A/N: trigger warning for homophobic language and bullying.

I'm considering on turning this oneshot into an actual fanfiction. Let me know if that's something you'd like.
- Ty
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TWO.
The bell rang, loud and shrill through the classroom as Alec shoved his belongings into his bag, mindful of his arm as he swung the heavy backpack over his shoulder and dashed from the classroom, mixing with the crowds of students heading to their lunch break. He rushed down the staircase, jumping the last two steps as he walked into the empty English department corridor, glancing over his shoulder before letting himself relax and slowly walk down the corridor towards the staircase on the other side of the hall. Alec took a deep breath, releasing it slowly, tensing as he heard a shout from the end of the corridor. "Lightwood!"

Glancing back over his shoulder, he tensed and stopped his walk as the group of boys caught up to him, ignoring the twist of anxiety in his body and the itch of the urge to run. He straightened up, raising his head as he looked between the group of boys with more confidence than he felt as they circled him. "Aldertree, Morgenstern, oh and of course Raj." He added, eyes settling on the final boy last, "Still trailing after these two?"
Sebastian Morgenstern smirked, his dark eyes cold as he glanced over at Raj before turning his attention back to Alec in front of him, snatching his backpack from his shoulder. "Oh, like you do after Jace and your sister Isabelle you mean." He sneered, as he tipped the contents of Alec's backpack on the ground, kicking the books across the hallway. "You always were the most unnoticeable and unwanted one out of you three."

Alec involuntarily flinched back as the words hit him, regretting that instinctive reaction as the other boys stepped closer, closing in on him and pressing him back against the wall. "Only because he's the fag out of them." Raj murmured softly, laughing along with the other two boys as Alec froze wide eyed. "I.."
"Don't try and deny it, Lightwood," Aldertree said, shoving Alec back into the wall, deliberately slamming Alec's casted arm into the wall, smiling as he flinched, "it's probably why your own parents are away so much. They can't stand the sight of you. Maybe your daddy even beats you to deal with the disappointment of his son being a faggot. At least he has Jace, the perfect and better son."

Alec's head swam from the throbbing pain of his arm and the racing of his breath that was too shallow, too fast, it kept catching in his throat and making him choke. He could hear the rushed and uneven drumming of his pulse in his ears, unable to focus on the boys even as Raj slipped something back into his pocket - a pen? - whilst Sebastian swung his fist into Alec's stomach, causing him to yelp and double over, wheezing. "Have a nice day, Lightwood." The three boys called, cackling with laughter as they walked away down the corridor leaving Alec scrambling on the floor for his books.

His face was wet, his breathing still too fast, loud uneven gasps echoing in the silent corridor. He shoved his last book into his bag, freezing as his eyes settled on the thick black lines the marker pen Raj had scrawled on his cast. The derogatory homophobic phrasing almost screaming over and over in Alec's head as he ran unsteadily towards the stairs, his bag still open and banging painfully between his shoulder blades. Alec was late for lunch with his siblings and now he didn't even feel like he could stomach anything as his eyes kept flickering to the words on his cast, he sprinted down the stairs, stumbling as his vision swam in his panic sending him crashing into something hard at the bottom of the staircase.

"Whoa.. steady there." A soft warm voice said near his ear, warm long fingered hands pressed against Alec's waist, contrasted by the stark cold press of metal that sent a shiver up the panicking boy's spine. Alec blinked, shaking to clear his head as his blue eyes met golden ones, with flecks of green, lined with dark sweeping lines. "S-sorry," Alec stammered, instinctively flinching back from the other male as a loud noise echoed down the empty corridor. "Hey," the slightly smaller male said, smiling warmly that Alec couldn't help but shakily return, "it's okay, pretty boy. No harm, no foul." The boy in front of him frowned, suddenly extending out his left hand. "Magnus Bane." He said, fiddling with his silver ear cuff, a nervous habit that Alec couldn't help but notice as he looked down at Magnus' outstretched hand.

He turned his body a little to try to hide the writing on his cast, raising his arm and sending Magnus an apologetic smile. "Alec." He said shyly, shuffling his feet against the tiled flooring. A wide smile spread across Magnus' face. "Alec Lightwood?"
"Uh... yeah?"
Magnus beamed at him even wider, if possible, his eyes crinkling. "I have fashion with your sister, Isabelle! She talks a lot about her big brother Alexander and the 'limited clothing choices' he owns." Alec flushed, ducking his head and peering up at Magnus through the long dark strands of his fringe, taking in the lilac highlights in boy's mohican styled hair, to his intricate patterned red shirt and black skinny jeans with buckled leather boots. A gentle, ring adorned hand rested on Alec's shoulder. "Hey are you okay? You don't look so good, maybe you should go home?"

Once again Alec froze, his shoulders tensing as his breathing sped up as he remembered the words written on his cast. The words he couldn't have anyone see let alone his parents, they were supposed to come home tonight from a business trip. Shaking his head hastily, Alec rushed, "I can't. I-I need..." His words died on his lips as his breath caught once again in his throat, his eyes stinging with tears. He didn't know why but he felt like he could trust Magnus, whether it was because he could remember Izzy talking about him once or twice due to shared projects for fashion shows, or whether it was the gentle and calming look Magnus was giving him, he thrust his cast out for the other boy to see. "I can't because of this." Alec heard Magnus inhale sharply, his blue eyes dropping to the floor before glancing back up to see a dark look on Magnus' face. "Come with me Alexander."

Alec followed silently behind Magnus as he was led down the creative arts department hallway, stopping a little behind the other male as they paused outside a studio door, Magnus peering inside before pushing open the door and holding it open for Alec. "Biscuit!" Magnus called, looking ahead at a tall easel with a mounted canvas that Alec could just see a pair of paint splattered blue jeans, pale freckled ankles and green converse trainers behind. "I need your help."
"She's in her own little world like always." A boy's voice called fondly, as the dark haired spectacled male glanced up over the top of his manga book from where he was sat on top of a table. Alec watched as the other boy jumped down, walking over to the easel and tapping the girl behind it on the shoulder, drawing her attention finally away from the painting. "Fray. Magnus is here."

"Thank you Sheldon." Magnus beamed, settling back to lean against a table, motioning Alec over to join him. "It's Simon and you know that." The other boy - Simon - told the two of them, sitting on the tabletop once more fidgeting with his manga book. Magnus waved his hand dismissively, looking over as a short, red haired girl joined him with a paintbrush in her hand and blue paint smeared across her freckled cheek. "Who is your friend, Mags?" She asked with a kind smile as she looked at the two of them.
"Alexander." The Asian male said, inspecting his fingernails which Alec noticed were painted black and glittery like the makeup around his eyes. "It's just Alec." He mumbled softly, staring at his shoes.

"Well 'Just Alec'," Simon said, putting his book back down beside him, "did Magnus find you to join our band of misfits?" He winced as the girl elbowed him sharply in the ribs.
"Be nice." She snapped, as Magnus said "Sheldon don't tease blue eyes. We need Clarissa's help actually." Clary stepped forward, leaving her best friend's side, frowning a little in concern. "What is it?"
Magnus glanced over at Alec, noticing how the boy tensed and looked away. Smiling sympathetically, he smoothed a gentle hand over the back of Alec's shoulder in a soothing motion before holding just behind his elbow of his casted arm to show them the words written. The small girl stormed forwards, her green eyes glinting fiercely as she looked between Magnus and Alec. "What are your favourite colours Alec?" She asked, her gaze fixed on him as he turned his attention to her. He sat silently for a moment as he thought about it, feeling three pairs of eyes watching him. One brown, one green and one golden. Alec's voice surprised even himself, so used to hearing himself say blue and black, his cheeks flushing as he whispered. "Gold and blue."

****

Alec stared in fascination as Clary stepped back, setting down her acrylic paint markers, smiling in satisfaction at her work on his cast. She'd painted a tabby cat over the words that had been written there before. Golden but gentle feline eyes stared up from the cast, a small bell fastened around the cat's blue collar. Alec glanced up at Magnus stepped close, beaming at the cat Clary had painted. "Oh! He looks so precious!" Magnus gushed, his hands clasped together as he beamed at Clary before his gaze settled on Alec. "He needs a name!"
Simon snickered, shaking his head fondly. "Of course you want to name a painting of a cat." Magnus snatched up the golden acrylic marker from the table, stepping back close to Alec as he twirled the pen between his long fingers. "You'll let me name him right?" He stared up at Alec, his eyes wide and a hesitant smile on his face.

Alec nodded, smiling back at Magnus. "Considering we have a grouchy cat at home called Church, who hates everyone and everything, I'm sure you can't name this one any worse."
Magnus' smile widened, his golden eyes turning soft as he hummed quietly. "I bet Church is a softy, really." He uncapped the pen, cradling Alec's hand gently as he wrote in elegant swooping handwriting. "His name is Chairman Meow." He smiled stepping back, Alec almost missed Magnus' warmth as he looked down at the writing underneath the cat, eye widening as he noticed the smaller numbers written underneath the name. Magnus dropped Alec a glittery wink, knowing that he had noticed. "Um..." Alec mumbled, glancing at the clock on the wall before he looked back at the other people in the room that he had gotten so comfortable around, even managing to laugh at Simon's nerdy jokes, lightly holding Clary's hair back so paint didn't get mixed in the red curls as he would have done for Isabelle. "Wanna join me and my siblings for lunch?"

****

"Shit!" Alec cursed, running down the stairs. "Shit, shit, shit! I'm so late!" He didn't notice his lace had become loose until it was too late and he stepped on it, tripping and flying down the stairs with a startled yell, his arms outstretched to try and catch himself. Once again Alec crashed into something hard, hands wrapping around his waist and pulling him close, a familiar voice mumbling softly in his ear. "Well, well Alexander. We really must stop running into each other like this." Alec's cheeks flushed as he turned in the arms around him to face his boyfriend Magnus, pressing a light kiss to the other male's lips. "Hi." He whispered softly. "I'm sorry for falling into you again."
Magnus' lips twitched into a smirk, his golden eyes glittering with mischief. "More like you fell for me, darling." He teased, beaming as Alec's cheeks flushed darker, the blue eyed male grumbling a barely audible shut up under his breath.

Magnus chuckled as Alec shoved him away lightly, rushing after the taller man to lace their fingers together as they made their way into the canteen, spotting their usual table already crowded with Alec's siblings Jace and Isabelle as well as their partners, Clary and Simon. "Here they are." Jace's loud voice echoed through the canteen, waving down his brother and his boyfriend, silencing Clary and Simon's debate enough for them to run over to Magnus and Alec. "Okay guys this is serious," Clary said, folding her arms over her chest and glaring over at her best friend, "Simon says that Avengers Endgame isn't that sad and despite being a massive nerd he said he didn't cry. He's lying right?!"
Alec shook his head, releasing Magnus' hand to head over to his siblings, abandoning his boyfriend to the predicament but watching over the back of his chair just in case Magnus needed saving.

Simon scoffed, shaking his head as he messed up Clary's hair. "It's not sad, Fray, and I didn't cry."
"Samantha, I specifically recall you sobbing down the phone to me and
Biscuit over here." Magnus teased, smirking as he walked back over to Alec, who chuckled as Magnus leaned back in his arms as Simon loudly protested. "Samantha?! You're not even trying anymore Magnus!" Magnus hummed softly, smiling up at Alec as the taller male wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist, nuzzling his face against Magnus' neck, inhaling the comforting scent of his sandalwood cologne. "I adore you, cintaku," Magnus whispered, smiling as Alec lifted his head to kiss Magnus' cheek and whispering. "I love you."