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“Please, Alec, I’m sorry that it’s last minute but Elias got double booked.”
Alec sighs, staring longingly at his bed. Church was curled up at the very center, asleep and peaceful. Lucky bastard. “And it has to be me?”
“Yes!” Simon says, exasperated. “Jace is already playing Hermes and Gaston. You know he can’t be more than two.”
An indignant ‘hey!’ in the background makes Alec snort. He hears Simon whisper ‘yeah, well, it’s true.’ “Who am I singing opposite to?”
“Magnus Bane.”
He feels his heart stutter at the name. “He’s Eurydice?”
A flash of dark brown eyes, ringed fingers, and an eloquent smile appears in his mind’s eye. He moves to pace a little in his room, shaking off the inkling of pure want. He’s known about Magnus for a while, followed his path to broadway stardom with the loyalty of a dog.
So trust him to know just how utterly beautiful that man is. To suddenly have an opportunity to sing with him is something he didn’t know he needed until that very moment. This is his chance.
“Yes. Alec, if you don’t want—“
“I’ll do it.”
Simon hums. “What’s your price?”
“You lose two turns on movie night.”
“That’s not fair! I haven’t shown you the wonder that is John Boyega!” Alec raises a brow. “I know that damn brow of yours is raised, don't even do it. Fine. Fine. You’ll just pick Breakfast Club for the tenth time again anyway.”
“You like that movie.”
Simon gives him a haughty sniff. “Come Home With Me and All I’ve Ever Known. Alec, don’t forget.”
Alec clicks his tongue before he hangs up.
“I’ve found your Orpheus!” Simon exclaims, barging into the dressing room.
Magnus is happy to find that Simon’s sudden entrance didn’t mess up his wing. He places the eyeliner pen down then turns to face the other man. “Good job, Sherman.”
“Yeah, I sacrificed two turns of movie night and now I’ll have to sit through Breakfast Club again but if Alec feels adventurous he might just place 10 Things I Hate About You which is at least a good option too,” Simon rambles.
Magnus' heart beats wildly in his chest. He hears that deep voice, noisy bar chattering, and a New York accent that cuts . He remembers blues deepened by honesty. “Alec?”
Simon nods. “Yeah, Alec. Do you know him?”
“Of him,” he says weakly. It’s sort of true. “He used to be a prince from Into The Woods, right?”
Magnus also knows that Alec is currently Dr. Pomatter in Waitress and that he also used to be Prince Henry from Ever After. He remembers just how enthralled he was with Alec’s biceps when he was Prince Henry, just how handsome he looked in princely regalia. Oh christ.
That Alec as his Orpheus?
The universe must favor him today.
“He’s Dr. Pomatter at the moment but I heard he’s looking at a role in Kinky Boots but,” Simon holds up his hands with a wide grin. “You didn’t hear it from me.”
Magnus nods, clearing his throat. He claps his hands together as he stands. “Well, I’m glad that that matter has been resolved. When can he be here?”
“Um….” Simon bites his lower lip. “10 minutes before he goes up on stage?”
“ Santana. ”
“I know, I know! But Alec’s pretty busy right now. He promised to practice this before he gets there.”
“If we mess up our blending, Salisbury Steak, I swear I…” he pauses, frowning. “I won’t help you on your next date.”
Simon whines petulantly. “You and Alec are so mean.”
The way it’s ‘ Magnus and Alec’ now in one sentence sends a frenzy in Magnus’ stomach he dare not admit. Instead, he turns back and pretends to fix his make-up brushes with a big goofy smile on his face.
Alec has formed scenarios that involve meeting Magnus none of which were aligned with him tripping up on stage and Magnus catching him and giggling. And, as if it wasn’t enough, his mouth decides to blurt out something to excuse his clumsiness except what comes out is something stupid. “Sorry I got mesmerized.”
And when in the history of all fuck did he ever use ‘mesmerized’ in a sentence out loud? Jace is laughing at him in the background, uselessly covering it up with a hand in front of his mouth. But there’s a twinkle in Magnus’ eyes that makes it all a little less painful.
The lights on stage are a mix of purple, blue, and gold with a spotlight to highlight them. The band switches instruments casually, the guitarist quickly tuning his guitar. Jace is on the other side, scanning some paper that probably has his lines. It’s a little warm with the people and the lights and it’s a good excuse as to why his cheeks are probably pink at this point. The clinking of utensils on plates or of glass to glass is a common sound amongst the audience and it makes him feel so alive. The familiarity of being here, being able to do what he loves. The grateful feeling never stops washing over him.
He stands beside Magnus internally trying to reel back some of his wilder reactions but there is no helping the nest of wasps in his stomach at the thought of finally finally sharing a stage with someone he’s long admired—with someone so magical. And when Magnus turns to him, casually holding his arm, he loses his ability to comprehend anything.
“So…Come Home With Me?” Magnus says into the mic, facing Alec after finishing his introduction spiel.
Alec chokes on nothing, feeling warmth rise to his cheeks. He barely raises the mic to answer back. “Excuse me?”
Magnus' mouth flicks up into a smirk. “The song, Alexander. Are you ready to start?”
“I…yes…of course…” Alec clears his throat, steadfastly ignoring his brother’s groan of embarrassment. “Come Home With Me.”
“Maybe,” Magnus says, sashaying away from him with an impish look on his face. Alec decides that he might just die tonight.
He takes a deep breath, all that he can do at this point before the music starts to play. Alec shakes himself into character, hunches his back a little and fidgets with his mic.
Jace eyes him playfully. “ You wanna talk to her? ”
Alec would’ve rolled his eyes if not for his character. “ Yes. ”
“ Go on. ” A pause. “ Oh, and, Orpheus ?”
He straightens his back a little, attentive. “ Yes ?”
“ Don’t come on too strong, ” Jace says, winking.
He looks at Jace then back at Magnus who’s pretending to be on his phone, completely unaware of how enchanted Alec is. The way he casually leans against the piano paints such a gorgeous picture that Alec already feels flustered.
“ Come home with me. ” Alec makes it a point to say it breathlessly. Magnus is so beautiful that it doesn’t need effort on his part to look smitten and dazed.
Magnus looks at him, a little surprised. “ Who are you ?”
“ The man who’s gonna marry you. ” He can feel a smile making its way on his lips, lopsided and so natural in the face of Magnus’ incredulity. “I’m Orpheus.”
“Is he always like this?” He scoffs, turning to Jace who is making a pained face.
Jace is pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yes.”
“I’m Eurydice.” Magnus says like it’s been awkwardly forced out of him then fights an amused smile when Alec responds to him— Your name is like a melody— Magnus sighs. “A singer. Is that what you are?”
Alec’s brows furrow looking at his hands then at something behind him before stopping himself. “I also play the lyre.”
Magnus brows raise. “Oh a liar and a player too.” He crosses his arms, losing his smile. “I’ve met too many men like y—.”
“Oh, no,” Alec rushes to say. He never meant to cut Magnus off but it seems the man didn’t mind, he looks amused. “I’m not like that.”
“He’s not like any man you’ve met.” Jace nods at Magnus’ ‘ oh,really?’ stare. “Tell her what you’re working on.”
Alec sings his lines, musing at how fluid Magnus reacts to him and just how electric it feels to share a stage with him. He’s aware of the gushing ladies near the stage and all the cameras pointed at him but they all somewhat dissolve in the face of Magnus’ focused attention.
“Come again?”
“Spring will come,” he says decidedly.
Magnus snorts. “When? I haven’t seen spring or fall since…” he frowns. “I can’t recall.”
“That’s what I’m working on…” Alec sings with his hand like he just can’t help explain his plans of making the most beautiful songs with his hands gesturing excitedly. “…and all the flowers will bloom when you become my wife.”
Magnus faces the audience with a gasp. “Oh, gods, he’s crazy. Why would I become his wife?”
Jace butts in. “Maybe because he’ll make you feel alive.”
The teasing expression on Magnus’ face melts away to something more considering, he gazes back at Alec and takes a step towards him. “Alive?” Alec smiles hesitantly. “That’s worth a lot.” Magnus trails a finger down Alec’s chest. “What else you got?”
Magnus smiles softly as the music shifts, but instead of ‘Wedding Song’ it seamlessly blends to ‘All I’ve Ever Known’. He didn’t know what he expected from Alec but it certainly wasn’t this much fluidity and fire. He hasn’t felt this way since his failed marriage. That was two years ago. Every performance since then has been a blur and almost mind-numbing. He thought divorce would fix everything but he was wrong. Nothing has been exciting since then. Sure getting his role in Hamilton provided a rush in him but when the novelty faded so did most of his enthusiasm. He tries to achieve that high by going on long shopping trips nowadays.
But now in the face of Alec’s too honest of a performance, red-cheeked and breathless, he feels almost alive again.
“I was alone so long, I didn’t even know that I was lonely,” he sang, hand reaching to fix the collar of Alec’s jacket before trailing it down to hold the other man’s hand. Rough, he thought. This one was a hard worker. Alec looks down at their hands, squeezing before meeting his eyes with a gooey little smile.
“Turn my collar to the wind.” He turns away, letting go of Alec as he does and fighting a smile when he feels the other man try to hold onto him longer. “That’s just how it’s always been.”
Alec fidgets with his mic, looking at him with such sincerity and pure longing that Magnus almost believes in it. There’s not much room to move on stage and, perhaps, it was their presence together that was to blame. Offhandedly, he thinks that the purple light gives no justice to Alec’s complexion. He wonders if warmer golden lights would make him look ethereal.
Magnus walks to the other end of the stage, knowing that when he looks back Alec’s eyes are following him still. He turns. Alec is. God. This guy knows what he’s doing.
Alec bites his bottom lip, raising his mic as he does so. When he looks at Magnus, his eyes are honest and so vulnerable. “I don’t know how or why but who am I that I should get to hold you?”
The articles were right.
Alexander Gideon Lightwood sounds like an angel.
He’d make a perfect Orpheus.
“I knew you before we met.” His eyes twinkle as his smile grows. Magnus is already defeated. “And I don’t even know you yet.”
Magnus looks away with a shy laugh, unplanned and involuntary.
“All I know’s you’re someone I have always known.”
And when their voices blend.
It’s magic.
Alec reaches to hold his hand and slowly twirls him around, Magnus understands immediately and slowly presses his back against Alec’s front in a gentle embrace. He feels Alec’s arm wrap around his waist in a loose hold, feels his warmth, and feels the vibrations when he sings. He sees Simon in one of the front tables gushing to tears with Jace patting his back in an exasperated manner.
Magnus looks up at Alec, intertwining their fingers. “ Say that you’ll hold me forever.” Alec nods with a soft expression. “Say that the wind won’t change on us,” he pulls Alec’s arm to wrap around him tighter, closing his eyes. “ Say that we’ll stay with each other and it will always be like this. ”
Alec pulls back from him, turning him so that they face each other. He cups Magnus’ cheek and makes sure that their eyes meet. “ I’m gonna hold you forever. ” Magnus feels himself blush in the face of such intimacy. Still, he manages to wrap an arm around Alec’s waist and steps further into his space like a lover slowly letting their defenses fall. “ The wind will never change on us, long as we stay with each other...”
Magnus makes the mistake of looking at Alec’s lips. “Then it will always be like this.”
Alec leans in closer, so impossibly close that Magnus thinks they're going to kiss but the audience’s cheers make Alec jerk away in surprise. It seems Magnus isn’t the only one that forgot where they were.
The moment is gone.
But, Magnus thinks, as Alec’s hand settles on the small of his back, that another moment like that isn’t impossible for them.
“Thank you, Alexander, for joining me on stage,” Magnus says as the cheering dies down. “I have to say, you are a natural. ”
“Thank you,” Alec says, straightening his back. He’s no longer his timid character. “I hope…I hope we can share more stages?”
“Is that a question?” He teases. “Because the answer will always be a resounding yes.”
Alec’s cheeks ache from how big he smiles. “I’ll hold you to that.”
Alec bows before he makes his way down the short steps, waving at the audience as he manages not to trip over everything.
Magnus sighs dramatically behind him, waving at him. “ My Alexander, don’t forget to write. ”
Alec looks back. Winks.
Alec doesn’t leave the venue like he normally does. Instead, he stays at the bar with a strawberry daiquiri in his hand. Now that he’s part of the audience, he gets to finally watch Magnus and appreciate just how wonderful that teal silk button-up is against his skin tone. The top three buttons were left open, playing a dangerous game with just how little the fabric can conceal.
He performs ‘A Whole New World’ with someone Alec can’t quite remember the name of, not that he cares too much when Magnus’ voice shifts to sound like a prince. And what a mighty prince he makes. He remembers watching Magnus before, how he even risked going to a cast party he didn’t belong to just to get a quick glimpse of him. He wonders if Magnus remembers that.
Magnus remains on stage for two more songs before he finally hands it off to Simon who he refers to as ‘Sandy Cheeks’, ‘Santa’, and ‘Simp’. There’s a considerably loud applause as Magnus waves his goodbye, a small noise of ‘aww’-ing that Alec can’t blame the audience for. Magnus is magical. His eyes follow the man, watching him look around in a confused state muttering something to himself. When Magnus finally meets his eyes, he smiles widely and lifts his glass.
Magnus is slow to approach but each step has his smile growing wider and Alec knows he mirrors him just the same. “A pink guy, huh?”
Alec rolls his eyes. “I’m not one for alcohol.”
“Oh I wasn’t teasing,” Magnus says, pulling himself up on the chair beside him. “But I have to say, I’m more for blue. ” He observes Alec fidget shyly with a proud little smile before he spares a glance at the bartender. “Blue Lagoon please.”
Alec eyes the stage as Simon rambles into the mic, rolling his eyes at his ridiculous jokes.
“So, Alexander, tell me about playing Prince Henry opposite Sierra Boggess?”
“You’ve watched me?”
“Of course. Alliance Theater, was it?” At Alec’s nod, Magnus smirks. “I’d remember those biceps anywhere.”
Oh, Christ.
“I…yes…” Alec shifts in his chair uncomfortably. He didn’t want to talk about it for fear of bragging. “I had a hard time separating Sierra from Christine? So sometimes on stage I’m thinking ‘wow this is Christine like Phantom of the Opera Christine’. It’s amazing.”
“I can imagine. She is a woman of legend.”
Alec nods enthusiastically. “We still text from time to time, she sends me random cat videos.” He watches the stage for a moment, laughing at Simon’s gay rendition of ‘Gaston’ with Jace. He turns back to Magnus to see that he’s still watching him. “They’re idiots.”
The crowd roars in deafening laughter as Jace and Simon continue to perform their gay rendition of 'Gaston' and Magnus is nothing but grateful as he uses it as an excuse to move even closer to Alec. When he speaks Alec leans closer and there is something intimate about their hair touching lightly. It's a little overwhelming to feel fond of something as simple as hair touching but it's incredibly cute so sue him. “Is Jace your only sibling?”
“No, I have three. Jace likes to be in the ensemble more, he loved it when he was in Newsies just anything energy draining. Izzy prefers to perform in straight plays, she’s had enough of alto prejudice. Max is still studying right now, he really wants to follow in our footsteps but I can see that he likes working on production design more than actually performing. I saw him recreate the stage for Once On This Island and it was amazing.”
Magnus feels his heart stutter a little at this man so family-oriented that he can splutter all about his siblings more than himself. The pride in his tone and the way he shines just talking about them. When he read a trending post about how Alec was Broadway's sweetheart, he didn’t know if he should have easily believed it but now at the face of that fact’s unquestionable rightness he is rendered a little speechless.
It takes him a minute to realize that Alec’s actually asking him a question. “Sorry?”
“Am I boring, Mr. Bane?” Alec teases, laughing a little. Magnus will not admit that ‘Mr. Bane’ is about all it takes to get him going at this point. “I asked if you have any siblings.”
“None, I’m an only child. I think?” Now that he thinks about it, his biological parents could have had other children. “I grew up in the system.”
Alec nods, suddenly so serious and Magnus regrets even mentioning if only to keep the lighthearted atmosphere around them. “Fuck the system.”
It punches out a surprised little laugh from Magnus’ gut. He mostly expects some sort of statement of sympathy but the dry tone of Alec’s joke disarms him. “Truly, my dear.”
Alec looks at him for a moment before tapping his fingers on the bar table in a nervous manner. “Uh...by the way, I don’t know if you remember,” he winces. “That cast party where I just...” he gestures and Magnus nods as if he understands. “I’m sorry if I came off rude and egotistical. I didn’t even introduce myself. It’s just that...well, I was trying to—”
Magnus holds a finger, hovering just inches away from his lips. “I understand.” He pulls his hand away, leaving a smile on Alec’s lips. “Darling, the only thing I found offensive was that I didn’t even get your number.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Alec fishes for his phone from his pocket, handing it to Magnus. “Here, maybe you should give me yours.”
“Oh, you’re delightful,” Magnus says, excitedly placing his glass on the table before grabbing Alec’s phone with great care.
‘Magnus Bane’ is now in his contacts with a little blue heart just beside it.
Fucking adorable.
“Speaking of that night,” Magnus says. “I should thank you.”
At Alec’s curious gaze, he continues. “Why do you think I auditioned for a role in Hamilton?”
It takes Alec a few seconds before he understands then he smiles a big goofy smile, wide and toothy and just so child-like. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Oh, wow , I didn’t think...” He taps the bar table again, biting his lip. “Do you wanna go out and...get dinner err sometime?”
“Would it be too eager of me if I say that ‘sometime’ can be tomorrow night?”
“Would it be too eager of me if I say ‘that sounds perfect’?”
“Not at all, Alexander, I’ve already an outfit in mind.” Something glittery. Something gold.
Their knees knock against each other as Alec sits closer to him. “I already know you’ll be beautiful.”
Magnus raises his glass. “To...tonight?”
Alec shakes his head and raises his own glass. “To us.”
“Wonderful.” Magnus clinks their glasses together. “ To us. ”
Magnus settles into a less crowded corner of the bar as cast and crew celebrate the final run of their show. There is happiness all around him but there’s not enough in him to share it amongst the crowd so he sits in the corner and keeps to himself. The signed divorce papers feel heavy in his bag, all he needs now is for Camille to sign them.
Honestly, he can’t wait for the marriage to be over. It shouldn’t even have reached the altar but Magnus is nothing but stubborn. He truly thought that a commitment like that would fix them, fix her. But the thing he realized as the flames began to burn out is that Camille is nothing special. It's how he looked at her that made her special. Now that he looks at her through a different lens, he's a little turned off by how he even thought that she's someone that mattered.
He's one step closer to true freedom now and it is bittersweet.
“Uh, excuse me?”
He really just wants to be alone and he’s about to let that be known until he looks and faces a literal manifestation of an angel. “Yes? Do you need anything?”
The angel looks abashed. “I’m not really part of the show, just my brother but I wanted to tell you that you were beautiful up there.”
His face looks familiar but Magnus can’t quite remember a name. The word ‘prince’ pops up in his mind but only briefly. “Darling, I’m just part of the ensemble.”
The man’s nose scrunches up adorably as if ready to argue but deflates after a few seconds. “It’s not a ‘ just’ kind of thing to be in the ensemble. You really stood out though.”
“Careful there, angel, pretty soon you’ll tell me I should audition for a bigger role.”
He chews on his lip nervously. “Shouldn’t you?”
Raphael had already told him about an opening for Hamilton and he did like Thomas Jefferson’s flamboyant character. It all seems so inviting. But he isn’t sure if he even has a fighting chance. He’s seen how high of an expectation the cast of Hamilton face on their day-to-day. Will he even be able to pull up a seat to that table? But this angel in front of him seems to believe in him. “You don’t know me.”
“I don’t need to know you to see it.”
Magnus looks at him for a moment before leaning back against his seat. I’ll believe in you who believes in me. “Alright.”
The man looks confused and a little surprised. “Alright?”
“Yeah, alright.”
“Alright,” he grins. “I’ll be watching your sure rise to fame.”
He snorts, rolling his eyes. “Sure.”
“Alec!” A blond guy calls out. “Let’s go. Izzy’s gonna kill us if we’re late.”
“I’m going to be cheering for you.”
Magnus gives him a slow nod.
The man flashes Magnus a wide smile before turning to leave.
Something settles in Magnus’ chest.
Something new.