"Max! Hurry up you're gonna be late for school!" Alec shouted from where he was packing away his son's lunch.
"I'm coming Daddy!" The shout came from the four-year-old from where he was currently putting his shoes on in the hallway.
Max Michael Lightwood was starting his first day of kindergarten at Idris Kindergarten. Secretly Alec didn't want his son to leave, he just wanted to keep his precious son small and locked up for his whole life. Sadly, Alec knew that this was never going to happen. His son would grow up and starting school was just the first step in the process. He should treasure the fact that Max still gave him hugs and kisses, because he knew that probably wouldn't last for too much longer.
Alec checked the time on his watch, 8:00am, they should've left 10 minutes ago. Little Maxie had lost his favourite stuffy, a little blue warlock that his Uncle Jace had gifted him with. He insisted that he couldn't go without checking on 'Blueberry' as it was affectionately named. Consequently, they had spent the last 10 minutes looking for the toy and were now running late. 'We'll have to skip the visit to Jace's I had planned' Alec thought. He had planned to let Jace wish his nephew good luck on his first day but now there was simply no time to allow for it.
"Max we'll have to go straight to your school, we don't have enough time. We can after school" Alec said gently. He knew how much Max had been looking forward to seeing his Uncle.
"Okay Daddy, you promise?" Max said, taking the news better than expected. He was probably just excited to go to school and meet new people. Alec didn't really know how his son was such a social butterfly, Alec himself being quite shy.
"Yeah, I promise Maxie" Alec looked affectionately down at his son, he didn't know how he'd gotten so lucky to have such a well-behaved son. People often praised Alec on Max's manners, and while Alec shied away from the praise, Max soaked it all up thanking them and doing that cute little smile that he knew would make people melt.
Once they got to the school, thankfully on time, the two walked up to the teacher.
"Ah! Who's this that we have here?" Asked the cheerful voice of Max's new teacher, Miss Roberts. She had lovely, rich brown skin and a set of bouncy curls a top her head.
"I'm Max Lightwood! Are you my new teacher?" asked the ever-inquisitive Max.
"Yes, I am, Max! It's lovely to meet you and your father, why don't you go over there and play with some your classmates? I just need your daddy for a few minutes so that us adults can all have a chat and then he can come back and kiss your goodbye" Miss Roberts bubbly voice nearly sang out. Max gave his dad a quick hug and then ran off, leaving Alec no choice but to follow the over-enthusiastic teacher.
"Please do call me Maia. I'm not really into the whole formal thing with other adults. I'm just going to have a quick chat with all of the parents about what's going on in the upcoming term, Mr Lightwood and then you're free to leave" Maia informed him.
"If I'm to call you Maia then please, feel free to call me Alec" Alec said, surprisingly not stuttering, there was just something about Maia that made him feel comfortable. He was grateful for this, he didn't really want to leave his child with someone who gave him the creeps.
"Well okay then, Alec, follow me" Maia led him to the back of the classroom where all the other parents seem to have gathered. Alec can feel the eyes of all the other parents. Silently judging him, for not only being a single parent but also because of his young age. But, Alec doesn't ever regret adopting Max at the tender age of 19, just barely out of school. He looks around the room, at all the happy couples. His gaze lands on a very sparkly man, a man who is also here alone. The mystery man smiles at him and beckons him over. Alec can feel his face heating up, though he somehow finds the courage to walk over to the man.
"Why hello there, pretty boy. I'm Magnus" Magnus extends a hand adorned with various rings and sparkling with a coat of shiny nail polish. He seems to exude confidence and, apparently, glitter. Alec feels plain next to him, with his own dark and boring clothing.
"U-uh I'm Alec" Alec manages to stammer out. He could almost hear Jace laughing at him and saying 'Really, Lightwood. Grow a pair and go for it!'
"Lovely to meet you, that wouldn't happen to be short for Alexander, would it?" Magnus almost purrs his name out, making Alec start to fall for the man, and he's afraid what it could do to him.
"Y-yeah, but no one really c-calls me that" Alec said blushing. Jeez, this was embarrassing, why does he have to be so awkward!
"Well then, Alexander, how about we go out for a coffee after we're done here?" Magnus asks smiling.
"Sure, that sounds great" Silently congratulating himself on getting out a sentence without stammering, Alec turns toward where Maia was just gathering up the last of the parents and starting to speak about what the kids would be learning this term.
Afterwards, Alec was introduced to Max's new friend Rafael, who just so happened to be Magnus' son. They kissed the boy's goodbye and went on their coffee date. A few weeks later, Max was talking to his Aunt Izzy and it slipped out. After the 'Incident' as Alec started calling it, Izzy became the number one supporter for 'Malec' closely followed by Jace.