A/N: So, this is the second story I'm working on. Unfortunately, I don't own The Mortal Instruments either :( I do, however, own my extremely weird imagination.

1

Buy a pet, Izzy said. You need company, Izzy said. You need to get over Jace, Izzy said, I think sarcastically, opening the door to the pound.

Surrounded by the sad faces of the nekos and inus, I wonder why I chose this place instead of a pet store. None of them look very healthy, and most of them look terrified.

"Hello! Anything in particular you're looking for?" a woman asks cheerily.

The nametag on her vest reads 'Michelle'.

"My sister suggested I get a pet. I've never owned one before," I explain.

"Would you rather have a recent rescue or one who's been here a while?" she asks.

"How recent?"

She leads me to a cage in the back. The neko looks horrible. He's naked. He's horribly skinny. And it looks like he was a punching bag for someone. He's covered in cuts. His Siamese ears are flat; the left one is stitched. His right human ear bears several silver piercings. His black hair is matted and greasy. Dried blood covers the caramel skin of his lean thighs.

"What happened to him?" I ask.

"His owner wasn't a good person. He has other injuries as well," Michelle informs me.

"Could I get a better look?"

His ears flatten against his skull in response. His tail taps irritably.

"If he'll let me," Michelle replies, unlocking the cage.

He backs away fearfully. He refuses to come out when she tries to lead him out. Every muscle in his skinny body is rigid with terror.

"Magnus, come on!" she snaps, jerking the leash roughly.

He almost falls down.

"Don't hurt him," I beg, noticing the way he rubs his throat.

He's mewling pathetically.

She drags him out by his collar.

He won't look at me. He doesn't move at all.

"Can you tell me anything about his last owner?" I ask, gently lifting his head.

He flinches from me.

"He was a sex pet. There's evidence he was raped," Michelle replies.

"How old is he?"

"He's eighteen. Purebred too."

"Could I spend time alone with him?"

He shakes his head slowly. His long tail curls up between his legs.

"Yeah, of course," Michelle says, leaving me with him.

"Is your name really Magnus?" I ask.

"Magnus Bane. My last owner was Ragnor Fell," he replies quietly.

"I'm Alexander, but everyone calls me Alec. How long have you been here?"

"Two days."

"I've never had a pet before."

He nods quietly.

I notice the fearful way he trembles when I pick up the leash.

"I won't drag you or anything. How do you like the idea of me adopting you?" I murmur.

"I don't really have a say," he replies.

He follows me placidly to Michelle.

"You wanna adopt him?" she asks.

"Yeah, I do," I reply, turning to look at Magnus.

He's standing with his head down and his hands clasped behind his back. His tail's twitching anxiously.

He probably thinks I'll hurt him, I think.

I accidentally shut his tail in the door. He refuses to come near me after that. If I try getting near him, he hisses at me and tries to scratch me.

"Magnus, I said I was sorry. Now come on!" I tell him, jerking him harder than I intended.

He chokes from the pressure on his throat. I feel like an even worse owner.

Eyes watering, he slinks over to me. He's shaking.

"I wasn't meaning to choke you. I'm sorry," I tell him.

He follows me silently to a pet store.

The things they sell in there are horrifying. There's cages so small someone Magnus's height would never fit. And cattle prods. And whips. Barbed collars. Spiked chastity devices.

"Let's see if they have any normal things," I murmur to Magnus.

He's staring at a spiked chastity cage.

"Did they use one on you?" I ask gently.

He nods slowly.

"I'm not sadistic. I wanna get you a new collar, instead of that heavy one."

He stares at the floor while I look at collars. He's watching me from the corner of his eye, though.

"Do you see any you like?" I ask, surprising him.

"The choice isn't mine. You own me. I have no right to tell you what to put on my body," he mumbles.

"You have a say with me."

His golden eyes glance at me worriedly before turning to the collars. He keeps looking at a blue one with rhinestones.

"You can try it on if you want," I tell him.

It fits him well.

He's still almost silent when I get him home.

"So this is your pet?" Izzy asks.

Magnus backs away nervously.

"He wasn't treated very good so he's really nervous," I reply.

"Am I—Can I—Bathroom?" he stammers.

"Follow me," I reply.

He doesn't shut the door. I doubt he's ever had anything that's really his. Or privacy.

"Thank you, Master," he murmurs.

"You don't have to thank me. Or ask for permission," I reply.

He nods again.

"Do you want your collar off?" I ask.

"Why? Forgive me. I'm sure you have a reason," he murmurs quietly.

"So it doesn't irritate your throat. It's okay to ask questions if I tell you something. How long did he own you?"

"I was ten."

"So he abused you for eight years?"

"Yeah. I was bad, so I deserved it."

He lets me undo the collar. His throat is raw from the other one rubbing his skin.

"Would you like to take a shower?" I offer.

He looks up in shock.

"W-with hot water?" he asks.

"Of course. He made you take cold showers?"

"S-sometimes I fell down from shaking so hard. And then he did things to me."

"He raped you?"

"That's why he bought me. Master, is that why you're being so nice? So I won't scream as much? Or will you gag me?"

He's eyeing me fearfully.

"Magnus, I'm not gonna rape you. Ever," I reply, disgusted.

"Really?"

The hope in his low voice is heartbreaking.

"Really. When was the last time it happened?"

"This morning. One of the volunteers."

I can tell he's not really wanting to open up, so I leave it alone.

Even though they're too short, I lend him some of my old clothes. His gratitude is amazing.

He's like a shadow. He follows me everywhere, even to the bathroom.

"Magnus, out. I want privacy," I tell him.

He slinks into the hall.

He probably thinks I'll hurt him. Where's he gonna sleep? If he sleeps in my room, he might think I want something from him. He might not wanna stay in a guest room, I think, opening the bathroom door.

He's sitting right in front of the door.

"Magnus, where do you wanna sleep tonight?" I ask.

"Aren't I supposed to sleep with you?" he replies.

"You don't have to. You can explore if you want. Jace's room, Izzy's room, and my parents' room are off limits."

He ambles off down the hall towards my room. And I head for the living room.

"How's he settling in?" Izzy asks.

"He thinks I'm gonna rape him. Or give him cold showers. If I can get him past what Ragnor did, I wonder what he's really like?" I reply.

"He'll probably adore you. He already likes you."

"He's probably just afraid I'll shut his tail in a door again. It was an accident."

Magnus comes back ten minutes later. He slinks towards me slowly, like he's in trouble.

"I accidentally went into one of the rooms you said not to," he mumbles.

"I forgot to point out which rooms they were. It's not your fault," I reply, watching as he bares his back to me.

Scars and cuts mar his otherwise smooth-looking skin. His spine juts out.

"Magnus, I'm not gonna beat you. Ever," I tell him.

His hand bumps his bad ear as he puts the shirt back on. He whimpers softly in pain and reaches up to cradle his ear. His eyes are watering.

"Let me see. I won't touch it. You didn't make it bleed," I tell him gently.

He rests his head on my knee when I sit back down. His ears flatten when I start to pet him. And then I notice the tiny bald patches like he had his hair jerked out recently.

"Is this okay?" I ask, touching his cheek softly.

He shies away.

"Master? Why were you gonna slap me?" he asks fearfully.

"I wasn't going to. I just wanted to touch you," I reply.

His stomach rumbles softly.

"When's the last time you ate?" I ask.

"I don't remember, Master," he mumbles.

"What would you like to eat?"

"Real food? I usually dug through garbage."

"Whatever food you want. You ate garbage?"

"I'll eat whatever you give me, Master. I was really hungry."

"Do you wanna see what we have? Can you cook?"

"Okay. No, Master, no one ever taught me."

"You can stop calling me 'Master'."

His ears droop in response.

"What am I supposed to call you?" he asks.

"My name. Let's get you fed, okay?" I reply.

He nods slowly.

"Did you decide where you wanna sleep?" I ask.

Biting his lip, he shakes his head slowly.

"Okay. You have plenty of time to decide," I assure him.

He relaxes a little at this.

The rest of the night goes without incident. He's chosen to sleep in my room. He snuggles against my back for warmth.

I know it's stupid, but I want Magnus to see what it's like to actually be cared about instead of used as a sex toy. I want him to come out of his shell and feel safe with me.