This is my first fan fiction, ever, ever. I was frustrated with the lack of AUs where Alec is a war vet, so I figured; why not write one myself? I really hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This is Malec with Sizzy and Clace in the background. It's rated M for later chapters, mainly Malec smexyness, Magnus being Magnus and Jace's foul mouth.
Reviews are welcome and encouraged!
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, all rights belong to Cassandra Clare.
I hope you guys enjoy this. :)
Thank you!
Summary:
Alexander Lightwood is newly retired from his service in Afghanistan after being impaired by a roadside bomb. Also recently out of the closet, Alec struggles to come to terms with his "new" self, both mentally and physically. Then comes Magnus Bane; loud, out and proud, covered with glitter from head to toe and just happens to be the owner of the prestigious store chain "MB", and a photographer as well. After Magnus is asked to do a photo shoot to raise money and awareness for those living with prosthetics, their two worlds come crashing together. Alexander finds himself accidentally catching the attention of Magnus Bane...
Not that he's complaining.
"Try touching your toes. Don't give me that look, you could do it yesterday."
"The only reason I could was because you pulled my arms past my toes."
"Stop being stubborn and do it Lightwood."
Alec snorted; so much for a supportive and encouraging physiotherapist. Glaring daggers at the obnoxious petite ginger, Alec sucked in a deep breath before he bent forward. Ghost pain shot through his lower right leg, or where his right leg had been.
Grasping his remaining toes on his left leg, Alec cursed under his breath. His fingers brushed against the metal of his prosthetic and he instinctively flinched away from the cold metal.
Clary - his physiotherapist - let out a soft sigh. "Alec," She spoke with that all too familiar aggravating tone; the one that made it sound as if she was about to scold a child.
He sniffed. He was not a child. He had never truly been one, not when he was elder sibling to three lovable, pig-headed idiots. "I know," he grunted, his fingers wrapping around the metal. "Don't avoid it, don't deny it, accept it."
Alexander had been on patrol in Afghanistan when their caravan had triggered a roadside bomb. Two members of his squad had died instantly. Alec had been lucky enough to have been blown away from any debris, not so lucky when the caravan itself had rolled on top of his lower leg; effectively crushing it. To this day he was thankful he'd been unconscious when it had happened, he didn't even want to think of how painful it would have been to feel the caravan roll on to his leg. This had led to the loss of his lower right leg, right below the knee cap. Scars still littered his upper torso, with one running through his eyebrow, disrupting the fine black hairs. He'd been eerily close to losing not only his leg, but an eye as well.
Alec blew out a long sigh. Leaning back on the palm of his hands, he observed the small red-head with skeptical eyes. She was busy writing something down on her clipboard with a kind of intensity he envied, either that or she was doodling. Doodling seemed far more likely. Clary majored in arts at a university nearby, her job as a physiotherapist, wasn't completely legal. Though he hadn't been the one to note it, Jace had.
Alec scowled as he recalled how excitable his adoptive sibling had been that morning. Ever since Jace had come with him to his first session, the blond had insisted on picking him up as well. Alec rolled his eyes. He knew all too well the reason for it.
"So, Clary," he drawled, "Did Jace manage to get your number this time?"
He was greeted by her flushed face, his cheeks nearly as red as her hair. "No!" She said, a little too quickly. Alec arched one eyebrow, waiting. "Okay maybe he did," she relented, a small smile quirking at the side of her mouth. "He's persistent. I'll give him that."
"You mean cocky?" He asked, grimacing as he raised himself up into his knees Clary offered him her hand, he took it gratefully. "Thanks," he grunted.
"No problem," She said. "You're doing better than I thought," the back of her pen found its way in between of her teeth and she chewed it. The poor thing. Alec headed over to get his shoes as she spoke, only half paying attention. "You shouldn't need to come by again this week. If there's any discomfort come see me, and make sure to work on you exercises!"
Alec bobbed his head in acknowledgment just as the door to the training room opened. Both he and Clary's head swung towards the door, just in time to see-
"Jace, how nice of you to join us." Clary said, her tone flat and expressionless.
Alec sighed as Jace's signature grin spread out over his face.
"I know, you should be flattered I decided to come," Jace smirked. "And pick up Alec today. How's the patient doc?"
"The patient would prefer if you didn't refer to him in third person," Alec said, shooting a glare towards his adopted sibling. "If you even know what that is." He added under his breath. Unfortunately not quietly enough so that Jace didn't hear it.
"Hey!" Jace regarded Alec with a baleful look. "For you information being an actor does not mean my head is filled with nothing," Jace smirked. "It also includes my ideal physique."
Alec rolled his eyes. "It's just filled with dust."
"And yours is filled with fluff."
"Children please!" Clary interjected, she tapped her clipboard on Jace's chest a few times. "Now, Mr. Herondale, I'm certain I told you the last time that agitating Mr. Lightwood does not help him lower his stress levels."
Jace whined. "Clary don't be like that..." He reached out to wrap his arms around the red-heads waist, but she darted out of his reach just in time.
"That's Ms. Fairchild to you Mr. Herondale." Clary handed Alec his jacket. Alec wisely took it with a simple soft thanks. "This is my work I will be referred to as such."
Alec had to bite his tongue from stopping the ridiculous grin from spreading across his face. Clarissa was extremely skilled in the art of keeping Jace's cockiness at bay. Jace was an actor rising in fame, nominated for an Oscar or two and very popular with the ladies. No one said no to Jace Herondale, except Clary. Alec had never seen Jace so smitten with a lady before. Normally Jace's tastes lasted all of one night, but the attractive blond had been pinning over Clary for weeks on end.
"What about out-of-work situations?" Jace drawled, his long lashes dropped low, giving him a hooded, seductive look. Alex regarded his twin nervously. He didn't like where this was going.
To her credit Clary didn't flush too badly, if her skin tone had been darker and less ghostly pale like Alec's, she might have had a chance at hiding it. "You can call me whatever you like."
"Oh I'll call you alright," Jace dropped a wink. "We're still up for Saturday then?"
Alec's eyebrows rose into his hairline as Clary's face went from mildly flushed to tomato red. Jace took that as an answer in itself. "Good," he said nodding. "Come on Alec, this ride waits for nobody!" Jace exited with one final smirk in Clary's direction, hands in his pockets and a swagger in his step.
Alec rolled his eyes to the heavens before following after his brother. He bade a blushing Clary goodbye before rushing out of the room. Pulling his jacket on over his worn sweater, Alec eased his way down the steps of the building. The day was crisp and cold, the autumn wind stirring his hair and bringing tears to his eyes. Blinking to rid them from his vision, Alexander shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He caught sight of Jace's ( very, very, very expensive ) car sitting in the parking lot, the bright red of the vehicle blending in with the vibrant colours of the trees. Making his way over, Alec managed to slide into the passenger seat with little difficulty.
When losing his dominant leg he'd experienced the loss of being able to do many mundane things. It had taken him time to adjust to supporting his weight evenly throughout his prosthetic and his good leg, but even with physiotherapy he still had a noticeable limp when he walked.
Jace glanced over at him. "How's Peggy doing?"
Alec scowled; his adoptive brother had found it hilarious to give his prosthetic a name and had decided on the rather crude name of 'Peggy'. He gritted his teeth, "Fine, just fine."
"You sure? I mean, if she isn't feeling all too well I could give her-"
"Jace, shut up and drive."
Jace grumbled something that vaguely sounded like an insult under his breath, before pulling out of the parking lot. The car was silent for a few minutes, a comfortable silence in which Alec had caught himself nearly dozing off a few times.
He was exhausted. After all the tests, the appointments, dodging cameras and his parents - specifically his father - Alec wanted nothing more than to curl up with a good book and forget the world existed. He scratched at his thigh, resisting the urge to itch at his non-existent shin. Just then Jace cleared his throat and Alec glanced sideways at the blond.
"Fair warning, Izzy's had her panties in a twist ever since she got back from class. She's been damn hard to understand, she nearly tore my head off when I asked her what the hype was about."
Alec frowned, "Do you know what's bothering her?"
Jace barked out a laugh. "Bothering? How should I know? It's probably something about fashion or clothes, a boy?"
"Another one? Didn't she just break up with that Meliorn guy?"
"He was a prick."
"You think everyone's a prick, that or an ass."
"Yeah well, that guy was a prick and an ass." Jace paused as he turned down a busy street. "Anyway, I have a thing so..."
"You'll just be dropping me off." Alec tried to hide his disappointment. Jace had promised him the day before that they would go out for lunch together, just like old times.
As Jace pulled into the drive way he gave a wry grin and patted Alec on the shoulder. "Next time, maybe I can take you out for drinks tomorrow. How does that sound?"
Alec nodded. "Sure Jace, thanks." He knew something was likely to come up in his brother's busy schedule. His brother had just finished filming for his new action movie and was currently swamped with premiers, photo-shoot's and interviews. It was unlikely that Jace would find the time. Alec never bothered holding Jace to any of his promises; his brother was on the verge of becoming very successful, his job was important. Alec knew he was simply not a priority.
Getting out of the car proved to be a little more difficult than getting in, but after much awkward shuffling and a dozen rude remarks from Jace, Alec finally managed to haul himself upright. Placing on hand onto the roof of the car for balance, Alec shut the door before wandering off. He waved to the car as his brother peeled out and honked a goodbye, leaving Alexander standing alone in the large driveway.
Another sigh and he turned towards the Lightwood mansion. Mansion was the only word to describe it really, the Lightwood's had lived in that house since, well, forever. Alec could never not remember living in the mansion. It held both good and bad memories, and recently the mansion had lost a member; Robert Lightwood, Alec's father, had recently divorced Alec's mother, Maryse.
It was really the other way around; Alec knew his Mother had been less than pleased with his Fathers reaction toward him being gay, or in the words of Robert; "Choosing such a disrespectful and disgusting path to life."
Shrugging the bad memories aside Alec trudged up the steps to the front door, the door itself was locked, which was easily fixed with the key in his front pocket. Entering the household Alec was welcomed with a burst of hot air that warmed his pink cheeks. The door shut behind him, leaving him standing in the large entryway. Removing his jacket he wandered to the kitchen, searching for a hot cup of coffee to indulge himself in. The coffee machine itself was already mysteriously half-filled with steaming coffee and Alec happily poured himself a cup before seeking out his sister.
She was relatively easy to find, Izzy, his younger sister, tended to spend her time in her room when she wasn't out partying. The door to her brightly coloured room was wide open, but he knocked anyway, heeding Jace's early warning. His sister had the temper of a bear when she was in a bad move.
Alec spotted his sisters mop of expertly styled black hair - which she had curled that morning - seated at her desk. She was bent over her computer, furiously typing while pausing to sip her coffee every other moment. Izzy didn't hear him so he cleared his throat and she spun around in her chair.
"Who in the devils- oh! Alec!" She squealed, and Alec immediately regretted coming to see her. Izzy never got this excited about seeing him; normally he was met with complaints and whines about school. Isabelle Lightwood was in her last year of university, and had one foot in the door for a modeling career and another for fashion design. She'd been majoring in it for the past four years, and had already gotten a job at one of the world's most exclusive fashion stores; MB.
"It's nice to see you too Iz," he said, wandering into her room he carefully stepped around textiles and sewing machines. Izzy had stayed seated, but with the large smile spread out over her face Alec knew she had to have been up to something.
"How was Clary? Did you tell her that Mr. Gemmel's going to throw a fit if she misses another art class for her stupid job again?"
Alec rolled his eyes as he seated himself precariously on the edge of her bed. Clary wasn't technically a fully licensed physiotherapist. Her mother owned the site and Clary worked to help her mother out, she did just a good a job as Mrs. Fairchild did, so Alec didn't complain. Clary was in fact an art student attending the same university as Isabelle. The two girls were in the same life drawing class, and Clary was constantly helping Isabelle with her homework.
"Iz, you know her job isn't exactly stu-"
"Ya, ya," Izzy waved a dismissive hand in his direction. "Anyway, I'm glad you showed up!" She turned to him, that unsettling gleam in the back of her dark eyes. "So, you know how I work for MB?"
"Magnificent.."
"Marvelous Bane."
"Wasn't it Magnificent?"
"Technically it's MB, though no one actually knows what it stands for ," Isabelle explained. "That's beside the point! So, you won't believe what happened today!" She paused, as if he was supposed to guess.
"What?" Alec asked, hesitant.
"The Magnus Bane showed up in my class today, that's what!" Isabelle yelled, she grinned and reached to take another sip of her coffee.
Alec did the same, though he took a smaller sip as he contemplated this news. Obviously he was supposed to have a reaction of sorts, if the way Izzy was grinning at him like an idiot was anything to go by. "Magnus Bane?" He asked.
Izzy moaned and buried her face in her hands in mock pain. "Oh brother, oh dear eldest brother! Where did I go wrong in raising you? How is it that you don't know Magnus Bane, I work at one of his stores for Angel's sake!"
A small 'Oh' formed itself on Alec's lips. That's why MB sounded so similar to Magnus Bane - What kind of name was that anyway? He remembered now, Magnus was a new fashion designer, owner of the prestigious stores MB who had started off as a Photographer.
"As I was saying," Izzy continued. "Magnus Bane came to my class today, just to talk to us since he used to go to my school, and he mentioned something wonderful." Her grin widened and she leaned forward. Alec leaned back. "He's been asked to do a photo-shoot to raise awareness for people living with prosthetics, and he was looking for models,"
Shit. Alec's stomach dropped. He knew what his devil of a sister was going to say before she said it.
"And I, signed you up. You're shoot's tomorrow at one pm."
Alec was speechless. Even if he had known, hell he had predicted exactly what Isabelle was going to tell him, but nothing had prepared him for it being said out loud. He sat there, uncomprehending for a few moments, doing nothing but blinking at his sister. Then it hit him, his sister had volunteered for him to be a model, a model for a worldwide famous photographer.
"What?!" Finding his voice, the coffee in Alec's hand sloshed over the sides, scalding his hands. Hissing in pain and agitation he stood abruptly and stumbled to put the cup down.
"Oh fuck-! Alec here, let me-" Isabelle was on her feet next to him, reaching to help but Alec was already wiping his hands off on his jeans.
"It's alright, it's alright, you just surprised me." Surprised was an extreme under exaggeration for what he was actually feeling, if anything panic was closer to the real thing. He swallowed nervously as he massaged his sore hands. "Izzy," Alec started, hesitant. "You didn't actually sign me up did you?"
Isabelle sighed. "Alec, this will be good for you. I know you're still shy about your prosthetic, but I think this will a great confidence booster for you!" She smirked. "Plus, I don't know if you've heard, but Magnus Bane is hot, sexy, bisexual, and very single." Izzy wiggled her eyebrows and Alec shook his head in exasperation.
"Izzy I already told you, just because I'm out of the closet doesn't mean I'm looking for a relationship." Alec said. He had only come out into the open about his sexuality a few months ago, right before his accident. He had been originally concerned about being kicked out of the army for his preference of men, but none of his comrades had ever judged him for it. That alone had been a confidence booster Alec had needed, though most of it had been destroyed with his new collection of scars and injuries. "And I'm almost one hundred percent sure Magnus Bane would not want to date me."
Izzy whined. "Oh come on Alec, don't be like that. If you do this photo shoot I promise I won't make you do anything like this again." And that on its own was tempting enough for Alec to give in.
He regarded his sister warily, weighing his options and trying to decide if subjecting himself to modeling was worth it. It was only one time, and Isabelle had already theoretically signed him up. If he didn't show up tomorrow he was sure to embarrass Isabelle and even potentially cause her to lose her job. Alec bit his lip. "One time."
Immediately Isabelle's expression brightened and a high-pitched squeal ringing through the air. Her arms came around his neck, embracing him in large hug. "You won't regret it! I promise!"
Alec returned the embrace, awkwardly leaning down to his sisters height. She was quite tall, and towered over most boys her age, but Alec had always been a little too tall. He grimaced, as he watched his sister ecstatically ramble on about tomorrow. He was already beginning to regret his decision, but he'd promised Isabelle.
Though, in reality, how much could one photo shoot really hurt?