La Mariée

"Happiness isn't happiness without a violin-playing goat."

Alec likes to think he got extremely lucky that his apartment is in the short vicinity of his bookshop, without having to actually live above it - as that would be crossing one too many lines of lameness he knows he can no longer afford. Not that Alec is a lazy person – far from it, he's arguably the most hardworking Lightwood in his family which, considering his sister has not one but two doctorates, says something. It's just that – on mornings such as the one right now, with the temperature getting lower and the sun not shining as brigthly as it used to, the thought of getting up for work this early just seems like a crime.

Still, very morning, Alec's route to work is about two blocks that he takes on foot, which gives him just enough time to question his life choices, but not enough to question them too thoroughly to actually consider the full consequences of owning a bookshop that only sells historical non-fiction (which are no money, no money and - did he mention no money?) and get to the conclusion that maybe closing it would be the best option.

But luckily - as always - he finishes the two blocks and stops in front of the big blue doors in-between the windows of the shop showcasing the newest and most popular releases, lifts his head up to read The Institute written in white above the entrance, and as he takes it all in much like every morning, Alec sighs and lets himself remember why he opened the shop in the first place.

He remembers how books were the only thing he ever asked for as a child, how they were every birthday gift and Christmas present and how he spent every dime he ever got buying the books that intrigued him the most. How history fascinated him the most ever since he could read, making him pursue a history major in college, but even with that degree under his belt he was never completely satisfied. Not until he would look at his shelves upon shelves filled with books that would cover his entire apartment, choose one that would call out to him, and sit down to read it for the millionth time, even. But, it wasn't until Jace jokingly said that maybe he should buy an apartment just for his book collection, did Alec every really consider opening the bookshop. Though, the second the idea found its home in the back of his head, Alec's blood boiled and he felt a feeling in the pit of his stomach he rarely ever felt before and he knew that it was something he had to do.

And - other than the financial troubles he has to dig himself out of every few months - Alec hasn't regretted it since.

Alec walks into The Institute and is immediatelly greeted by Maia. She's a few years younger than him and works part-time to help pay for college. Alec continuously apologises for criminally underpaying her, and that she should earn comission for every time she convinces a woman stumbling in to buy a romance novel to buy the full history of the Roman Empire. Maia laughs at that, agreeing, but also reminding him that this isn't the only job helping her pay her way through her education - because she also works at the bar of the Hunter's Moon actross the street, and Raphael promised her extra work once he opens his restaurant in the near future.

The bookshop isn't too big, but the space has been used up adequately and isn't too stuffed. It's extremely well-organized and the books on the shelves are sorted alphabetically by author. There isn't a single square of wall that's not covered in shelves, and Alec is proud to be able to find each title you ask for in a few seconds - something Maia tests him on whenever days are slow (which sometimes seems to happen way more often than Alec would like). There are a few boxes on the floor holding books that used to stand in the shop window last month - a mix of bestsellers in the genre and new releases for last month - waiting to be put on the shelves. Alec almost trips over one of the boxes before gently pushing it into a corner with his foot. He'll get to sorting that later, expecting another slow day.

"Morning, boss.", she tells him and Alec rolls his eyes. Maia laughs, knowing the formal greeting would get a rise from Alec. She gets up from her chair, lifting up a calculator. "Ready to see how much we're in debt?"

"I'm jumping up and down with excitement.", Alec deadpans . Sadly, real life has to catch up with him once every few weeks, but Alec Lightwood has never been a quitter, and a few numbers on a machine won't stop him from keeping this bookshop open, no matter how hard it gets.

He finishes up the calculations and sighs, rubbing his eyes.

Maia leans on the counter. "So, what's the damage?", she asks sheepishly, already knowing neither of them will like the answer.

Alec puts the calculator away in a drawer a bit too harshly as if just looking at it is too much, and runs a hand through his hair, leaning back in the chair. "Around three thousand dollars.", he says. "Which is three thousand dollars too much."

Maia leans over the counter and gives him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Hey, it's gonna be okay.", she tells him and Alec tries to make himself believe her, but he fails miserably. Still, he appreciates her trying.

"Yeah."

"How about I go get us both a coffee, huh?", she says. "Caffeine always helps."

Alec shakes his head. "Better water it down, get half a cup.", he says. "Seeing how that's all I can afford, anyway."

Maia chuckles sadly. "Oh, come on, boss. Don't be so melodramatic.", she tells him, continuing before he can tell her to not call him 'boss' for the millionth time. "It's always worked out so far, and it'll work out now. Don't give up hope."

Alec nods. "Impossible just means try again.", he says - something he reminds himself constantly, especially lately - and Maia smiles.

"Exactly.", she replies. "Now, I'll go get us a few coffees, maybe some scones - treat ourselves.", Maia says as she starts walking backwards towards the door, grabbing her red leather jacket. Alec laughs as she points a finger at him. "Because we deserve it, boss! Especially after all that math.", she pauses to put on her jacket. "There's a customer in the back, I'll be back in five and- you know what?", she looks back at Alec and he squints his eyes in question, furrowing his brows.

"What?"

Maia's smile grows bigger, her pearly whites shining in the sun coming in through the window. Even though he plays for another team, he can see why Simon spent months begging Alec to get him Maia's number. Maia really was beautiful, and her personality shone through - which is the main reason he hired her in the first place. Well, that and seeing her sell books on Egyptian pharaohs to a man looking for the new J.K. Rowling novel in under five minutes. "I have a feeling today is going to be a really good day."

This time, Alec doesn't need to convince himself to believe her; it happens effortlessly.

The customer Maia notified him of actually ended up buying a book, and if he didn't know better Alec would swear Maia was a psychic. Honestly, if this one purchase is the only interesting thing that happens to him today, he'll still count it as a win – because selling one book is better than selling no books.

But, it seems that the good luck he's so pessimistic about finally starts working in his favor, because before he could even consider picking up one of the books he has on the shelf (and has probably already re-read two times) to read while going through what he thought would be just another slow day, two more customers enter his shop.

The first one, a woman in her forties, occupies Alec's attention quickly as she asks him if he has any books regarding Ancient Greece that he fails to linger on the customer that walked in after her.

He's quick to give the woman a selection of titles and goes to the shelf at the back of the shop to get them. The woman chooses two and Alec throws in a third one free of charge. He knows Maia would scold him for this – he should probably scold himself – especially after the earlier conversation regarding the month's debt (although Maia wouldn't be able to keep one of her small smiles off her face, because even though it's hell on the bookshop's budget, the giving nature is one of the things about Alec she finds most endearing), but the smile on the woman's face as she says she'll be sure to come back again soon makes it worth it.

With the woman gone, the dingle of the bell hanging above the door indicating her opening and closing them on her way out, Alec is able to focus on the other man in the shop. He's tall – although short if looking at Alec's standards, which Clary likes to continuously use as an excuse to prove that she not that short and that everyone's a dwarf compared to the Lightwood giant – and dressed impeccably, but that's the most Alec can see as the man has his back turned to him while looking at the shelves upon shelves of books.

Alec only allows himself one moment of appreciating the man's ass – the phrase "I will not objectify my customers" repeating itself over and over in his head – which he usually never does, but as he's suddenly in a very good mood, he allows himself a moment of slight unprofessionalism.

Looking up, Alec noitices that the man has picked up a book and is browsing the pages. He turns around slightly, and Alec is finally able to get a good view of his profile. Alec can feel his breath get stuck in his throat.

The man is beautiful.

There's multiple chains around his neck and Alec is briefly distracted by the multitude of rings on the man's exceptionally long fingers which catch sunlight coming through the windows at the front of the shop as he's flipping through the pages. He's wearing make-up and he's wearing it well; the eyeliner making his eyes pop and the eyeshadow matching the rest of his outfit, along with the paint on his nails and the few colored streaks in his short hair, which is a spiked-up mohawk.

Flipping another page, the man turns a bit more and – oh my God – Alec recognises him for the first time.

It's Magnus Bane. The Magnus Bane. Movie star, Golden Globe-winning, Oscar-nominated actor Magnus Bane. Magnus Bane whose movies Alec has seen multiple times. Magnus Bane who deserved the damn Oscar and was robbed by The Academy, if you ask Alec. Magnus Bane who is on every major billboard in Brooklyn, who is currently on the cover of at least three magazines that Alec does not have under his desk at this very moment, and on who Alec – and the majority of the world population, actually – might have a slight celebrity crush on; something Izzy won't ever let him forget.

And, last but not least, the openly bisexual celebrity Magnus Bane whose interviews inspired Alec to finally come out to his family in the first place.

That Magnus Bane. And he's here. In The Institute; the smallest bookshop in all of Brooklyn that barely breaks even each month and only holds historical non-fiction.

So, naturally, Alec composes himself – taking a brief look of the book Magnus is holding in his hands, recognizing it instantly – and says the one thing a man in his situation could possibly think of saying:

"That one is terrible."