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Alec dragged the last box into his new apartment. He was finally, officially moved in. Everything had been perfect, save for the rather large piano in the middle of the front room. The previous owner had left it there, the landlord didn’t want to pay to move it, and frankly Alec didn’t have the money to either. He supposed it was the universe’s way of telling him to start playing again.
He tentatively lifted the piano bench open, hoping the previous owner had left some music. He hadn’t had lessons since he was a teenager, but his muscle memory had always been pretty good. There were books of movie music, and books of classical songs and a handful of loose sheet music papers in a folder. He looked closely at it, some smudged writing probably saying who it belonged to, not legible of course. Alec shrugged and pulled out a piece that sounded familiar enough.
Piano Sonata No. 14 by Beethoven. The music wasn’t complete but “Moonlight” seemed to fit tonight’s mood. It was soft and quiet like Alec and the view from his window was rather peaceful, with the moonlight shining onto the piano. The universe really was giving him signs today.
He began to play rather slowly at first, reminding himself how to read music, and that tricky, tricky bass clef. His long fingers danced across the keys, hesitating every now and then, missing some beats every so slightly. Alec was rather proud of how much he could sight read, but he knew he wasn’t playing it perfectly. He started again, counting time in small whispers hoping to get the timing right.
~*~
Magnus floated into his apartment in a daze. He had met, well seen from afar, a beautiful new tenant in the apartments. He had messy dark hair and an innocence to his eyes(Magnus stared a little, well a lot). He was carrying box after box into the elevator by himself, his hands strong, calloused, with long fingers. Piano fingers, Magnus decided. Well he would know, he taught piano and still did the occasional performance.
Magnus realized he was staring a little too late, he wanted to offer to help the man with his boxes or at least get a name, but the elevator doors had closed. He did, however, stay long enough to see that the elevator stopped on 3, the floor below his.
Magnus came back to reality and opened his window, because the moon and the sky were rather beautiful tonight(much like Piano Fingers) and there was no way he was going to deny himself such a view. He mixed himself a brightly colored cocktail, and sat dramatically on his couch letting the stress of the day melt away.
He didn’t quite realize it at first, but there was music coming from out the window, no, below him? Perhaps both. The apartment below his had been empty for quite some time. Magnus had not gotten along well with the previous tenant, as he had had a habit of borrowing and never returning Magnus’s things. Magnus briefly wondered if the new tenant would let him wander around the apartment looking for some of his things. He brought his cocktail to his lips and winced as the music hit a wrong note; someone was practicing then. Could it be? Perhaps Piano Fingers really did play the piano and was right below him. What were the odds? (he really did need to meet this man, so he could call him a proper name)
The music started over and Magnus went back to relaxing, trying to enjoy his drink, but this time the Piano Fingers missed the timing. With an annoyed huff Magnus placed his drink on his coffee table and turned on his electric piano by the window.
He turned his volume a little higher than usual and waited for a pause in Piano Fingers’ practicing. Magnus played the part Piano Fingers had been messing up slightly slower than normal tempo and waited.
~*~
Alec sighed. Trying the song again. This shouldn’t be that hard. He had played this song before, it wasn’t even a fast song. He was overthinking it, reminding himself of why he had stopped playing. He stopped again, ready to give up when he heard the song from out the window and above his apartment. They played the part he was struggling with slower, with more feeling. Alec tended to read exactly the music in front of him playing like, well like a robot as some teachers had said. He placed his hand on the piano again, trying to play like the upstairs tenant.
Magnus heard the melody played back to him. It was surprisingly close to what he had played. He played it again faster with more feeling, wondering if Piano Fingers would or could replicate it.
He did. Magnus smiled. Alec was smiling too, though neither could see each other.
By the end of the night they had played the song together, Alec following the notes written and Magnus improvising around him beautifully. All of the music Magnus had played sounded so beautiful to Alec, he had never realized how beautiful it could sound. Alec wasn’t sure how to say goodnight or thank you. It was late but he didn’t want to seem like he was ditching the other player.
Before he could think of a way to say something he saw a something at his window. The upstairs player had dropped a note on a string and in rather beautiful cursive it said “You played quite wonderfully. I hope to do it again sometime. Goodnight.” There was a small heart before his name, “Magnus.” Alec whispered.
~*~
Alec stopped by his parents house on his way home from work the next day and took all the piano books they still had from his piano days. His mother gave him a look, she never really did support him playing, but he had a job now and he swore it was just going to be a hobby. He failed to mention the fact that he had a large grand piano in his living room that he couldn’t move, and a neighbor who played beautifully, and who he very much wanted to impress. He didn’t exactly know why, himself, and didn’t want to have to try and explain it to his mother.
When he finally got back to his apartment building he made sure to leave a note to Magnus. He was debating sliding it under his door, but wasn’t quite sure he wanted to meet him face to face just yet. He opted for leaving it in his mailbox. He didn’t know why he was so nervous. Alec Lightwood does not get nervous. He’d never even seen this man, all he knew what that he could play piano beautifully and it made Alec feel something that no other music teacher or music anything had made him feel before. It was just music. Or well he had thought music was just music.
Everything seemed different and Alec was so lost in thought that he ran straight into another man, knocking the piano books and music right out of his own hands and the keys out of the other man’s.
“Sorry!” He rushed to grab his things and the man’s keys. He looked up from crouching and stopped breathing.
The man was beautiful. Gorgeous? Alec’s brain couldn’t supply him with the proper words to describe him. His hair was dark with bright red highlights coiffed in a swirl on his head so that bangs fell just barely in his eyes. His eyes, Alec was definitely staring, were dark and outlined in makeup and glitter? Alec had never given a second thought to glitter and now it would probably never leave his mind. His top was low cut, no, not low cut; it was a button down with only the last button done before disappearing into sinfully tight pants. Alec was probably going to die right there. He had only recently let himself even think about liking men and this man was beyond stunning.
The man cleared his throat most likely repeating himself, Alec guessed due to his tone, “Are you alright?” His hand was stretched out towards him. Alec momentarily stared at the rings on his fingers before realizing he was offering to help him up.
“Yeah” Alec chuckled awkwardly, “Sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Magnus pulled him to his feet. Alec tried very hard to ignore the spark he felt from holding Magnus’s hand.
The man smiled. “It’s quite alright.” He looked Alec up and down not so discretely and Alec blushed. “I’m Magnus, by the way.” He shook their already joined hands and let go.
Magnus. He was Magnus. Fuck.
“A-alec. Alexander. Uhm Alec.” Nailed it.
Magnus smiled at him again. Alec wasn’t sure what to say but remembered the man- Magnus’s keys he had dropped. Alec shuffled the books in his hands so he could hand the keys properly to Magnus. “Your keys?”
Magnus took them from Alec gracefully and Alec felt that spark again when their hands touched. “Thank you” He eyed the piano books. “You know I teach piano.” Magnus ran a finger across the top edge of one of the books. “I could teach you a few things, if you want?” Magnus’s eyes positively twinkled.
“Uh-wha-?”Alec stammered
“You know where to find me” He winked, “Alexander.” He purred. Can people even purr? He purred! Alec was losing his mind.
Alec nodded a little too vigorously, “Bye.” and promptly ran to the elevator. Magnus chuckled to himself as he got his mail. Alec’s return note in scribbly rushed writing was sitting on top. "Thanks for your help. You’re really good great amazing at piano. I’d like to do it again? Alec."
Magnus laughed, his eyes lighting up in amusement. Alexander was perfect.
~*~
The continued playing every night. Alec would often come home to find new sheet music that Magnus had pushed under his door. They waved and said small hello’s when seeing each other in passing, but it was like their piano playing was something separate from that. It was different. It was more. Alec really wanted to see Magnus in person, see him play in person. Maybe even ask him out, which was something he had never done at all. He was going to need advice. He was going to need Izzy.
He sent her a quick text and she promised to stop by the next day in person. There was no way she was doing this over the phone. Alec agreed momentarily forgetting his casual piano dates with Magnus.
~*~
When Izzy finally came by, Alec was in the middle of a duet with Magnus. They had been practicing this song all week. Alec’s music skills had reawakened and everything was coming to him much easier. The song felt powerful, it felt right. He wished he knew what it was called, but Magnus had been giving him unnamed sheet music lately, as if he was daring Alec to ask him what they were called. Alec didn’t even hear the door shut or notice Izzy sitting herself on the couch to listen. They played through the whole song perfectly, finally, today. Alec smiled as he hit the last notes.
Izzy started clapping and Alec jumped hitting the piano keys in a eerie chord.
“Izzy!? What the hell?” He turned around to face her.
“I should be the one saying that! You didn’t tell me you were playing again and that you have a partner!” She strode across the room to give him a hug. “Is he the hot guy you want to ask out?”
“Izzy! Shhh!” Alec closed the window and sent Magnus a quick text. (They had exchanged numbers to coordinate their piano dates more punctually) “If he can hear the piano I’m sure he can hear you!”
Izzy laughed. “So, was that you’re song?”
“What?”
“You know, your song. It’s pretty romantic.” She giggled.
“I don’t even know what song it is.” Alec gestured at the sheet music. “He likes to give me ones without their titles.”
“ALEC! How long has this been going on. Oh my god. He could have been giving you love songs for weeks! You have to ask him out.” Izzy looked over the piles of sheet music by the piano.
“I know.” Alec groaned. “I know. I...I don’t know how.”
Izzy rolled her eyes. “You are hopeless.”
~*~
Magnus smiled fondly at the text and he did, in fact, hear Alec’s sister call him “the hot guy” before Alec shut the window. As much fun as this cat and mouse with music was, Magnus really did want to ask Alec out. He actually was planning on it today after the song, but Alec’s sister had interrupted that. Maybe next song he’ll pick something more obvious and leave the title on, maybe something with love blatantly in the title. He knew just who to call at a time like this.
“Magnus darling, when do I get to meet the man taking up all of your time?”
“Ragnor please. I haven’t even asked him out yet.”
Ragnor chuckled. “I’d have thought you’d at least have gone out on a date or had him for drinks by now.”
“I do know how to take it slow. We’ve been playing together for weeks now and he hasn’t made a move. I was planning to today, but I’ve been interrupted.”
“Oh?”
“His sister arrived at his place towards the end of our song.”
“Oh! You have a song!”
“What? No. Maybe. I’m not sure. He’s a rather hard man to read. His expressions are...subtle. Except for when he’s being a nervous mess. It’s adorable.” Magnus smiled.
“You are rather smitten aren’t you? I suggest you get off the phone and ask him out!”
“I am not going to interrupt him and his sister.”
“Then you tell him to let you know the second she’s gone, then make your move. Call me when it’s over, dear. I want to hear all about it.” Ragnor hung up before Magnus could protest.
Magnus sighed and pulled up his text conversation with Alec, debating how to word his message.
There was a knock at the door, strong but hesitant between knocks. It seemed silly to hope it was Alexander, or to seem to know it was him based on a knock. “Just a moment!” Magnus called to the door. He checked himself in the mirror, on the off chance it was Alec, he wanted to look his best.
Satisfied he opened the door. “Alexander.” Magnus smiled brightly. “Come in!” He led Alec to his couch and sat. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Alec stayed standing, he was slightly more cleaned up than usual. Izzy had told him to unbutton the top of his henley, he left one undone instead of all of them. He didn’t own anything much nicer other than work clothes and that just seemed dumb to dress like someone he wasn’t. Magnus always dressed the way he wanted, from what Alec could tell, and he admired him for it.
“Magnus.” Alec said a little too firmly, like he was starting a speech. “I-um. I just want to” Alec sighed. “Izzy, my sister, she recognized the song.”
Magnus raised his eyebrows.
“I looked up the lyrics. Izzy actually helped me figure out some of the other songs too.” Alec seemed nervous. Magnus hoped it was for the right reasons. Magnus was suddenly hit with a huge wave of doubt. What if he was misreading their piano dates? What if Alec was just a piano enthusiast, happy for a challenge? What if it was just wishful thinking?
“Did you mean it?” Alec stared purposely away from Magnus.
“Of course I did.” Magnus stood and forced Alec to meet his eyes. “I have very much enjoyed our...piano dates, for lack of a better term, but I would very much like to take you on a real date.”
Alec laughed lightly. “Damn.”
Magnus started to pull back, but Alec caught his arm.
“I wanted to ask you first.”
Magnus laughed. “You can ask me on the next one.”