Magnus chuckled and shrugged innocently. “I guess I just need someone to punish me.”

Alec snorted. “Okay, I walked right into that one.”

“Yeah, you did.” Magnus smiled. “See you at the live shows, Alexander.”

“You can call me Alec.”

Magnus pouted, as if he was considering it. “Nah, I prefer Alexander.” He winked at him and walked away, rushing to hug the young guy Alec supposed was Magnus’ friend. Whatever the guy said to Magnus, it made him sneer and then laugh. The guy’s grumpy expression softened just for a second, but it was back again as soon as Magnus was back talking to him.

Someone cleared his throat beside Alec and he turned to see Jace throwing him a sly smirk.

“What?” Alec asked, annoyed.

Jace shrugged nonchalantly, tilting his head back. “Far from me to want to stop you from gaping at guys, but there are other contestants waiting.”

Alec’s jaw dropped in affront. “I was not gaping at him.”

“No, of course not. That is how you normally stare at people all right.” Jace scoffed and turned his mic on, turning to the crowd who was uncharacteristically silent. “Who is ready for the next contestant?”

The enthusiastic roar settled the matter and Alec went back to his seat. Simon and Clary had equally shit-eating grins on their stupid faces, so Alec ignored them as the next wannabe singer walked on the stage. This time, Alec had no problems doing the interview, as he was determined to put the whole Magnus thing behind them.

It turned out to be a mistake. The woman who was standing in front of them was creepy to say the least, with misplaced wig and orange makeup all over her face. She had a maniacal smile as well that was seriously intimidating. Alec attributed it to nerves, but when he talked to her, he knew it wasn’t it.

The woman started her introduction with a love declaration and when Alec thought things couldn’t get worst, she proposed to him, ring and all. According to her, Alec should marry her because she was his biggest fan and she knew everything there was to know about him.

Any other day, Alec would’ve stopped that madness at once. For some reason, though, he was feeling a little playful. “Oh, do you really know me?” He asked after the crowd had stopped laughing. “Every little thing there is to know about me? All of it?”

“Everything that matters,” she answered confidently.

Alec narrowed his eyes at her, hiding his laughter. “I don’t know. I think you’re missing a pretty important thing.”

“How about we start singing?” Clary intervened carefully. She was constantly at the receiving end of Alec’s snark and she could foresee where that was going.

It turned out the woman was as great of a singer as she was at knowing things about her celebrity crushes. When it was Alec’s turn to give her a no, he pointed out that was for both the singing and the proposal, although he added he was flattered after Simon coughed very, very loudly the word “manners”.

Alec’s good mood lasted remarkably long despite all odds. It seemed that all the funny contestants had been spared for the end of the first round of the show and suddenly he was much more willing to say yes than before. He even let a tear escape when a little girl performed My Heart Will Go On and won the affection of the crowd for being both the cutest thing and an outstanding potential.

He also took it well when a group of five guys performed shirtless. It didn’t hurt that they were all in very good shape, but usually he would be annoyed when Clary suggested he should bring a glass of water to one of the guys who was still panting from all the dancing. Alec mildly cared when Jace basically dragged him on the stage and suggested he gave each guy a well deserved hug. Alec obliged, albeit begrudgingly. He did not, however, give in to the crowd’s chanting for him to take off his shirt.

After the last contestant performed, a young woman named Maia who had a fierce voice and an even fiercer attitude that earned her the Adamante Buzzer from Simon, Alec was feeling like he had accomplished his mission. All things considered, he was looking forward to be receiving a category to coach and living in the exclusive resort designed to the contestants for the next following weeks.

Hopefully, inspiration would spark again, just like it did when he heard Magnus Bane singing.

---

The next stage of the competition was a tricky one. After letting through singers of various levels of talent, it was up to the judges to set apart the potential singers from the exceptional amateurs. Most of the contestant that lucked out at the auditions couldn’t keep up during bootcamp.

Those who stayed consistent got themselves a room at Idris, the luxurious resort where the Top 16 would be staying for the entirety of the show. The judges and their guests were allowed in and out, but the acts, as the contestants were called from that point forward, were kept from the outside world safe from internet connection and phone calls.

The group of forty-eight acts were divided into four categories: Boys, Girls, Groups and Adults. Alec was given the Boys to coach, and he was more than happy to do it. Alongside Max, there were another seven guys that showed great promise. One of them had been Sebastian’s Adamante Buzzer, so he had a place guaranteed at the live shows. Alec merely greeted him and the boy was sent home to prepare until he was called back, though Alec gave him his personal number so they would stay in contact. The other three were up to Alec to decide.

After working closely with all eight boys, making that decision was hard. He talked to Clary, who was unsurprisingly in charge of the Girls, and Simon, who ran the Groups, and both of them were having difficulties as well. It was heartbreaking to know five people from each category were about to have their dreams shattered after reaching so far.

Jace too was feeling the weight of the moment. “This is the worst part,” he confessed to Alec when he looked for his brother for advice. “The rest is up to the public, but now you have to face them and say less than half of them will go through.”

Alec patted the back of his neck. “I’m sure about two of them. The third… They all seemed to blur when I try to pick one.”

“Listen to your gut, man.” Jace sighed. “That’s how you’ve always done things anyway. You make mistakes when you overthink stuff, but I don’t remember you ever regretting a decision you made because you felt it was right.”

Isabelle had a similar opinion. Alec called her on the morning of the day he would have to communicate his decision, after spending most part of it with the boys at the pool. After two private performances and a third one that was televised, there was nothing more the seven acts could do.

“They are good kids, Izzy,” Alec said as he nibbled on a sandwich. He wasn’t hungry at all. “Even the bratty ones.”

“You sound like you’ve already reached a decision,” Isabelle said poignantly. “You know which ones you want to coach.”

Alec smiled a little. Isabelle could always read him like an open book. “Choosing wasn’t the difficult part after all. Living with it is. No wonder Sebastian gets the Adults.”

“You’ve always been soft on children, big bro.” Isabelle chuckled fondly. “Even when Jace, Max or I didn’t deserve it.” She giggled to herself. “Don’t worry, Alec. I’m sure you’ve made the right decision. Think about the boys who will get through. The other five still have their entire lives to make their own path. You and I both know how brutal it is to be put to the mercy of the public and they will need your support.”

Sighing, Alec closed his eyes. “You’re right. I should be thinking about them.”

Isabelle snorted. “Of course I am. Now tell me something, big brother. Is Max going through? He’s so adorable! And he likes you so much. You should see the footage of you coaching him. It’s heartwarming.”

Alec chuckled. “I’m not telling you that.”

“He is! I’m so glad!” She cheered loudly, but when Isabelle spoke again, her voice had a suggesting edge to it. “Are you looking forward to seeing Magnus tonight?”

From all of the things his sister could say, that wasn’t one Alec was expecting. “What? Magnus?”

“You know, the gorgeous man that stole your heart with one performance? Magnus Bane? You gave him your bottom.”

Alec scoffed in indignation. “That pun was ridiculous. It’s a buzzer, not a button. And yes, I remember Magnus. Why would I be looking forward to see him in particular?”

He didn’t have to be able to see her to know Isabelle was rolling her eyes on the other side of the line. “Oh, come on, Alec. You were drooling all over him. Your crush is so obvious, it’s all people are talking about.”

Although he hated to repeat himself, Alec frowned. “What?”

“Oh God,” Isabelle breathed out. “You’re not following social media at all, are you? I’ve told you a million times, keep up with Twitter at least.”

Alec groaned. “You know I don’t get it. And the word limitation is so annoying.” He stopped himself before they entered the usual quarrel over Alec’s lack of activity on social media. “If there’s anything I need to know, Luke tells me.”

Isabelle laughed. “You should know about this, big bro. People want to know who is in the top 16, but mostly they want to see the malec reunion. Expect the hashtag #MakeItGay to be trending this afternoon.”

“I didn’t understand a word of what you just said,” Alec informed sternly. “I’m hanging up now.”

“Okay,” Isabelle sang-song. “Give my best to the Mister.”

Alec didn’t feel bad for cutting off his sister’s laughter and her ridiculous insinuations. He hadn’t thought of Magnus Bane since his audition. Alec was too busy with the boys and handling being back under people’s radar. He hadn’t even seen Magnus when he came to greet Sebastian. Or at least, Alec thought he did. That was the usual protocol, but with Sebastian as his coach, it was hard to know.

Damn it, Izzy. There was no reason for him to have any expectation about seeing Magnus again. Since he was already in the live shows, Magnus would be performing just like the other four acts that were sent through directly as Jace juggled to keep the audience up while the final Top 16 were revealed. The whole episode seemed dispensable to Alec, but it was an opportunity for the acts like Magnus to remind the public who they are, so there was that.

It was good that Isabelle had mentioned Magnus, otherwise Alec wouldn’t be prepared when they met by chance backstage. Magnus was just freshly out of makeup when Alec was wandering around, so it was no surprise he looked otherworldly.

“Alexander!” Magnus exclaimed cheerfully. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Hey, how are you?” Alec was about to offer him a hand to shake, but Magnus went in for a hug.

Surprisingly, Alec didn’t mind it. He was usually very reserved and would cherish his personal space, but when he felt Magnus’ slight shaking, he quickly hugged him back. “Nervous, I guess.”

“So nervous,” Magnus admitted lightheartedly. “I’m the first one to perform, right before Sebastian chooses his three.”

Alec smiled, trying to seem reassuring. “It will be fine. Just listen to what Sebastian told you and be yourself.”

Magnus chuckled a bit, as if Alec had told him a joke. When he realized Alec was staring at him with a puzzled expression, he too seemed lost. “What? It's not like Sebastian gave me any good direction. He just told me to do another Queen song and that was it.”

“What?” Alec frowned. He had been in contact with John Catwright, the boy who had received the Adamante Buzzer all week to make sure he was preparing for his performance. Sebastian should had been doing the same, so Magnus would have a real chance to be remembered when the live shows started.

“Hm.” Magnus pushed his lips together and he didn’t look surprised, just disappointed. “I’m guessing that is not the standard procedure.”

Alec shook his head in dismay. “Not at all. He should’ve oriented you.” He huffed, completely taken aback by Sebastian’s unprofessionalism. “This is outrageous. Besides, the advice he gave you sucks. You can’t sing another Queen song, otherwise people will-” He stopped mid-sentence, realizing what he was about to do. Listening that whatever they had prepared would make them look like a onenote singer would shatter anyone’s confidence.

But Magnus was not anyone. He was an exception to every rule Alec knew. “That is what I thought too, darling.” Magnus shrugged and winked at him. “So I’ve completely disregarded him and decided to pay homage to the king of pop himself.”

“Oh.” Alec blinked in surprise, but couldn’t help the snort that escaped his lips. “Michael Jackson. Nice.”

“Nice indeed.” Magnus smiled deviously and it should not look as hot as it did. “I appreciate your concern, Alexander, I truly do. But it would be put to better use in the bed. If you forgive my bluntness, I intend to put on a hell of a show and I doubt anyone will be able to, well, beat it.” He winked again, but this time it was an exaggeration of the gesture.

Alec chuckled. “I see you have everything under control.”

Magnus sighed, shooting him a longing look. “Not everything. If it was up to me, there would be a rule that guaranteed each contestant a good-luck kiss from a judge of choice. I know which one I’d choose.”

“Put that in the suggestions box,” Alec said with just the smallest roll of eyes. “Good luck out there.”

“Watch me, Alexander.” Magnus smirked at him and accompanied a freaked girl from the staff that had arrived to take him to the stage.

Alec himself had to go too, but he stopped to wish his boys good luck one last time. Little Max was holding back tears and that made Alec almost tear up too, but he managed to hold back and just patted the boy on his head.

“Everything okay there?” Clary asked when Alec joined the other on the panel. She was looking beautiful with her flaming hair tied up and a shimmering black dress. Maybe Clary thought that if she looked the part, she would feel it too. Simon also had opted for a more polished look and he was uncharacteristically pale, sitting quietly on his chair.

It was a nerve-wrecking night for all of them and Alec could feel the pressure hanging over them. He nodded. “We just have to stick to what our gut is telling us.”

“My gut is telling me to let everyone through,” Simon said with just the smallest hint of humor.

Alec rolled his eyes. “Your gut sucks.”

Sebastian chuckled. “That’s something I can get behind. You all should get rid of those solemn faces. Tonight is the best night of the entire thing. We get to trim the fat, keep only the real talent. Well, mostly.” He rolled his eyes. “Dear sister had to put through that old sack of useless. But fear not, I’m getting rid of him next week.”

“Frederick Ashdown is an outstanding singer!” Clary protested. “He deserves a chance to become a singer after spending his entire life pushing away his dream in order to provide to his family. You can’t crash him just because he doesn’t look like a star.”

“He’s old, fat, and disgusting.” Sebastian rolled his eyes. “Even if I don’t take him down, the public will vote him out.” His eyes shone dangerously. “And next in line is your boyfriend, Lightwood. The freak. He’s good entertainment material, but this isn’t some Freeform inclusive bullshit of a show. This is the Angel’s Voice.”

It took everything Alec had not to punch Sebastian right then and there. Even the knowledge that Magnus was about to one up him wasn’t enough for him to focus on as he tried to ignore Sebastian. But Alec was known for having ice running under his skin. It was true that his patience had a limit, but even after that was crossed, he wasn’t one to lose control.

The same could not be said about Clary. She stood up and slapped her brother across the face.

The theater went deathly quiet, but then Jace, who was getting ready on stage, chuckled loudly on the mic. “Let’s get this show started, shall we? Judging by the warm up, we’re about to have a hell of a night.”

He wasn’t wrong. After a quick recap of bootcamp’s best and worst moments, Jace announced it was the night for the judges to reveal the Top 16. By then, the crowd had recovered from the sibling feud and was getting into the show again.

“How about a little taste of what is coming?” Jace winked at the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourself. The man, the legend, the one who allegedly stole my brother’s icy heart: Magnus Bane.”

Alec frowned, but suddenly the sneers from Clary and Simon didn’t matter. The lights went out and as the melody began to play, a single light beam shone over Magnus. He looked even better now that he had gotten rid of the shirt and was wearing just a leather jacket, but Alec only realized that because Magnus began to dance. And the man could move.

Every single action, every turn and every twirl was mesmerizing. Magnus didn’t only dance, he told a story with his body. There was struggle and rebellion, pain and resilience. A number like that would usually require back dancers, but Magnus’ presence on stage was enough.

Especially after he started singing. The raw power of the performance irradiate on the theater and Alec shivered in excitement. There was nobody that could do it, not like Magnus did. He took an iconic song of defiance and turned it into an anthem of agency.

One couldn’t help but fall in love.

When Magnus was done, the crowd was giving him a standing ovation. Alec could barely move, too overwhelmed to think. The only reason he could think for Magnus to stop singing was to start another song.

Unfortunately, Jace took over. He gave Magnus an exciting hug and congratulated him on the ‘performance of the night’. Magnus smiled proudly as he panted, hands laying on his waist. On the last chair, Sebastian was fulminating.

And the best part was that he couldn’t do anything to attack Magnus. Not when he just stolen everyone’s hearts.

Watching Sebastian struggle to announce the acts that would join Magnus in the live shows was all that Alec needed to get a hold on himself. His boys were the next up and John performed beautifully, almost without flaws. When it was time for him to announce who he was putting through, Alec started with little Max. The boy threw himself into a hug and Alec couldn’t deny it even if he wanted to.

The next two were sweet Julian Blackthorn and the popular badboy Kieran. All four boys were smiling and hugging, and the boys who didn’t make it each thanked Alec for the lessons and acted with maturity beyond their years. Alec was proud of all of them.

Clary also seemed to have found her center. When she chose Emma Carstairs, Cristina Rosales, and Julie Beauvale to join Maia Roberts she seemed confident and collected. Simon was supposed to chose four groups, since no one from that category received an Adamante Buzzer. He put forward the duo Aline Penhallow and Helen Blackthorn, and some ridiculous named bands like Champagne Enema, Rock Solid Panda, or Furious Mole. Alec stopped caring at some point.

The show closed with a wild shot of the Top 16 and their coaches, with Jace promising great performances on the following week.

“And now,” the host turned to his brother with a huge grin on his lips, “we celebrate.”

---

Celebration meant getting drunk out of their minds. Alec made sure his underage boys stayed clear of the alcohol, but otherwise he tried to enjoy the night. Jace and him had smuggled Isabelle inside the hotel and she came with a surprise: Magnus’ friend Raphael.

Apparently, he had been checking the perimeter in order to make sure Magnus would be safe from weirdos and paparazzis. He denied it, but Magnus hugged him tight and thanked him either way. And then proceeded to spend the rest of the night mocking him.

That is, when Raphael wasn’t busy talking to Simon and Isabelle. The two used to date until Simon realized he didn’t want to have an open relationship like Isabelle wanted and broke things up before he got hurt. Years had passed but they still looked at each other with the same longing in their eyes, but neither had tried to re-start anything.

Maybe tonight was the night. Jace certainly thought so, if him following Clary around like a lost puppy was any indication. Nonetheless, Clary seemed to be enjoying the attention. Alec didn’t remember seeing her laugh half as much as when she was listening to Jace’s stories. It was cute and so, so weird.

So he preferred to spend his time by the swimming pool, where the music wasn’t so loud. Alec and Max talked about the boy’s life in the foster system and how singing had been Max’s escape way, but then the day’s emotions got the better of him and Alec sent him to his room. He was watching the black cloudless sky and sipping on wine when someone sat down beside him.

“Good evening, Mister Lightwood,” Magnus said and dangled a bottle of wine in front of his eyes.

Alec smiled and lifted his glass, accepting more. “Good evening, Mister Bane.” He took a sip of the newly poured wine, just to lower his inhibitions. “That was amazing. W-what you did on that stage tonight, I mean.” He could continue, but something on the way Magnus was smiling stopped him. “What?” Alec asked, frowning.

Magnus giggled to himself. “I just never thought I would hear Alexander Lightwood complementing me. You’re kind of a big deal.” He chuckled when Alec blinked, puzzled. “As much as showbiz love us, it is not often that we see a queer artist that is famous for something other than their sexuality. Sure, that’s a part of you and that last fiasco of a relationship of yours was broadcasted in a manner that tended to be offensive rather than entertaining, but still. When people see you, they see the whole picture.” Magnus smirked, winking to make his point. “And what a picture that is.”

Rolling his eyes, Alec took another sip. “That’s just because of my family name. I guess I’ve been in the center of so many scandals, that’s just another one to add to the pile.”

“You? In a scandal?” Magnus arched an eyebrow. “I’m sorry if I can’t see it. Granted, most of what I know about you comes from the media, but your posture throughout the auditions was professional to a fault. A little disappointing, if I may be so bold.”

Alec shook his head. “Until you came along and I went full emotion. That was mortifying to watch when they aired the episode.”

Magnus laughed. “I thought it was endearing and I was certainly touched by it. And I know a lot of other people who were too. Too bad I got stuck with that shockingly inept reptile as a coach. I think we could do magic together.”

“I’d like that,” Alec nodded. “I have the boys to take care of, but if you need anything, I’m here for you. I won’t let Sebastian ruin this for you.”

“The only thing he ruined is the reputation of his parents’ condom company of choice. Dreadful work.” Magnus shook his head in frustration. “But anyway, enough about him. There’s only one young hot bachelor I’m interested in hearing about and that’s you, darling.”

Alec snorted. “There’s nothing that interesting to know and whatever there is, you’ve probably already heard. My parents are famous musicians. I have a sister and a brother, both of them musicians as well. I also have Jace, who is a brother in every way that matters.”

Magnus smiled, but he was frowning a little. “As much as I love the sparkle on your eyes when you talk about your family, Alexander, I want to know about you.”

“Hm,” Alec stopped and pondered over it. When he thought of something, though, he realized he was going to start blabbering about Luke, or Lydia. Sighing, Alec shook his head. “I really don’t know what to say.”

“How about we play two truths and a lie?” Magnus turned to him, crossing his legs. “I’ll start. I’ve been deported from Peru twice. My mother and stepfather were scared out of their minds when I told them I was auditioned to the Angel’s Voice. When I first came to America, I shared an apartment with a cranky British writer and a workaholic med intern, who are now as close to me as family.”

Alec narrowed his eyes at him, also turning to face him. He studied Magnus’ smug smirk and the way his eyes seemed to shimmer with the pool’s water. “I think the Peru thing is true, just because it’s too absurd. I’m positive you would manage to befriend anyone who shared a room with you for a couple of days, so I’m going with truth on the third one too. That leaves the second and I really hope I’m right and I don’t have to apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Bane for keeping you on the show.”

“Oh, my, aren’t you good at this?” Magnus clapped in delight. “Very well done, Alexander. Only my step dad was worried. Mother has always put her unwavering trust on me and she’s always supported me one hundred percent, no matter how stupid my ideas were.”

“She sounds amazing,” Alec said quietly, unable to hide a smile.

Magnus nodded enthusiastically. “She is. My mother is the best person in the world.” He smiled again, but there was a little bit of sorrow beneath the fond gesture. “I miss her already,” Magnus admitted in a small voice and wiped a stubborn tear from his eyes. “Now it’s your turn!” He announced cheerfully.

Alec had to think for a while. “All right. I used to play basketball in high school. My relationship with my mother is… Shaky, to say the least, but it has improved somehow in the last couple of years. And my favorite color is blue.”

“Interesting.” Magnus brought a hand to his chin, fingers dancing over his stubble. “The basketball thing sounds true enough and if it isn’t, that school of yours missed a hell of an opportunity. Everyone knows Maryse Lightwood can be challenging, but you’re too pretty for someone to stay mad at you for too long. I’m going with number three as a lie.” Magnus smirked. “And judging by your innovative choice of clothes, I’m saying your favorite color is black.”

“Wow,” Alec blinked. “Are you some kind of genius?”

Magnus shook his head and did a dismissing flourish with his hand. “Only in bed, darling.” He chuckled at Alec’s unimpressed glare. “My turn!”

They played the game until the sky was clearing with the first rays of sunshine. By then, Alec knew so much about Magnus, he couldn’t be sure he remembered it all. From what he was told, he knew Magnus was born in Jakarta, Indonesia. His father took off when his mother told him she was pregnant, but a rich businessman married her while she was still carrying Magnus and raised him as their beloved son. He studied in the country’s most prestigious schools and was accepted in Brooklyn Academy of Arts when he was eighteen. The entire family moved to America and never looked back.

After living with Ragnor and Catarina, Magnus traced his own path, coming up with business after business that landed him a small fortune. He never let go of the arts, though, and at his thirty-fourth birthday, he decided it was time to chase his dreams.

He was fascinating and even exhaustion couldn’t make Alec want to stop hearing about Magnus. About his life, his loved ones, his ideas. There was something beautiful in the way he saw the world, never sugarcoating the hard things but always looking for the best in it anyway.

Magnus chuckled when Alec wasn’t capable of holding the second yawn in less than two minutes. “I think I’ve tired you, darling.”

“I’m sorry, I-” Alec opened his mouth, but another yawn interrupted him. “It’s not that I don’t enjoy talking to you. I do. I do v-very much. But, hm…”

“I get it.” Magnus smiled and landed a finger over Alec’s lips. “We should both go to sleep. And I’m not even going to suggest doing so together. That’s how tired I am too. Also not saying that I’d love to make you even more tired someday. Nope.”

Shaking his head, Alec sighed. “Never too tired for an innuendo, though.”

“Nope. And never too tired for you either.” Magnus shrugged and bended over, planting a kiss on Alec’s forehead. “Sweet dreams, Alexander.”

“Good night,” Alec said quietly, a little started by the gesture. Or by how equally happy and disappointed it made him feel.

Magnus smiled and turned his back on him, getting inside the hotel without looking back. And if anyone asked Alec if he wanted Magnus to do it, he would deny it.

---

If the auditions were the craziest part of the Angel’s Voice, the live shows were the real deal. As nerve-wracking as it was to perform in front of an unforgiving crowd, now the contestants had to enchant not four judges, but the entire country and every other location in the world that had access to the reality show’s app.

And Alec found out soon enough, it didn’t help that each week had a theme. That only meant that the list of possible songs for each of his boys was narrowed and tailored for something that didn’t necessarily suit their artistic views.

Max and Julian had no quarrels with that, but Kieran was another story entirely. John was also proving himself a challenge, after Sebastian had poisoned him with illusions of grandeur. The boy was under the impression that being Sebastian’s choice made him immune to the audience’s judgement. He did not realize that was just a cheap tactic to make it easier for him to make mistakes and get eliminated.

Having the winner contestant also meant being the winner coach. Sebastian liked to boast that he had won more than half of the show’s seasons, even if it was a known fact that his acts didn’t always deserve their wins. It was a scandalous victory on the last season that dragged the show on viewers’ opinion and threatened its continuity.

Alec had tried to warn the boy, but he refused to listen. During the week of rehearsals, John grew restless easily and started to show up late to their appointments. He also mocked the other boys at every opportunity, which almost earned him a broken nose from Kieran.

It was a good thing Alec had Magnus to help him. The singer had looked for him after his first meeting with Sebastian, and he was raging. The coach had designated him a Demi Lovato song as his number for the “this is me” week and Magnus wanted nothing more than to punch Sebastian’s perfect teeth out of his mouth.

Not that Alec didn’t share the sentiment, but it wouldn’t be productive. Sebastian was obviously exerting some sort of twisted revenge on Magnus for ignoring his instructions and going with a Michael Jackson song. Which was stupid, because Magnus was Sebastian’s best shot at winning the competition.

Sabotaging him was petty and short-sighted, even if Sebastian covered it by offering Magnus all the backdancers and paraphernalia he could want. Too bad for him, though, because if there was one thing Alec was good at, it was strategizing.

“He wants to humiliate me!” Magnus roared after he stormed into Alec’s room. He didn’t even see poor Max sitting on the bed, doing voice warm ups. “And the worst part is that he tried to pass it as a compliment! ‘You’re so confident, Bane. We should use that’.” Magnus huffed every word coming out of his mouth angrier than before. “Does he think I’m stupid? He’s giving me a pop diva song to box me into some misogynist stereotype-”

Max blinked, looking at Alec in panic. “S-should I go…?”

Magnus stopped, only then realizing they weren’t alone. “Oh.” He waved at Max. “Hello there. I see I’ve interrupted you two. I’ll come back later.”

“N-no!” The boy said quickly and stood up. “Coach Alec was just showing me some warm ups. Our training session was over anyway.” He blushed, making his dark skin turn into an adorable pink color on his cheeks. “A-and we’re going to play video games.”

“We still are,” Alec assured him. “But we can do it later. How about you practice what we’ve seen so far and I’ll meet you after dinner?”

Max nodded eagerly and grabbed his jacket, hugging it against his chest. “Thank you, coach.” He smiled at Alec and then turned to Magnus, his smile growing a little shy, but no less sincere. “I-if you want, you can come too.”

“I would love that,” Magnus said, clapping his hands once. “Thank you for inviting me. I promise to show you how to kick Alexander’s butt, as a token of my appreciation.”

Chuckling at Alec’s offended gasp, Max exited the room and closed the door behind him. Alec shook his head and crossed his arms. “Undermining my authority. Nice move.”

Magnus shrugged. “The boy adores you, one can see it in his eyes. Besides, you are such a father.” He giggled at the scoff that escaped Alec’s lips. “Don’t get me wrong. That is positively attractive.”

Alec rolled his eyes, picking up the bottle of water he had been drinking from. “So, Sebastian wants to punish you.”

“With a Demi Lovato song, yes.” Magnus sighed. “You know, I was thinking of something more… Myself. It is, after all, the week to showcase who I am. Do you think I can get away with ignoring him twice in a row?”

“Probably not.” Alec tilted his head to the side and crossed his arms. “But you can turn the table on him. If he thinks he can embarrass you, prove him wrong.”

Magnus narrowed his eyes at him. “I’m listening.”

“I’m assuming he chose ‘Confident’, am I right?” Alec waited for confirmation. “My sister loves that song. And so does Jace, if there’s nobody in the room to listen to him singing. We have some great talents on the choreography department. It’s a popular song, it has a nice rhythm and I’m sure you can dance it in your sleep.”

“As long as I’m allowed enough glitter. And maybe some highlights,” Magnus conceded. “Still, I’m going to be doing exactly what Sebastian wants.”

Alec shook his head. “He wants you to choke and fail. To be so angry, you miss the opportunity to shine. You’ve conquered Queen and Michael Jackson. Give Lovato a chance.”

Magnus snorted and finally, he nodded. “It’s hard to yell passionately at you when you are so logical and analytical. Look at you, Alexander. If I didn’t have your entire repertoire on my Itunes, I’d never guess there’s an artistic soul inside that hot body of yours.”

Feeling his cheeks warm up a little, Alec ducked to gather the shoes he had kicked off when Max and him entered the room. “I’m not… I’m not very good at expressing emotions. Aside from when I’m singing, that is. I find it… Confusing.”

“And it is.” Magnus smiled with the corner of his lips. “That’s the fun part. Confusion, fear, excitement. Vulnerability.”

“A nightmare.” Alec sighed.

Magnus smile grew wilder. “Alexander, can I ask you something? He waited for Alec to nod. “Have you ever been in love?”

Alec blinked. That was a question he was not expecting. “I… No, I don’t think so.” The whole notion of love was something Alec was very glad he had manage to stay clear off for his twenty-six years of life. Now, that was some messy business. “Have you?”

“Dozens of times. And each different than the last one, but all of them worth it.” Magnus’ sincerity was something out of this world. He spoke with centuries of wisdom, a serenity that one only acquired when they had pushed through fear and decided to embrace the world, for better or for worse. “Love is what makes us human.”

“Silly me.” Alec arched an eyebrow at him. “I thought that was rationality and thumbs.”

Magnus chuckled, but he shook his head. “You’ll understand when you fall in love.” He stepped forward and took Alec’s hand in his own. “Thank you, for listening and helping me calm down. You’re right, I’m probably underestimating Demetria’s talents.”

Alec nodded, his eyes automatically drifting to their hands linked together. His pale skin contrasted nicely with Magnus’ bronze. His hand wasn’t exactly soft, not like Magnus’ eyes were as he smiled at him, but they were nice and warm.

Clearing his throat, Alec let go in a swift movement and tried to cover it by running his fingers through the back of his head. “A-any time.”

If Magnus thought he was acting weird, he didn’t let it show. Instead, he just smiled. “See you at dinner. Or at little Max’s room. Prepare to have your perfectly shaped ass kicked mercilessly. If you ask me nicely, I might kiss it better afterwards.” And with a wink, Magnus left the room, marching to the rooms were the choreographers usually hung out.

Once he was completely alone, Alec frowned. His first instinct was to call his sister, but he didn’t know what he wanted to say to her. He fished his phone out of his pocket and stared at the number one, the short cut to Isabelle’s number.

Alec didn’t need to have something to say in order to talk to Izzy. He never had and he wasn’t about to start. But at the moment, all that he could think of was Magnus’ words. You’ll understand when you fall in love. That sounded like a dreadful curse.

But somehow less of an abstract thing than it was before.

Shoving his phone back into his pocket, Alec decided to do what always did when things start to get overwhelming. He went to the gym and found something to punch repeatedly and very, very hard.

It helped. That and dealing with his boys drama. Alec had asked Clary if her girls gave her as much as headache, but apparently they were all too excited for each other to start silly intrigues. Clary also didn’t have to physically stop anyone from assaulting another contestant, not yet.

At least the tension made the week fly by. The live shows were televised live, so there was no margin for errors. When the night finally arrived, Alec was confident his acts were as ready as they possibly could be.

Even so, he inspected the whole process of the getting put into costumes and pampered by the makeup team. One last pep talk that basically consisted in him saying ‘you guys got it’ and a shaky hug from Max later, Alec was in his seat on the panel.

Only then he realized he hadn’t seen Magnus so far. He hoped everything had gone okay with his rehearsals. Magnus had locked himself in the gym for the rest of the week, practicing his dance moves to perfection. In the rare occasions that they saw each other, they could only chat for a few minutes before one of them had to run along.

Which was for the best, in Alec’s opinion. It was enough that the conversation they had wouldn’t leave him alone, he could do without too much contact.

Clary grabbed Alec by the arm when the lights turned off. She was doing the same with Simon, who whispered quietly. “And so, it begins.”

After the mandatory introductions and a few clips from the last episode, Jace started to call one act at a time. The production team had put together a short clip about each of them, basically explaining who they were and what they hoped to achieve by entering the Angel’s Voice.

The first act to perform was one of Simon’s groups. Truth be told, if it wasn’t one of the boys on stage, each show seemed blurred to the other. There were some highlights, yes, but since they had to squeeze sixteen performances in less than one hour, everything was too fast.

At least Kieran and John had already finished their presentations. They did good in Alec’s opinion, though John could’ve done much better. Julian was next and Max would be the very last act to perform. Alec had ran backstage to comfort him at every opportunity, but there weren’t many.

He had just nearly missed the resume of the show after a commercial break when Jace announced it was time for the world to delight in another iconic Magnus Bane performance. Alec thanked his years playing sports and the efficient work of the makeup team, otherwise his face would be positively red when the cameraman focused on his reaction as the stage was brightened up and Magnus began to dance.

If the running around wasn’t enough to add color to Alec’s cheeks, the fact that Magnus started the song up on a pole would do it.

Alec swallowed hard. Magnus was strong man, owner of a very impressive pair of arms, and he was putting them to use as he hopped up and down the pole, twirling and spinning regardless of the laws of physics. Mundane things like gravity didn’t seem to exist when Magnus was performing.

And then Magnus landed and started singing. Behind him, a group of beautiful men and women appeared, all of them looking sinful in a combination of tight and short clothes. Although Magnus was covered from head to toe - he had opted for a pair of trousers, a vest and a shirt, pairing it up with a fedora hat -, he still managed to look more enticing than the half-naked dancers who followed his moves.

What the performance lacked in soul, Magnus made up in exuberance. There was no denying that the central theme of the song applied, especially after Magnus ditched his dancers and all but invaded the judges’ designated area, driving encouraging sounds from both Clary and Simon. Not to mention the delirious crowd enjoying the show.

Magnus smirked as he sang, high-fiving Sebastian, leaving his hat at Simon’s head, and kissing the back of Clary’s hand. And then he stopped in front of Alec.

Consciously, Alec knew the music was still playing. The audience was still roaring and the dancers executed increasingly more difficult moves on stage. But all Alec could pay attention to was Magnus.

But then Magnus bended over the panel table and touched Alec’s face, fingers brushing over his lips, the world seemed to vanish for good. There was only the two of them and nothing else mattered. Time seemed to freeze and, if it was up to Alec, the moment would never end.

It did end, however, and Magnus moved forward, continuing his presentation right into the heart of America. Alec swallowed hard, not for the first time on the night.

You’ll understand when you fall in love.

Well, fuck.

---

“So you like him,” Isabelle said with way less enthusiasm Alec would think she’d apply to the situation. Somehow, his sister sounded serious on the other side of the line. “It’s not the end of the world. Half of the country share your feelings.”

Alec shook his head. He was still having trouble dealing with what had happened the night before. Somewhere between the start of Magnus’ performance and the end of the song, Alec had come to an alarming conclusion. He was into Magnus. Not as an artist, though that too. He was into him as a man.

And that was all kinds of wrong and inappropriate, considering he was a judge and Magnus was a contestant. Not even his contestant. Which Alec wasn’t entirely sure was for the best in this horrific scenario.

He was panicking. “Izzy, how the fuck am I supposed to stop this?”

“Well, you’re not.” Isabelle chuckled, the first sign of her having fun since Alec had woke her up with a desperate call on the following morning. “It’s okay to have a crush, Alec. You’re a judge at a B-list reality show that thrives on drama. The audience would go nuts if you and Magnus got together.”

“You do know it’s against the rules, right?” Alec pinched the bridge of his nose. Isabelle wasn’t helping. “I’m not going to try anything. It would be unfair, an abuse of power. Magnus has enough on his plate without having to deal with me.” He gritted his teeth, coming to a decision. “I’m going to stop talking to him, unless it’s strictly necessary.”

“No!” Isabelle full on shouted. “You can’t give him the cold shoulder, Alec. He did nothing wrong. I think you said you two were becoming friends. Why don’t you focus on that?”

Alec pushed his lips together. Isabelle didn’t understand, but that wasn’t her fault. His sister had always been a more open, braver person. She’d fallen in love before and even after she had her heart broken, she never gave up on happiness. It wasn’t a game to her, but it was fun. She loved being in love, because she loved life itself. That was from where she drew inspiration for her melodies, where she found the message she wanted to share with the world.

That wasn’t the same for Alec. His music was never about love. Or, at least, not in the romantic sense. Alec’s work touched on his duty as a son, the difficulties of fulfilling expectations and disappointing those who loved him. It talked about his siblings and friendship and small moments in the middle of the afternoon. When he sang, Alec let go his frustrations with the world and how people could be the worst monsters when they forgot how to be human.

But wasn’t love a part of this?

“I don’t want to get too close,” Alec whispered against the phone. “This is a stupid reality show, a game designed to eliminate one competitor at a time. Magnus makes for an interesting character in the producer’s eyes, but nobody here appreciates him as the artist that he is. Sebastian will get him out by the end of the month and there’s nothing I can do to protect him. I have the boys to take care already.”

Isabelle sighed. “Big brother, turn off the switch, please. You have a crush on a handsome man. You’re not crossed lovers in an epic forbidden love story. I’d expect this level of drama from Jace, not you.” She laughed at Alec’s muffled protest. “Magnus is a grown ass man, he knows what the Angel’s Voice is. I doubt he’s expecting to be taken serious and if he’s not, it’s not the end of the world.”

“But if they try to-” Alec tried, but his sister interrupted him by mimicking his panicked tone. “Stop it.”

“I just wanted you to hear what you sound like.” Isabelle chuckled. “I’ve talked to Magnus for five minutes in that party and that was enough to know he’s tough and more than able to take care of himself. He’s also older and wiser than you. Don’t patronize him, big bro.”

Alec blinked. He wasn’t…! Oh, no. He was. “Shit. This is why I can’t have a crush on him. It’s making me stupid. And an asshole.”

“This is too much fun,” Isabelle exclaimed and Alec could picture her clapping her hands. “I’ve seen some fan made videos on Youtube of the two of you. It’s so cute! They took shots from that concert you did in Baltimore and mixed it with Magnus’ audition. Surprisingly well done.”

“Bye, Izzy,” Alec said and hung up. He also disconnected his phone from the wifi, because the last thing he needed was watching his stupid face gaping at Magnus again. The scene was all over the resort, since it was somehow considered a highlight of the night.

Alec was already mortified enough as it was.

To top it up, he hadn’t talked to Magnus yet. He hadn’t even seen him. After the episode was through, the acts were rushed back to the hotel as the judges went to greet a few lucky members of the audience. It was a boring thing, but Alec had signed a contract that forced him to interact with hysterical teenagers, so he sucked it up and endured.

Once they were finally back, Alec locked himself in his room and wrapped up himself in a blanket, falling asleep almost immediately. There had been too many emotions and he was exhausted.

On the following day, when he wasn’t in his room, Alec had visited the boys and listened to their fears. Everyone was tense and expecting the worst, so he had to give them as much support as he could. But now the whole day has flew by and he was supposed to present himself for the elimination round in forty minutes.

Alec really didn’t want to go. Naturally, then, the universe decided to interfere.

“Hey, Alec!” Simon’s voice sounded from the other side of his door. “Are you ready? There’s a car waiting and Clary went with Jace earlier. I don’t want to be alone with Sebastian.”

“Sit on the roof,” Alec suggested as he opened the door.

Simon blinked. “That sounds a little dangerous, but so is sharing the backseat with him.” He crossed his arms. “I haven’t seen you all day. Are you sick?”

Alec shook his head. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

“Nah, there’s something off with you.” Simon narrowed his eyes, examining Alec from head to toe. “I know they are making you wear new clothes, so it’s not that. Hm, is your hair combed? Because it would be creepy if it was.”

“It isn’t,” Alec deadpanned.

Simon nodded, mentally taking notes. “And you didn’t get taller overnight. Maybe it’s something you ate. Are you sure you’re not sick?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Aren’t you feeling anything different?”

And so the penny dropped.

“What did Isabelle tell you?” Alec asked through his clenched his teeth.

Simon had the gall to look surprised. “Isabelle? As in, your lovely sister Isabelle? Sharply smart, super gorgeous, a true angel sent to Earth? Haven’t talked to her in months. I don’t understand why would you even bring Izzy up in this conversation, one that has nothing to do with her whatsoever. No, no.”

Alec narrowed his eyes at that shit-eating grin and decided there was no scaring Simon off when he was feeling that confident. If they were younger, Alec wouldn’t need to do more than throw him a particularly vicious glare, but after years of visually threatening him, Simon had grown accustomed to risk his physical well-being in order to tease him.

“Whatever she’s told you, it’s a lie.” Alec closed the door behind him and marched down the hallway, not really caring to divert from Simon, who was standing on his way.

But being effectively pushed back a couple feet never serve as enough discouragement to Simon and it wouldn’t start now. “That’s not fair. Izzy and I talk about a lot of things. She can’t be lying about all of them.”

“I thought you two hadn’t talked in months.” Alec signaled at the car that was waiting for them at the resort’s entrance hall. Sebastian was nowhere to be seen, which was always good.

“Oh, I lied.” Simon smiled brightly. “Come on, man. I’m your friend, you can tell me these things. And it’s not like it’s a big secret anyway and-” He stopped when he realize Alec was staring blankly at him. “What…? You’re not very discreet. I mean, there’s only so much silly smiling and ass kissing you can do until someone connect the dots. And considering it’s you, that bar is set very, very low.”

Pinching the bridge on his nose, Alec sighed in frustration. Simon had the annoying capacity of a small yapping dog when he was on a roll. “Stop.”

“It’s not something to be ashamed of,” Simon said gently, all teasing gone. Sometimes, in the middle of incessant nonsense, he would speak with wisdom beyond his eyes. It creeped Alec out. “And for what’s worth, I think he’s into you too.”

Alec swallowed hard. He hated how vulnerable he felt. “Thank you. Let’s talk about something else now.”

Simon chuckled and nodded, climbing on the car with Alec. Thankfully, there was never a shortage of topics with him and soon Simon was blabbering about one of his groups. That made the trip to the theater where Clary and Sebastian were already waiting. Judging by their faces, they had a small siblings quarrel, but since Sebastian’s pale skin had no bright red hands marked on it, it was safe to say their forced relationship was improving.

Pity.

“There’s something weird with the pools.” Jace stopped in front of the judge’s panels. He had a report on his hands with the preliminary results. “According to this, there’ll be a bottom six and four acts are going home. Four!”

Clary frowned. “That’s too many.”

“No, it’s right,” Sebastian said in a boring tone. “We’re getting rid of the useless ones.” He stared straight into Simon’s eyes. “I’m betting on one of your groups of freaks, Lewis.”

Surprisingly, neither Alec nor Jace had to go full protective mode. Simon had it covered. “I’ll have you know freaks are very popular right now. If I were you, I’d worry about your old adorable people.”

As Sebastian decided not to dignify that with an answer, Jace just turned to his brother, discreetly showing him the numbers while pretending to be hitting on Clary. Alec held his breath and took a peek.

Magnus was in the top three acts, just 2% behind Maia.

He exhaled in relief; at least there was no chances of Magnus being eliminated that night. It seemed all the hard work had paid off and people had enjoyed his rendition of Lovato’s song. Magnus was a fan favorite and that thought alone lifted the weight of the world from Alec’s shoulders.

That was also what Alec tried to think about when, a couple of hours later, he could only watch as Max was thrown into the Bottom Six. He seemed so small among the other contestants, his usually dark skin looking too pale under the light. John was also under risk of elimination, but that was his own doing. Max, however, didn’t deserve to be there.

So, when Jace invited him to defend his contestants, Alec had no qualms in talking about why Max deserved to stay. He extended a bit of his discourse to John, but Alec had never been good in hiding when he preferred someone. When he was done, Max was fighting back tears, bravely standing tall on that immense stage. Alec had never felt so proud.

He felt even prouder, though, when both boys were saved by the public’s vote. Alec ignored the rules and rushed to the stage to swipe the boy of his feet and give him a hug. He grabbed John too, all annoyance forgotten. They were both safe.

It didn’t even matter that is was just a ridiculous TV game.

Unfortunately, not everyone was happy. Sebastian had managed to make such an awful spectacle of Frederick, he was voted out. Simon also lost two of his groups and Clary, one of her girls. Alec, then, arranged for a small celebration at Kieran’s room, just the boys and him.

In all the confusion, Alec’s crush was forgotten. He was exiting the contestants’ wing, feeling pretty pleased with himself, when the universe decided to rectify such afront.

“Alexander,” Magnus called from his room, successfully giving Alec an heart attack. He was wearing no makeup at all and clearly getting ready to go to bed.

It wasn’t fair that he still managed to be the most gorgeous man Alec had ever seen. People were supposed to look less beautiful without makeup, not more. “Hey.”

Apparently, Magnus slept in a tight tee and very short silky shorts. Again, unfair. There had to be a camera somewhere. As it seemed, everyone knew about Alec’s developing feelings, so he wouldn’t put it above the show’s production to stage an encounter like this in order to profit from their inexistent and completely inappropriate non-relationship.

If Magnus was in on the scheme, however, he was doing a great job of making it seem natural. He just leaned on the doorframe, never crossing Alec’s personal space. “Congratulations on all your boys making it through. I was really worried about little Max at some point. I thought he would be the first one saved.”

“I did too,” Alec admitted, still looking for the hidden cameras. “But it’s okay now. I hate elimination night.”

“You and I both, darling.” Magnus chuckled fondly and smiled. “I want to thank you, Alexander. I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t helped me calm down and make the best of my situation.”

Alec blinked, confused. “I didn’t do anything.”

Shaking his head, Magnus giggled to himself. “You did plenty. Although I do have my fair share in the resounding success of yesterday’s presentation.” He winked, throwing Alec his best smile.

“Yeah,” Alec agreed, though not before rolling his eyes. “I think the pole dancing was an especial touch.”

“I know, right?” Magnus chuckled. “And it’s so difficult! I mean, I’m usually very good at handling hard, long-” He stopped and smirked at something behind Alec’s back. “Okay, I’ll keep this PG-13.”

Alec frowned and turned around quick enough to see Max and Julian closing the door of their room between giggles. Shaking his head, Alec sighed. “I should go to bed.”

“Is that an invitation?” Magnus winked at his unimpressed glare. “Good night, darling.”

“G’night.” Alec smiled a little and went his way. He was happy to realize that despite his inappropriate developing feelings, nothing had changed between Magnus and him. They could still talk without Alec making a complete fool of himself.

That was some very good news. His stupid crush didn’t have to change anything.

Alec didn’t feel that confident, however, three hours later when he couldn’t sleep, no matter how many times he turned and turned in his bed. He had had insomnia before, but a bit of medication and some intense breathing exercises had put that behind him.

It seemed to be back in full force now.

“Come on, brain,” Alec whispered, eyes shut close with more strength than necessary, “just let me sleep.”

But it didn’t. Twenty minutes and no rest later, Alec sat up. His brain was having no mercy on him, so he was probably in for a long night. Sighing, he stood up and searched for something to do. Alec knew he could try and tire his body, but he had never been taken by such restlessness before.

No, it wasn’t his body that needed tiring. It was his mind.

Alec pushed his lips together and grabbed the notebook he used to take notes on his contestants. Clicking on a pen, he sat down at his desk and, for the first time in his life, began writing a song.

---

Funny thing about writing a song: it takes days.

Objectively, Alec knew that already. He had worked closely with Lydia every time she wrote his songs and it had always been a long affair. They understood each other quite well and Lydia had a way to writing what Alec was thinking, but even so, none of his songs were done in hours like he’d wish they were.

And now that Alec himself was doing it, though, the whole process seemed even more time consuming. He had tried writing lyrics before and always quit after a few hours of staring at a blank page. This time, however, words had been written, even if they were just a few.

It was weird to translate feelings into language. Nothing seemed to say exactly what Alec wanted, until suddenly, the perfect words hit him. It was like that at every sentence, thinking and searching just to realize that, out of nowhere, the words were always there.

But it was also random. Alec would be practicing with one of his boys and then the next verse would come to life in front of his eyes. He would be eating with Simon and Clary, food halfway in his mouth, only to stop and put it down, rushing to write what he had just thought of.

Most of all, though, it would come to him when he hung out with Magnus. Divas week was approaching and Magnus had been given free reign to decide his next song after Sebastian stopped caring enough to actively try to ruin his chances to win. The contestant had chosen Rihanna’s Four Five Seconds and his intention was to do a very raw rendition of it.

Alec didn’t quite understand why Magnus insisted the only place in the entire complex he felt good practicing was Alec’s bedroom, but he wasn’t going to complain. Every day Alec would come back to Magnus humming and singing at his balcony. He often would sit on his bed and work on the song he was writing while watching Magnus play with keys and notes, dressing them down and up as he played his guitar.

Because of course Magnus played the guitar. It wasn’t even funny anymore.

When they finally grew hungry, Alec would order food and they would eat at the balcony, talking about their day or telling stories from their past. Each night, Alec learned something new about Magnus and every morning he woke up wanting to know more.

From everything that he’d learnt, though, his absolute favorite thing about Magnus was how fiercely he loved his friends. Whenever Magnus talked about Cat, Ragnor and Raphael, there was fire burning in his eyes. He smiled without noticing, sometimes stopping in the middle of a sentence as he grew overtaken by how much he missed them.

There wasn’t a single doubt in Alec’s mind when, after hearing Magnus finally admit he wished he could talk to them, he grabbed his own phone and told Magnus to use it to facetime his friends. By every regulation norm, the acts weren’t allowed to talk to their families unsupervised by the show’s crew. Every interaction was recorded and later used to create drama.

But Alec had broken that rule more than a couple times when he spent time with Max and the other boys. He couldn’t care less about it when Magnus was concerned.

And that was how Alec found himself in the middle of a conversation with Magnus’ friends, smiling awkwardly at them as both Ragnor and Catarina gasped in surprise.

“That is Alec Lightwood,” Ragnor said matter of factly, frowning like he had been presented with a particularly intriguing puzzle. “Magnus, are you calling from Alec Lightwood’s phone?”

“I might be,” Magnus purred with a smirk, shifting the phone to fit Alec and himself. “I told Alec I missed you guys and he gave me his phone.”

Catarina stole the phone from her friend’s hand and smiled. “That is awfully sweet of him. But how are you, my darling? That last performance was one of a kind.”

Magnus chuckled and as much as he looked at ease talking to them, Alec could see how his hands were shaking just slightly. Magnus’ voice also sound deeper, like he was holding back the sting of tears.

Alec was overcome with the urge to hug him, but instead, he cleared his throat. “I’m going to take a shower and give you guys some privacy.”

“Oh God, Alexander.” Magnus gasped, affronted. “You can’t make me choose between peeking on your glorious naked body and talking to my friends. That’s unfair.”

“He’s just being smart.” Ragnor’s face reappeared behind Cat’s. “Making sure we keep an eye on your perverted ass so he can take a shower in peace. Intelligent boy.”

Catarina rolled her eyes. “Anyway, thank you for lending your phone to Magnus, Mister Lightwood. We won’t take long.”

“No rush,” Alec said, still too taken aback by Magnus’ joke to completely listen to what was being said.

He smiled a bit at Magnus and went inside, locking himself in the bathroom. The strong rush of water muffled all the sound around him, but even so, Alec could still hear Magnus’ laugh sporadically. He took his time in the shower, doing everything at half the pace they’d normally take. He even blew his hair dry, which was a first in his life.

When there was nothing else for Alec to do in the bathroom, and he strongly refused to think of a few other things he could do by himself because he was a decent person, Alec exited the bathroom just to find Magnus still sitting at the balcony, lost in conversation with his friends. There was a fourth voice now and Alec supposed it was Raphael, judging by the dead tone of it.

He sat on his bed, notebook in hand. Alec could feel the inspiration lurking around, not there yet, but not quite far either. It was like it was waiting for something, for a sparkle to ignite.

The sudden silence from the balcony called Alec’s attention and he watched as Magnus turned back to the room, eyes full of tears and a huge grin on his lips.

“Thank you, Alexander,” Magnus said as he gave the phone back. “I miss them so much.”

“I can imagine.” Alec smiled a little. “I’d miss my siblings too, if I couldn’t talk to them.”

Magnus nodded and sat on the end of the bed. He looked stripped of any of his usual flaming persona. There was only him, a real person, sitting there. “With my parents so far away, they are my family. They take care of me, even if I don’t need them to.” Magnus smiled fondly. “They also record my performances and make fun of me while forcing me to re-watch them. Joke’s on them, because I look fabulous on camera.”

“Of course you do.” Alec snorted, shaking his head. “I can’t stand watching myself perform. So uncomfortable.”

“Oh, but I love watching you perform,” Magnus’ emphasis on the the word ‘love’ may or may not has sent Alec’s heart into a frenzy, but maybe it was just the warm night. “It’s like we, mere mortals, are taking a peek at your own world. You get lost on the moment and it’s beautiful.”

Alec swallowed hard. Performing was the one time in which he managed to completely forget about everything, to feel safe in his own mind. It didn’t matter who he was, what was expected from him. Not when he was expressing himself and everything that he got locked down inside. It was his safe haven. “I guess I just zone out.”

“As you should,” Magnus said with a big smile on his face. “You perform for yourself first and foremost. That is the sign of a true artist, not only a singer or an entertainer.” He giggled to himself as he watched Alec’s cheeks turn pink and was about to tease him again, Alec had no doubt, but then Magnus’ eyes stopped on the notebook. “You’ve been working on something for a few days now, darling. Don’t think I haven’t notice you carrying that little bad boy around. Is it a new song?”

Magnus might as well have slapped him. Alec blinked, mouth opening and closing a few times before he remembered speaking required emitting sound. “What? A new s-song?” He huffed, stumbling into words and the lack of them. “No! I mean, yes. K-kind of. It’s just… It’s different kind of… It’s… Sort of… It’s, hm, still too soon to… To call it, you know, a song.”

Blinking, Magnus chuckled a little. “All right, I can tell I’ve overstepped.” He tapped Alec’s knee and smiled brightly. “I’ll let you sleep. Thank you again, darling. I told them to delete your number, but since Ragnor and Raphael together make for public menace, don’t be surprised if they start calling you. I should’ve warned you that could happen.”

“Oh.” Alec frowned. “They wouldn’t give my number to paparazzis, would they?”

“Only if you break my heart,” Magnus said with a wink and left, only stopping to sing-song, “good night, Alexander.”

Sleep did not come easy after that.

---

Magnus’ rendition of Rihanna’s single was beautiful and haunting in a way that very few things were. He managed to infuse his voice with vulnerability and passion while still giving the audience a powerhouse performance. It was Alec’s favorite of the night, hands down.

The only problem was that the public didn’t share his opinion. After a dreadful hour and a half with Magnus hanging at the bottom three, the public finally voted for him to stay at the last seconds of the elimination episode. It was a bitter-sweet ending, since Alec lost Julian that night. Not even the boy’s impending romance with Emma, framed by the producers as a crossed lovers story, was able to keep Julian on the running.

Almost getting cut off ignited a new kind of fire inside Magnus, though. For Friday Night’s week, he chose Sia’s The Greatest and he had every intention to dance his way into the Top 8. Once again, Alec barely saw him aside from the stolen glances every time Alec went down to the gym and passed through the dancing rooms where Magnus practiced to exhaustion.

All the hard work paid off and Magnus was among the first two contestants to advance by the weekend, only behind Maia and her powerful version of Beyonce’s Formation. Magnus later confided to Alec that if he was going to lose to someone, he was proud it was to Maia singing her majesty’s anthem.

Boy or girl band was as uninspiring a theme as it got and Alec struggled to find motivation to guide Max and Kieran through rehearsals during the following week. Clary and Simon seemed to be having the time of their lives assigning their contestants the most over the top performances they’ve come up with so far, but at least Sebastian seemed to be struggling just as much as Alec.

Apparently, he didn’t bode well with modernity and fun. Or people being more successful than he was. Being responsible for the adults didn’t help him either, since they had no idea about current bands and were set on choosing songs there were hits half a century ago.

Except for Magnus, who was more than familiar with the successes that played on the radio, but he just spent the entire assigning session giggling and making unhelpful remarks that confused the other two remaining contestants even further.

As entertaining as it was to watch, though, Alec had to concentrate. Kieran finally settled for some old dark band only he knew and Max was practicing the chorus of an One Direction song, which meant Alec was up for a ton of research in order to get familiar with both styles. That consumed all the free time he was using to write his new song, but it was worth it in the end to see both boys extremely proud of their work.

Unfortunately, Kieran’s edgy performance wasn’t enough to guarantee him a spot at the top 6, but everyone seemed to enjoy Max’s adorable rendition of Drag Me Down. He even did a few dance moves that Magnus taught him, an experience that ended in the contestants bullying Alec into dancing with them until they were laughing too much at the singer’s lack of rhythm to be able to continuing rehearsing.

Another hit was Magnus’ version of A Hard Day’s Night. He turned up the fun and light side of the song, making the audience both laugh and dance with him as he did the best impressions of the 60’s signature moves. The retro styling and corny pickup lines he delivered at Alec when the judges talked to him after the performance were met great appreciation from both the public and the cameras.

In fact, Magnus had raised from sparkly quirky contestant to favorite to win. His performances and videos were the most watched on youtube, especially the ones where Alec featured. The producers seemed to make a point of always slipping a few glances of them hanging out, even if it was just them sitting by pool talking in the distance or bickering over something stupid like what they should watch on movie night at the hotel.

If there was one person who should be happy with Magnus’ tremendous success, it was Sebastian. He barely had to do anything and Magnus would win him the season, or that was what the magazines were saying.

But Sebastian didn’t like it when someone’s star shone brighter than his own. He would not stand to be outshined by a contestant.

So it wasn’t exactly a surprise when he came up with a new rule for Movie Night Week. Sebastian invited a guest judge to compose the panel, giving her an eliminating vote. Whoever last year’s winner Camille Belcourt didn’t like was gone from the competition. And, naturally, she had her eyes set on Magnus, although there was a hidden glimmer in the way she watched his performance at Saturday night.

Alec didn’t blame her, though. Magnus’ choice of song for the week was Live and Let Die and he paired it up with a show of lights and digital art that had him recreating 007’s most iconic intros, complete with him shooting enemies and doing all kinds of acrobatics on stage while nailing the fierceness of the song. Not to mention the suit.

Spy movies had never been much of Alec’s thing, but he wouldn’t mind a James Bond marathon after that.

To everyone’s surprise, however, when Sunday arrived and elimination night started, Camille voted against one of Simon’s bands. She had only compliments for Magnus, who made sure to accept them with his sweetest smile. Flirting came naturally to them as both were very attractive people with expansive personalities.

Now that was something hard for Alec to watch. Rationally, he knew Magnus was playing the game. If a hot guest judged batted her long eyelashes at his direction, Magnus would make it worth her while, no doubts. It didn’t mean Alec had to like it.

It also didn’t help that there was a camera pointed at his face every time Camille laughed at one of Magnus’ jokes or whenever Magnus smirked at her general direction. Alec couldn’t figure out what the game was: the producers were obviously trying to bill on his reactions, which were absolutely none, but Sebastian’s smug smile grew with every interaction between Camille and Magnus.

It was a lose-lose game, that’s for sure, and Alec couldn’t concentrate because Magnus was fucking laughing again at something Camille had just said.

To make things even worse, Max was on the line to be eliminated. Alec was pretty sure it had been rigged, but so was his miraculous recovery with the help of the public’s vote. He knew for a fact the ratings were lower than expected, so they had to do something to call people’s attention.

Alec hated that it was done at the expense of a child. Max and him had talked about that and Alec had guaranteed him that everything would work out in the end, but it was almost unbearable to stay quiet and let the farce go on.

All in all, Alec was a horrible mood when they got back to the resort. He walked Max to his room and stayed for a round of wizard pirates game Max was so fond of, but then Alec bid him goodnight and went to find Jace and Clary by the bar.

Playing with Max had lifted Alec’s mood, but he needed a drink to wash down the bitter taste in his mouth. It was ridiculous of him to be so affected, especially because Alec wasn’t even sure about what exactly was making him so upset.

It took exactly two beers and the sound of a laugh for him to figure it out, though.

Magnus and Camille walked in and sat down on one of the tables. Neither of them even glanced at the direction of the bar, but Alec saw when Magnus ordered drinks for both of them.

“Keep holding the glass like this and it’s going to break it in your hand.” Jace took away Alec’s glass, just to be sure. “Something is up?”

“No,” Alec grunted between gritted teeth.

Clary arched an eyebrow at him. “You look like you want to murder someone.”

“That’s just my face, Fray.”

Sighing, Clary didn’t try to pose further questions. She knew better than to press on an angry Alec.

But then her gaze followed his and Clary blinked in understanding. “Oh. That’s… awkward.”

Alec narrowed his eyes. “It’s not.”

“What is?” Jace looked around and his bicolored eyes stopped where Magnus was making Camille laugh. “Nasty. He should run while there’s still time.”

Clary nodded. “Come on, let’s move to my room. You don’t have to see this, Alec.”

“Wait,” Jace laid a hand on his best friend’s shoulder. “Are you really crushing on him? I thought that was just a joke.” Alec’s silence was all the answer Jace needed. “I’m going to break him in half.”

Alec shook his head sharply. “Don’t be ridiculous. He can flirt with whoever he wants to. Even trash.” He sighed and stood up. “I’m going to bed. Good night.”

The couple bid him good night in weak, worried voices that Alec ignored but for a short nod. He was determined not to say a word to Magnus, for it was not worth it. Jealousy was an ugly feeling, one that never led to anything good. All Alec could do was to leave Magnus alone.

That was probably why Alec cringed when he heard his name almost halfway through the door. “Alexander!” Magnus called cheerfully and when Alec turned, there he was, looking dashing as always. “Going to bed so soon?

Alec felt his stomach turning inside his belly. It took him physical effort not to turn around and leave without a word. “I’m tired,” he managed to grunt and hoped Magnus would just go away. Camille was watching the scene from afar and her devious smirk was unnerving.

“It was an exhausting night, yes.” Manus smiled kindly. “How is little Max doing?”

The sincere worry on the contestant’s voice was enough to appease some of Alec’s rage. “He’s okay. Drained, but okay. I hope next weekend won’t be as nerve wracking.”

Magnus sneered.“It’s only the semi-finals, after all. Nothing to worry about.”

And just like that, all the rage was back. “Easy for you to say it. It’s not like you’re in any danger to be eliminated,” Alec barely contained the viciousness out of his voice. “Everybody is in love with you. The public, the guest judge.”

Me.

Magnus frowned, completely taken aback. “Darling, I only meant-”

But Alec had had enough. “Good night, Magnus.” He turned around and walked away, stopping only when he reached his room.

Alec grunted in anger and closed the door behind him, laying his back against it. He felt shame in the way he had treated Magnus, impossible, crushing shame, like it was impregnated on his skin.

But Alec also felt vindicated and that was even worse. He had never been a spiteful person, but it seemed that Magnus was able to bring out the worst in Alec after just two months of knowing each other. And that was without Magnus even knowing of his power.

If that was love, Alec didn’t want it.

Grabbing his notebook, Alec sat down on his bed and began writing furiously. He had to get it out of his chest, before whatever that was consumed him entirely. Alec could barely breathe as he wrote, crossing out words and rearranging sentences, pouring down all that was in his heart as he begged for help, as he begged for mercy.

When he was done, Alec only had time to snap a picture of the lyrics and send them to Luke and Lydia before a knock on his door brought him back to reality.

“Alexander,” Magnus’ voice sounded muffled from the other side. “Can I talk to you?”

Alec was up in a jump and he opened the door at once. “Yes,” he said quickly. “Magnus, I’m sorry for earlier, I-I just… I’m sorry. I’m not very good with apologies. S-sorry for that too.”

“Darling, it’s alright.” Magnus winked at him. He was still wearing the same suit from his performance, and Magnus looked a little tired despite all the makeup. “I know how fond you are of Max. Of course joking about the competition would rub you in the wrong way.” He smirked suggestively. “And I would only want to rub you in the right way.”

Snorting, Alec shook his head. “Sure. Hm, do you… Do you want to come in?”

Magnus smiled brightly. “Is that your way to apologize? Asking me inside your lovely room? Because I say yes, please. I wonder what kind of screw up you have to do to ask me in your bed.”

“Way more than me being stupid, that’s for sure.” Alec stepped aside and watched Magnus sit on his usual spot on Alec’s bed. “By the way, today you were-” Alec was interrupted by the sound of his own phone buzzing. “Sorry, I have to get that.”

He reached for the phone and expected to see an answer from either Luke or Lydia, but instead it was Clary.

Is Magnus there with you?

Alec frowned. Yes. Why?

There are reporters all over his room. Someone let them in and Camille is there, making a scene.

“What the-?” Alec blinked. “Clary says there are reporters at your door and Camille is there too.”

Magnus frowned a little. He had been too busy looking at the window, but now his attention was all Alec’s. “Yeah, she insisted in accompanying me there, but I wanted to see you, so I left her. I saw no reporters, though. Weird.”

“Shit,” Alec whispered to himself. Now Sebastian’s little game made sense. “It was Sebastian who let them in. He wanted them to catch you sleeping with a judge.”

To his credit, Magnus just shrugged the explanation away. “Not very original. Plus, there’s only one judge I’d put my title in line for, and it is definitely not Camille.”

“Simon will be flattered when he hears it.” Alec sighed and sat on the other side of the bed. “I guess we should wait for them to go away.”

Magnus nodded and kicked off his boots. “If you don’t mind, darling, I’m going to get comfortable here.” He began the process of getting rid of his jacket and vest with no rush at all.

Alec snorted. “Suit yourself.”

“Oh,” Magnus exclaimed and he looked impressed. “A pun! Now that is something I haven’t seen from you before. I like it!”

“I’m glad you do.” Alec smiled a little bit. Maybe Magnus was capable of bringing out the worst in him, but sitting down with him amidst such a peaceful feeling showed Alec that he could also bring out the absolute best.

Magnus threw his clothes on a chair and smiled at Alec. “You wouldn’t have makeup removal, would you?”

Alec huffed. “Sorry, no. I can go and ask Clary. She should have some.”

“Don’t bother, darling. I can wash my face in the bathroom.” Magnus looked around. “I don’t see your faithful notebook anywhere. Has it fallen apart yet?”

“Not quite yet.” Truth be told, Alec took a lot of care of his things and that notebook was no exception. It was probably half a decade old. “But I’ve finished the song I was writing.”

Magnus blinked in excitement. “Darling, that’s wonderful news! Can I see it?” He must’ve seen the hesitation on Alec’s face, because Magnus quickly dismissed the question with a flourish of his hand. “When can I expect to hear it on the radio?”

“Pretty soon, actually.” Alec pushed his lips together. “My producer has been pestering me to release something for a long time, so he’ll probably speed things up with this one.”

“Makes sense. Your last album is from what? Two years ago?” Magnus hugged his knees. “It’s time to come back under the spotlight, Alexander. Your fans miss you.”

Snorting, Alec shook his head. “My fans.”

Magnus gasped in offense. “Yes, your fans. You have many, you know? One of them is in this very room. Have I ever told you I went to your concert in Brooklyn?”

Alec’s mouth fell open. “What? No. Y-you haven’t.”

“Oh, darling, that is one of my favorite degrading stories of all time.” Magnus chuckled. “Prepare to feel embarrassed, because I already am.”

If his burning cheeks were sign enough, Alec had been feeling embarrassed for a while already. “I’m almost afraid to ask why.”

Magnus just smiled deviously and began telling Alec the story of how he had made Raphael call in sick just so they would drive for three hours in search of tickets. On the way, Magnus had made two new friends, a life nemesis of the girl he had “stolen” the last ticket from and almost got himself arrested. Twice.

“When we finally got there,” Magnus was saying as Alec hid his face into a pillow, still laughing from the last part of the tale, “you were half-way through the second song. It was worth it, though. I got to see you perform.”

Alec shook his head, still hiding behind the pillow. “You grabbed the tickets from a twelve year old.”

“She hadn’t been touching them!” Magnus rolled his eyes. “Besides, I’m your number 1 fan. She’ll get over it.” He giggled, but a yawn got in the way. “I should probably go.”

“Yeah.” Alec sighed and laid down, grabbing his phone. “Just let me check with Clary if the reporters are gone.”

The answer came quickly. There are still some. I don’t know why security doesn’t show up. I’ve called them three times already.

Alec groaned. “Sebastian really wants you finished.”

Magnus blinked in surprise and let a chuckle escape. “They are still there! One has to admire their persistence.”

“Not really,” Alec mumbled and sat up. “You can spend the night here. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

He was halfway through getting up when Magnus stopped him by carefully laying a hand on Alec’s hand. “How about we share the bed? I’m going to argue you should have it, since it’s your room, and you won’t agree. Then I’m going to lay down on the floor, and you’ll feel guilty.”

Alec snorted, but laid back again. “I’m not arguing against that logic.”

Magnus smiled and got himself comfortable. The bed was big enough so both of them could lay without touching, but they might as well be snuggling together. Alec could see Magnus’ hand hanging so close to his and it took everything he had not to touch it.

He cleared his throat. “So, hm, g-good night.”

“Good night, my darling.” Magnus chuckled. “And relax, you’ll never sleep tense like this. But no funny business, hm? I demand respect.”

Alec snorted. “Alright. I’ll control myself.”

“Not too much, I hope.” Magnus yawned. “Have sweet dreams, just as sweet as you are, Alexander.”

And Alec did, as he fall asleep at the sound of Magnus’ peaceful breathing next to him.

---

After two years without any new releases, Alec had forgotten how crazy the process of recording a song was. Luke had loved the lyrics and demanded that Alec composed the melody as soon as possible, no second to waste.

Thankfully, Alec had already an idea of what he wanted, so they had the first draft of the song done in less than two days. The time not spent recording was dedicated entirely to Max. Semifinals were brutal and there was much to be practiced.

It was a relief then when the single was ready on Thursday night. Luke called and his voice was rich with pride as he announced they wanted to launch it on the very next day.

“I’m happy for you, Alec,” Luke had said after going through the details. “And I’m glad you’re back to singing. It does you good.”

Alec smiled quietly. He knew Luke had been worried about him for far too long. “Thank you for your patience.”

“It’s okay, kid. It was worth the wait.”

Magnus, who had been sitting in front of Alec by the pool, smiled brightly. “So?”

“It’s done.” Alec couldn’t help but smile back. Since they had shared a bed, it seemed like being around Magnus brought him the peace of mind he never knew he needed. “Should be on the radio tomorrow.”

“So exciting!” Magnus clapped his hands. “But no big announcements?”

Alec frowned. “Announcements?”

“Like a video. Or even a picture.” Magnus shrugged. “Something to get people excited about.”

“Hm,” Alec considered it quietly. “I could post a picture.”

Magnus smiled, his eyes shining bright. “Don’t move,” he said and grabbed Alec’s phone, snapping a picture of Alec and grinning at the result. “You look lovely.”

Alec rolled his eyes. “I look ridiculous. I don’t like taking pictures. Actually, I don’t like being in them.”

“That’s a crime, depriving the world from beauty like that. I’m appalled that you’d be so cruel.” Magnus shrugged and quickly edited the picture on Snapchat, adding a caption. New song coming out tomorrow. “Just press send.”

Pushing his lips together, Alec considered his options. And then he stopped thinking and pressed send. “Done.”

Magnus’ delighted giggle was worth the scolding Luke gave him as Alec’s fan base rose from the ashes and went insane on social media. But if the mere announcement, and the fact that Alec had posted on Snapchat for the first time in two years, were getting out of control, the uproar the actual song caused on the next day was unforeseeable.

That is what Alec got for debuting a love song for the first time in his career, but he didn’t regret it. Mercy was more than just a single, it was the only way Alec could gather his thoughts and control the raging storm that had taken permanent residence in his heart.

He loved the song, what it did for him. How it allowed him to come to terms with his feelings. That was why he had become a singer in the first place.

What Alec wasn’t so thrilled about Mercy, though, was the speculation that it caused. Everyone was interested in knowing who the song was about and more than a few people had turned their eyes to Magnus. Gossip magazines were erupting with articles and Alec had deleted the Twitter app just because he’d go insane if he saw another fan tagging Magnus and him in the same suggestive tweet. The problem with publically pouring your heart out was that people always wanted to know more.

And that was something Alec wasn’t willing to share.

He had locked himself with Max as they prepared the boy’s next performance. With the theme “make it your own”, there was no room for mistakes and Alec was actually looking forward to helping Max nail his song of choice. Finally a theme he could get behind.

“Alright, Max, that was very good.” Alec nodded in approvement. “The falsetto is perfect, but it’s still breaking at the end. It’s not a problem if you’re doing it on purpose.” His phone buzzed on the table and Alec frowned when he saw who was calling. “Give it another try. I’ll be right back.”

Max nodded dutifully and he was already singing again when Alec closed the door behind himself and answered the call. “Mom?”

“Alec, am I interrupting something?” Maryse sounded almost as surprised as Alec felt.

“Did something happen? Is everything okay? Is dad okay? Max?” Alec couldn’t think of any other reason for his mother to call that wasn’t health related. If it was something with Izzy and Jace, one of them would’ve called, he was sure.

“Everything is fine,” Maryse said abruptly. “Both your father and Max are fine. That’s not why I’m calling.”

It had to be something worse. Alec frowned but couldn’t think of anything. “Then why are you calling me?”

There was a brief pause, in which Alec could hear a deep breathing. “I’ve heard your new song.”

Oh. Alec pushed his lips together, not making a sound.

“It’s beautiful,” Maryse said eventually. “But haunting. I heard you were the one that wrote the lyrics. Is that true?” Alec could barely do more than hum positively, too scared to say anything. “Alec, are you okay?”

From all the things his mother had ever told him, Alec couldn’t remember the last time he had heard those words coming from her. “W-what?”

Maryse sighed. “Are you feeling well? The song… It sounds like you’re hurting.”

Alec swallowed hard. “You sound worried.”

“I am worried.” Maryse sounded frustrated. “Alec, if you’re hurting, I want you to know that-”

“Mom, I’m fine.” Alec smiled a little, too stunned to speak louder than a whisper. “I just… I think I’m falling in love. Maybe I already have. I-I don’t know. But… I’m fine. It’s just a song.”

Maryse sneered, but there was no contempt in her tone. “If you say so. But Alec- If you ever need me... If you ever need me, I’m here for you.”

Alec nodded, leaning his back against the wall. “Thank you, mom.”

“Now, is the song about that… Magnus Bane? I know the show has trying to make it seem like you two are involved somehow, but he’s a contestant. You have to stop these rumors before it jeopardizes your career.”

There it was. “Magnus is a friend,” Alec said sharply. “I know what I’m doing.”

“All right,” Maryse sounded resigned. “Take care, my son.”

“Bye, mom.” Alec smiled to himself as he hang up. The day had been weirdly good, but that was just beyond reality. Alec decided to go back to Max and focus on what he could actually control before his luck turned to its regular self.

It seemed, though, that whatever streak of good luck that had fallen over him was there to stay. Not only both Max and Magnus advanced to the Finals with beautiful performances that had Clary and Simon dancing in their chairs, Mercy was the number one hit of the weekend. Alec was so happy he barely minded when he realized he had been caught on camera singing along to the lyrics of Hall of Fame as Magnus rocked the stage with his powerful rendition of the song.

So, when Magnus came to him on Monday morning with a tentative smile and one too many flourishes to ask him to be his guest for the final round, the only rational conclusion Alec could come up with was that he was dreaming.

“I just… Well, you know I’ve been a huge fan of yours for years, darling.” Magnus laughed nervously as Alec just stared blankly at him. “And we have to perform with a professional singer for one of the songs and I thought you… I wondered if you’d be willing to do me this favour. I know- I know you’re little Max’s coach, so this might be weird. I’m probably out of line here-”

“Yes,” Alec said bluntly. “I mean, no. You’re not out of line. Y-yes. I’ll sing with you. Of course.” The smile on Magnus’ face had Alec mimicking the gesture in no time. “Any… Any song you want to do in particular?”

Magnus wiggled his eyebrows, a happy smirk dancing on his lips. “I don’t know about a song, but a singer?” He chuckled and waved Alec’s unsurprised expression away. There was something vulnerable about Magnus’ eyes when he spoke again. “I was thinking about Mercy. I don’t know why, but I’m obsessed with that song. I think it’s my favorite from you so far. Would that be okay with you?”

Alec’s heart skipped a beat. Magnus could probably see his discomfort, because he was about to say something else, but Alec stopped him by raising his hand. “It is,” he said with a confidence he didn’t know he had. “I’d love to sing Mercy with you.”

As it seemed, life could be very much like a dream sometimes.

---

Saturday arrived much too soon to Magnus’ taste. He had grown accustomed to spending the week practicing in the luxurious Idris Resort, teasing Alec whenever he had the chance, and getting to know the other contestants.

But now his last week was done and it had been nothing like what he liked to do. Aside from teasing Alec; that, thankfully, never changed.

There was only little Max and him left in the competition, which was equally exciting and terrible. Magnus had taken a liking into the boy, with all his adorable shyness and rich imagination, and it hurt to think they’d have to face each other to win.

But Magnus knew he wasn’t struggling even half as much as Alec was. Sweet, caring Alexander, who had spent the week running between practice sessions with both contestants as he prepared Max to perform his two songs of choice and dutifully rehearsed with Magnus every day.

Alec was stretching himself too thin, but Magnus wasn’t surprised at all. He was the most generous person Magnus had ever met, the most attentive and hardworking too. Alec went above and beyond for those he cared about and had proven himself to be as kind as he was beautiful, over and over again.

It was no surprise that Magnus’ silly celebrity crush had developed into something real in the course of the months they spent living together. He had admired Alec Lightwood as a fan, accompanied whatever the media had to say about him, felt represented by the reserved singer who made a point of being judged by his talent and not his sexuality.

And now Magnus had gotten to know Alec Lightwood as the man he was. So often getting to know your heroes was a disappointing experience, but Magnus couldn’t possibly see how Alec could ever disappoint him. He was as just and brave as Magnus hoped he’d be, and then some. From the very first moment, when Magnus waked up on stage, Alec had gave him nothing short of unwavering support.

So who could blame Magnus for falling in love?

Magnus sighed, staring at his reflection in the mirror. The show would start at any minute now and all he could think of was that he was about to sing with Alec. They were going to share the stage, after spending a week rehearsing together. It was nerve wracking, but Magnus couldn’t be more excited.

It was probably because of the song. For whatever reason, Magnus had felt a connection to Mercy that ran deeper to any of Alec’s other songs. Maybe witnessing the singer working on the lyrics so closely made it feel like Magnus himself had a part in it. It was silly to think that, but the alternative was even more so.

Because there was no way Raphael was right and the song was about him. No way.

Magnus bit his lower lip. Wondering about that would take him nowhere, no more than fussing about his second song of the night. Magnus had decided on that one the second he realized his crush had turned into real feelings. Now that the day to do something about had come, there was no coming back. He just hoped everything was going to work out fine.

Sighing, Magnus slowly rose up and went to take his place. Max had just finished his performance with Simon and Magnus was pretty sure it had been the most adorable thing to see and that he’d gladly spend hours on youtube watching it afterwards, but it also meant that Magnus was up in just a couple of minutes.

Funny how anxiety had so many subtle ways to manifest. Up until that moment, Magnus was a pile of nerves, doubting every ounce of himself. He felt like a fraud, a conman that had gotten by on looks and charm instead of talent, the lesser half of a forbidden and fabricated love story to get ratings.

But now that Magnus could see Alec hugging his protegee on stage with pride written all over his handsome face, all doubts had vanished. He wanted more than anything to sing, to perform. To express himself and connect with people.

Jace thanked Max for the amazing job and announced that “malec” would be performing next, right after the break. The audience went crazy and Magnus couldn’t help the fond smile that took over his lips.

Especially when Alec walked up to him, face still flushed. “You ready?”

“For you, always.” Magnus smirked at him and cocked his head to the side.

Alec chuckled and just that sent Magnus’ heartbeat racing again, as it always did. Every small reaction Magnus got from him gave him goosebumps and he still wanted more. “Okay,” Alec said with an easy smile. “Let’s give them something real to cheer for.”

If Alec had stayed for one more second after saying those words insteading of rushing to get ready, he’d probably see the heart attack Magnus had. Thankfully though, he was gone as soon as the words left his lips.

Magnus inhaled deeply, playing with the microphone in his hands until Jace was decent enough to call him on stage. Somewhere in the crowd, Magnus’ mother was watching him and he was sure she had tears in her eyes as he joined Jace under the spotlight. It meant the world to him that Clary and Simon convinced the producers to bring his mother all the way from Indonesia and Magnus was looking forward to spending time with her once the competition was over.

“So,” Jace smiled handsomely as ever. He seemed to be putting on a show, since Magnus had been told the chitchat would be after the performance. Was everything okay? “How are you feeling tonight?”

Magnus reciprocated the gesture nonetheless. Aside from a second of hesitation, Jace was all confidence as always, so whatever was going on, it would be fine. “Like a million bucks.”

“Not how you look, Magnus. How you feel.” Jace winked at him and brought a hand to his earpiece. He smiled again and patted Magnus on the shoulder. “But I guess in this case, they are one of the same. Take it away, man.”

“With pleasure.” Magnus smiled as Jace left the stage and the lights went off.

The theater went unnaturally quiet, but Magnus had stopped listening to anything around him. There was only his heart beat and Alec’s words. Let’s give them something real to cheer for.

The first note sounded and Magnus smiled, eyes closed and skin growing warmer as the canon light hit him. He hummed the intro of the song to himself, tasting the sound carefully, almost as if it was the first time he tried it. As the inhaled, Magnus could hear to Alec doing the same, over and over again, all the times Magnus had listened to the song. A shiver ran down his spine.

Singing had always been about emotions put into words for Magnus, so chanting about how Alec had a hold on him came as natural as a laugh. The first two strophes of the lyrics were true enough that Magnus didn’t even have to think as the recited the words. He reached the chorus in no time and, as he begged for mercy, Magnus could only think that Alec would be joining him on stage at any second now.

But first things first. Magnus smiled and looked at the public. “It’s my honor and privilege to welcome to the stage Alec Lightwood!”

As the public erupted in cheers, Alec walked up to Magnus, already singing about the lengths he’d go for the one he loved. He had changed into a tight black jeans and a jacket with discreet embellishments, enough to keep true to his signature style, but also to match with Magnus’.

Alec looked stunning, but not because of what he was wearing. It was because he was showing who he was, pouring his heart out as his voice danced to the melody.

Magnus couldn’t tear his gaze away from him. It was mesmerizing and when Alec hit the chorus, voice broken and yet so powerful, eyes looking straight into Magnus’ soul, he lost his breathe as well. For that couple of seconds, there was just the two of them, alone in the world. Nothing else mattered. Because Alec was singing, and he was singing to Magnus and Magnus alone.

And he didn’t take his eyes off him. It was different from all the rehearsals, all the hours spent together as they mastered the ups and downs of the song. This time, Alec meant every word, every sting of pain, every desperate beg. This time, Alec was confessing his love and he was putting his heart in Magnus’ hand.

This time, Magnus realized that Alec was singing about him.

Magnus felt his jaw fall open. He lost his cue to join Alec in the singing, but it didn’t matter. He recovered enough to do it on the second go, but only because Alec was smiling at him, so pure, so innocent. He was there to Magnus, trusting and supportive as always.

So Magnus joined him, by singing and holding his hand. Alec laced their fingers together and they finished the song as one. Magnus was still panting as Jace blabbered about how amazing the performance was, but when he tried to pull his hand away, Alec kept holding it.

It took everything Magnus had not to kiss him right there. He desperately wanted to tell Alec how he felt, tell him there was nothing to be afraid of, because he felt the same. Because whatever Alec felt, Magnus felt it back.

Magnus smiled and thanked Jace when he was due, listened to Clary’s compliments and Simon’s endearing jokes. Alec didn’t let go until Sebastian was done talking and they went to another break. When he did, Alec barely looked Magnus in the eye, lips pressed together as he realized just how much he had showed.

But Magnus held his hand again and squeezed it. “Alexander, darling… Pay attention to my next song, okay? Promise?”

Alec blinked in surprise as he stared at their hands joined together. He slowly looked up to Magnus and nodded once. “I promise.”

The wait backstage to his second performance wasn’t nearly as agonizing this time. Magnus watched Max’s solo performance with a proud grin on his face, all anxiety gone for good. The competition had lost its importance now and it seemed like no more than an afterthought. He wanted Max to win, to be consecrated the Angel’s Voice, to be recognized and successful. To have all his hard work pay off.

Magnus had gotten a much different prize and one he cherished infinitely more.

When he came into the stage again, Magnus felt light. As the melody of It Was Always You by Maroon 5 started sounding, Magnus had eyes only to Alec. He held the microphone closer to his mouth and inhaled. That was it.

The first part of the song was a prayer, a realization. It was exactly like Magnus felt when he first recognized how deep his feelings for Alec ran. How his crush had turned into a friendship, and how that friendship developed into something else too. Something that was still taking form, but what form Magnus already knew.

It wasn’t until Magnus talked about hazel eyes that Alec understood. He had a slight, adorable frown on his face when Magnus began singing, but it began to melt away as the word came. Finally, it gave its place to a tentative smile, unbelieving but hopeful.

By the end of the chorus, Alec’s face was glowing with happiness as bright as Magnus felt.

I love you.

I love you too.

Magnus closed his eyes, serenity kissing him. It was done and he couldn’t think of a more perfect sensation.

Well, maybe kissing Alec, but that would have to wait a few minutes longer. Magnus chuckled as he started the second half of the song, letting himself get lost in the performance. He saw the tears in Clary’s eyes and the mesmerized smile on Simon’s lips. He saw the audience clapping and singing along.

But Magnus also saw the smirk on Sebastian’s face. That arrogant, unwavering smirk of someone who already knew he was about to win. Of someone who felt untouchable.

Magnus smirked too and there was no fondness this time. He was looking straight into Sebastian’s eyes as he let his voice go too high in the falsetto, singing almost the entire last strophe off key. Magnus was still holding Sebastian’s gaze as the song ended and it was met with a resounding silence from the audience.

It was then that Alec started laughing. He was shaking his head, but the smile on his lips was bigger than any reprehension. As Sebastian fumed on his seat, Clary and Simon tentatively joined Alec when he began clapping, too confused to understand what had transpired. The rest of the public followed suit and suddenly Jace was beside Magnus on stage, announcing that the voting pool was open.

“Not that there’s much of a competition left now,” Jace whispered to Magnus, who couldn’t help a laugh.

Magnus and Alec met backstage the second Jace called for a commercial break. Magnus barely had time to leave his microphone on a table and Alec was already on him, lips pressing together, hands cupping Magnus’ face between them.

“You’re a genius,” Alec murmured between kisses and more laughs. “A genius.”

“Oh darling,” Magnus chuckled too, hands holding Alec’s jacket and pressing them together. “I couldn’t let that jerk win. I just couldn’t.” He giggled as Alec chased his lips once more. “I’m guessing you paid attention to the song.”

Alec nodded, a smile shining on his eyes. “Yes. Yes, I did.” He snorted and shook his head. “I guess now I need to write something new. I don’t want to beg for mercy anymore.”

Magnus shrugged and winked at him. “I can give you a different reason to beg, my dear.”

There was an excited shimmer to Alec’s eyes as he kissed Magnus again.

---

Hello, avid readers. This is your favorite reporter, Ragnor Fell, bringing you the juiciest news of your fave celebrities here in my humble blog.

Sign the sirens, people, because sensational couple Malec (Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood) has resurged from the ashes of whatever secret location they went for their “honeymoon” vacation (can you imagine when they actually get married?) and reliable sources (yours truly) can confirm that they are indeed working on a song together.

Little is known about it aside from the title, but that is enough to get the hopes up. Anything called Shape of You should be interesting, especially coming from a couple that close witnesses (again, yours truly) have confirmed can’t keep their hands of each other. Get a room, guys. Preferably with big windows and great illumination for pics.

Unfortunately, it is also true that Alec Lightwood has quit the Angel’s Voice after a misunderstanding with fellow judge Sebastian Morgenstern. A solemn loss for us all, whom won’t be graced with his unwavering honest and beautiful face on the weekends no longer. It is impossible to confirm, however, if the misunderstanding actually regarded something Mr. Morgenstern said about his former contestant, Magnus, or that has ended in violence, as it was rumoured to has.

Unrelated, click on this link to see exclusive pictures of Sebastian’s mysterious black eye.

On more cheerful news, Magnus Bane has been signed by famous agent Luke Garroway. We should all be expecting great things from that most happy alliance. Similarly, the Angel’s Voice winner, the talented Max, has kept in touch with mentor Alec and is rumoured to be working on an album of his own.

It seems all is well with both Malec and their “love child”.

See also: Pictures of Alec Lightwood visiting local singing school and talking to fans, Rafael and Madzie. Lightwood says we should all ‘watch out for the new generation’.