Chiaroscuro (Malec AU)

11

Calling the Hunter's Moon lively would be an understatement.

The vibe in this place was unlike anything Alec had experienced before. Loud, chaotic, energetic, inviting. Granted, social gatherings like this were nothing new to him, he's been to plenty in his life, but none like this. Here, he didn't need to dress up in perfectly pressed suits or navigate gauntlets of social etiquette. He didn't need to tiptoe around fragile relations or gauge the viability of new ones. There were no undercurrents of distrust and false decorum, no wondering if the person shaking your hand was trying to con you. None of that existed here. The informal nature of the setting was refreshing, as were the people. Nothing but warmth and acceptance greeted him when he walked through the doors.

"Magnus! Hey! There you are! So glad you could make it!" Simon greeted them, making his way through the crowd. "It's nice to see you." He gave Magnus a pat on the shoulder, sneaking a glance at Alec's towering presence from the corner of his eye. Magnus smiled at him.

"Nice to see you too." Magnus placed a hand on Alec's shoulder. "Simon, this is Alexander Lightwood."

Simon's eyes widened, his gaze turning to Alec.

"Wait, Lightwood? Isn't that the name of the director of the New York Museum of Modern Art? Like, the one who's in charge of that super famous art exhibition every year?"

Alec nodded. "That would be my father, yes."

Simon blew out a breath.

"Holy shit. That exhibition is a huge deal. I mean, we're talking like, M.E.T gala levels of huge. Like, celebrities and shit. Wasn't Beyonce there last year? I could've sworn she was. It was all over the news."

Alec let out a huff of air, smirking, and extended a hand.

"Nice to meet you too."

Simon gazed down at the hand before him and gawked, awestruck, as if Alec had just presented him with the key to the city. Magnus shook his head, still smiling.

"I think he wants you to shake it, Simon." He teased, his tone light, playful.

"Oh! Yeah, sorry!" Simon grabbed Alec's hand and shook it for far longer than necessary. "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Lightwood."

"Just Alec is fine."

"Sure, just Alec. Yeah, okay, no problem. I can do that." Simon gestured toward the back of the bar, "Anyway, I gotta go backstage and set up. I'll be on soon. Thanks again for coming, I appreciate it. See you after?"

"Of course. Good luck!" Magnus called after him, both men watching as he bumped into several patrons on his way to the back and sputtered out hasty apologies. Alec snickered. The kid was a mess, albeit an endearing one. Alec liked him.

"He seems fun."

"You learn to love him." Magnus's expression was gentle, fond. "He's a great guy. A bit on the odd side, but then again, what artist isn't? Comes with the territory, I suppose."

Alec couldn't agree more. It's what made people like Simon and Magnus so special. They had an ability to take what made them unique and express it in a way that said, 'This is me. This is who I am.' There's an honesty in it that Alec envied. An honesty he found missing, at times, in his own life.

"I've always found eccentricities fascinating. Every great artist and musician throughout history had their share of quirks. It's what made them unique. "

Magnus arched a brow.

"Is that so?"

"Absolutely."