A/N: Well, I'm starting this out as just a simple story following Alec, and it will be short, since I only had a few hours to write before I had to go back to bed before school. I hope that you enjoy this anyway, since I was really inspired to write this. This may trigger self-harmers/anorexics/drug-addicts, and I am telling you up front that I didn't mean it at all. This is purely fiction, and not meant to make anyone do such horrible things to their bodies. Well. . .I'm just happy that you have read all of this author's note and haven't turned back yet. Thank you for this support~ Chapter One: Lonely
Brooklyn's underground is where all of the junkies, goths, and other misfits all seem to clash and hang out for hours on end. Some came because of the prostitutes, some because of the music and raves. But I came for one of the reasons many others did - the drugs.
Yes, the always responsible Alexander Lightwood, who many believed had never even been to a bar in his whole life, was a junkie. I had been addicted since I turned seventeen, the first time I went underground. Only being a minor, one person had given me a cigarette and got me hooked on weed in only a few months flat. I would leave for nights at a time, hanging out at one of the buildings that had been built where a subway station should have been. It was a bar that had once been built to serve wine, until the subway closed due to a suicide by a depressed teenager. After that, it was turned into a club - raves all night, closed all day -, and had brought in many interesting patrons. I assumed I was one the first time I had gone in, since I had never even met a smoker before. Only coming to adventure and rebel without my parents finding out, I had gotten much more during that first night.
I had tried cigarettes, beer, and weed before I ultimately ended up sick to my stomach the next morning. Though, I was addicted to what I had been given by a male in what I could only remember as spandex. I tried to looked for Jace and tell him what had happened, until I realized that he would tell our parents indefinitely.
That was the day that I became insecure. It wasn't because of my homosexuality, like everyone seemed to believe. Well, maybe my sexuality played a part, but it was mainly my drug addiction. I wasn't proud of it, but what could I do? Nothing I could think of. . .
I didn't used to be so moody. I used to be very happy and optimistic. It wasn't even because of that Clary girl, or that Jace was taken. I didn't used to be ghostly-white, and I didn't used to be so depressed. I didn't even used to self-harm, I didn't have vertical and horizontal scars running up and down my wrists like white veins. Everyone asked about them when they saw them. I just told them I messed up with the stele when I was younger, and that the scars didn't seem to fade. After they offered iratzes and other ways to treat the scars, I'd leave, most likely to go back to the underground.
Remembering all of this as I stared into the mirror of my bathroom, I noticed what the drugs were doing to me. My eyes had developed dark bags underneath them, and even the blue color they once had was starting to fade. My pores were visible, and I could feel myself go cold inside. This wasn't what I expected after three years of pot and some cocaine mixed in at some points. I sighed, then pulled my hood up and walked downstairs. I could hear Jace and Clary laughing about her drawings as I passed by. I could hear Isabelle and Simon talking nerd to each other. Just as I heard the mention of "Bane", I turned. That name. . .I know I had heard that name from somewhere. Just. . .where had it been from? Maybe it was one of Isabelle's exes, I didn't know. By the time I realized what I was doing, I was already standing by the two, hands in my pockets.
"Oh. . .hi, Alec. . ." Isabelle said quietly, turning away as she noticed my face. I could feel myself grow even colder as Simon comforted her by rubbing her back.
I swallowed hard as I walked away, back to the front door and far away from these people who didn't seem to care that much anymore. This had been happening ever since a few months ago, and I was getting used to it. All of this constant neglect from even my parabati was enough for me to want to scream and just lock myself away so no one ever had to hear from me again, let alone see me. It's not like they would have even noticed.
The light bounced off of my eyelashes as I lowered my eyelids, creating almost transparent orbs of light in front of my eyes. It looked beautiful to me, but I didn't know what was actually in front of me.
Opening my eyes, I could feel my heart thud hard and irregularly against my chest. All that was in front of me was a figure, too blurry for me to make out. I looked down, noticing a needle in between my knees, and a string tied around my arm. Shaking, I looked back up at the figure, my fading blue eyes wide in terror. Was I imagining what had happened back at the Institute? Was this figure trying to hurt me? Was I even alive?The warm breeze of nighttime blew across my face as I could hear a voice. "Hello. . .are you okay?"
I shook, and I didn't respond. I opened my mouth, but all that happened was the figure knelt down in front of me, placing a hand on my cold cheek. From this angle, I could notice two green orbs steadily dancing in front of my face, along with a hand that was inspecting me. I doubled over and started sobbing, covering my face, screaming incoherently until I could finally speak properly again. "Don't hurt me!"
The figure placed a hand on both of mine, petting them gently. "Shh, shh. . .calm down, you'll be alright. . ." The voice sounded male, and I looked up, noticing my vision become steady. At the moment, I could make out tanned skin, comforting lime-green eyes, and a concerned expression that I could almost feel myself melt at. The streetlight behind him made his mussed-up hairdo look almost angelic, like a halo made of a black lion's mane. I could feel myself blush lightly. At least, I think I was blushing.
He looked me up and down, then felt my forehead. "You feel very sick. . .I can't leave you out here like this, not when you're all alone and high on drugs. . ."
I felt myself calmly relax as he wrapped his arm around my upper torso, pulling me up and helping me walk to a car that I couldn't make out in the dark. His warmth seemed to transmit to me as he continued to help me walk to the passenger side of his car. The man only seemed to be concerned with my safety, even though I didn't know him. I was still happy that he didn't just take a long glance at me almost dying on the sidewalk and walk away, and instead decided to help me. I could feel that my depression was very gradually fading as he turned to look at me while the car was still parked.
"What is your name?" He asked, smiling slightly as if to encourage me to speak.
"A-Alec, I think. . ." I blinked, then continued to stare at him with tired eyes. "Thanks for helping me, sir. . ."
He smiled as he raked a hand through his spikes. I remembered that gesture from somewhere, but I didn't know where from. . .
"Don't mention it, Alec. I'm Magnus Bane, or Magnus the Magnificent." He stated, as if to make me laugh. I smiled, and he smiled in return.
Just before I could add anything else, he turned back to start the car and drive. I watched the buildings go by slowly as we drove down one of the streets I had never seen before. The cool rushes of air coming from the AC struck my face, almost making me blink back tears coming from the cold. Besides that, I had really liked the ride. Magnus had offered to let me stay at his place while he fixed me up, and that he'd return me home in the morning. I was fine with that. Isabelle, Jace, and the other two would just assume I had gone out for the night, like always.
Thinking about it, I really didn't want Magnus to take me back in the morning. This was the most attention I had gotten in months, and why would I want that to end so soon just after I met one of the nicest guys ever?
I dreaded for that morning as I untied the string from around my forearm and shoved it into my pocket as I felt my eyelids droop until I couldn't see anymore. Until all that was left was a black, empty void and my thoughts running through my head.
A/N: I hope that you enjoyed that. :) I did. And hopefully it wasn't too bad. Thank you for reading to the end of my story, and for - hopefully - not flagging me for it. Thank you again! :)